paper
/ˈpeɪpə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpeɪpər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpā-pər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈpeɪ.pər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpeɪ.pɚ/ (ame, ipa)
paper — noun
- papersingular
- papersplural
1. the thin, flat substance, usually pressed from wood pulp, that you can write on,
the thin, flat substance, usually pressed from wood pulp, that you can write on, print images onto, or sketch over; it is also chosen to wrap or protect items.
Maya tore a clean sheet of paper from her notebook.
collocation: a sheet / piece of paper
The bakery wraps every loaf of bread in brown paper.
collocation: wrap [object] in paper
Recycling old paper saves a lot of trees each year.
Carlos folded the bright red paper into a small origami crane.
The printer ran out of paper halfway through Lina's essay.
文法句型
a sheet/piece of paper
on paper
made of paper
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense. To count, use 'a sheet/piece of paper' or 'two pieces of paper', not 'two papers' (which means newspapers or academic articles — see senses 2 and 5).
常見錯誤
2. a printed publication, usually issued each day or week, that reports the latest
a printed publication, usually issued each day or week, that reports the latest news together with comment, sport, and adverts.
Grandpa reads the morning paper at the kitchen table every day.
collocation: the morning / evening paper
There was a long article about the typhoon in yesterday's paper.
fixed phrase: in the paper
Marcus delivers the local paper to forty houses before school.
Most national papers in Taiwan now publish online as well.
Aunt Rosa keeps Sunday's paper to do the crossword later.
文法句型
the [name] paper
today's paper
in the paper
用法筆記
Often shortened from 'newspaper'. Common with 'the' + day/place: 'the Saturday paper', 'the Taipei paper'. The plural 'papers' usually means several newspapers, not the material.
常見錯誤
3. (usually plural) the official documents, such as a passport or permit, that prov
(usually plural) the official documents, such as a passport or permit, that prove who someone is or what they are allowed to do.
The border guard asked Carlos to show his papers at the checkpoint.
collocation: show / produce one's papers
Without the right papers, refugees cannot legally work in the country.
plural-only sense
Lina keeps her adoption papers in the small safe upstairs.
The officer waved Mr. Chen through after checking his papers carefully.
Travellers without papers were turned back at the airport gate.
- documents
broader term; covers papers and digital records
- credentials
more formal; often professional or academic proof
- ID
informal; usually a single card such as a driver's licence
文法句型
one's papers
ask to see [someone's] papers
用法筆記
Almost always plural in this sense. Distinguish from sense 7 (loose pieces of writing): 'papers' here means specifically identity or permission documents, often demanded by police or officials.
常見錯誤
4. a test on a single subject, made up of questions printed on a sheet that student
a test on a single subject, made up of questions printed on a sheet that students answer within a fixed time.
Lina found this year's chemistry paper much harder than last year's.
the [subject] paper
Students must finish the maths paper in ninety minutes.
Mr. Patel will mark all forty history papers by Friday afternoon.
Marcus left the room early after handing in his English paper.
The first paper of the entrance exam tests reading skills.
- exam
general word for any kind of test
- test
informal and broad; can be oral or written
- examination
formal full word for an exam
文法句型
take / sit a paper
the [subject] paper
用法筆記
Mainly British. In American English, 'exam' or 'test' is more common; 'paper' more often means an essay (sense 6). 'Sit a paper' is BrE; AmE prefers 'take a test'.
常見錯誤
5. a written study by an expert that presents new findings or arguments on one topi
a written study by an expert that presents new findings or arguments on one topic, normally appearing in a journal or delivered at a conference.
Dr. Tanaka published a paper on coral reefs in Nature last month.
publish a paper on [topic]
Professor Kim will present her latest paper at the Tokyo physics conference.
present a paper at [event]
Three of his recent papers have been cited over a thousand times.
The journal asked two specialists to review the paper before publication.
Professor Lee co-authored a paper with his former PhD student.
文法句型
a paper on [topic]
publish / present a paper
用法筆記
Used for serious published research, not student essays (compare sense 6). Subject is usually a researcher, professor, or institution. Common verbs: publish, present, submit, review, cite.
常見錯誤
6. a short written assignment that a student produces about one topic for a class o
a short written assignment that a student produces about one topic for a class or course.
Maya is writing a paper on the Civil War for history class.
write a paper on [topic]
The professor wants every paper handed in before Friday at noon.
Carlos stayed up late to finish his term paper on solar energy.
Lina got an A on her English paper about coming-of-age novels.
Each student must write a five-page paper to pass the course.
- essay
the most common word for school writing
- assignment
broader; can include problem sets, not just writing
- report
often based on facts or experiments rather than argument
文法句型
write a paper on [topic]
a [subject] paper
用法筆記
Mainly American English. Distinguish from sense 5: this one is student work for a course; sense 5 is expert research. Common phrases: 'term paper', 'research paper' (in the school-assignment sense).
常見錯誤
7. (plural) the various sheets carrying writing or print that a person owns or work
(plural) the various sheets carrying writing or print that a person owns or works with, such as letters, notes, reports, or personal records.
After Grandpa died, we sorted through boxes of his old papers.
sort / go through someone's papers
Sarah keeps all her tax papers in a thick green folder.
The lawyer spread the papers across the long table to compare them.
Marcus found his birth certificate buried under piles of office papers.
Please file these papers in the cabinet by the window.
文法句型
someone's papers
go through the papers
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (identity documents): sense 7 is broader, covering any personal or work-related documents. Often pre-modified: 'tax papers', 'court papers', 'office papers', 'family papers'.
常見錯誤
paper — verb
- paperpresent simple I / you / we / they
- papers3rd person singular
- papering-ing form
- paperedpast simple
1. to put decorative paper onto the inside walls of a room so that they are fully c
to put decorative paper onto the inside walls of a room so that they are fully covered.
Maya and her husband papered the nursery in soft yellow stripes.
paper [room] in / with [pattern]
It took Carlos a whole weekend to paper the small bathroom.
We plan to paper the dining room before Grandma visits next month.
The decorator papered all four walls with a pale floral pattern.
Lina decided to paint the kitchen instead of papering it again.
- strip
to remove old wallpaper from a wall
文法句型
paper a wall / room
paper [place] with [pattern]
用法筆記
Always transitive in this sense; takes a room or wall as object. Typically followed by 'with' or 'in' plus the pattern or colour. Distinguish from 'paint': you 'paint' walls with colour, but 'paper' them with sheets of pattern.
常見錯誤
paper — adjective
- paperpositive
- paperercomparative
- paperestsuperlative
1. produced from sheets of paper, card, or papier-mâché rather than from cloth, pla
produced from sheets of paper, card, or papier-mâché rather than from cloth, plastic, or metal.
The children wore tall paper hats at Maya's birthday party.
attributive: paper + [noun]
Carlos handed each guest a paper cup of fresh lemonade.
The cafe now uses paper straws instead of plastic ones.
Lina folded a small paper boat and floated it on the pond.
The shop wraps every gift in colourful paper bags free of charge.
- paperboard
thicker; used for packaging boxes
- cardboard
much stiffer than ordinary paper
文法句型
paper + [noun]
用法筆記
Used directly before a noun (attributive). Cannot stand after a linking verb in this sense — say 'a paper cup' but not 'this cup is paper' (use 'made of paper' instead).
常見錯誤
2. having a texture, thinness, or feel that reminds you of paper, often used in com
having a texture, thinness, or feel that reminds you of paper, often used in compounds such as 'paper-thin'.
Grandma's hands felt paper-thin and dry against Maya's cheek.
compound: paper-thin
The chef sliced the carrots into paper-thin rounds for the salad.
compound: paper-thin
After the long fever, Lina's skin looked pale and paper-dry.
Carlos used a paper-thin sheet of gold leaf on the picture frame.
The walls of this old wooden house feel almost paper-thin in winter.
- papery
the standalone adjective form; same general meaning
- wafer-thin
even thinner; often used for food slices
- thick
the basic opposite of paper-thin
文法句型
paper-thin
paper + [thin/dry/white]
用法筆記
Most often appears in the compound 'paper-thin'. Suggests something is thin, dry, or fragile in a paper-like way; rarely stands alone before a noun.
3. involving routine office tasks such as filling forms, filing, and writing report
involving routine office tasks such as filling forms, filing, and writing reports rather than active or practical work.
After his accident, Marcus moved to a quiet paper job at headquarters.
paper + [job / work]
Most of her morning is spent on dull paper work in the back office.
Detective Chen hated the paper side of police work the most.
The new manager promised to cut the team's paper duties in half.
Many young doctors complain about the heavy paper load on their shifts.
- clerical
more formal; standard term for office paperwork roles
- administrative
broader; covers planning and management duties too
- practical
involving hands-on work in the field, not at a desk
文法句型
paper + [job/work/role]
用法筆記
Always before a noun (attributive). Typical nouns: work, job, duties, side, load. Often carries a slightly negative tone, suggesting boring or excessive desk tasks.
4. existing only in writing or on paper, with no real strength, value, or effect in
existing only in writing or on paper, with no real strength, value, or effect in practice.
The hedge fund's twenty percent paper profit vanished as soon as the markets fell.
collocation: paper profit / loss
The rebel group is really just a paper army, with no trained soldiers behind it.
collocation: paper army / paper tiger
Without funding, the new law remains a paper promise to voters.
Carlos called his rival a paper champion who had never beaten anyone strong.
Investors warned that the company's paper value far exceeded its real cash.
- nominal
formal; existing in name only
- theoretical
existing only in idea, not in practice
文法句型
paper + [profit/army/promise/champion]
用法筆記
Always before a noun. Frequent collocations: paper profit, paper loss, paper tiger, paper army, paper promise. Closely related to the idiom 'on paper' (sense-7-area), but here functions as a flat modifier.
常見錯誤
5. (of a theatre audience) made up mostly of people who got in with free tickets ra
(of a theatre audience) made up mostly of people who got in with free tickets rather than paying customers.
The producer admitted that opening night was largely a paper house.
collocation: a paper house
Critics noticed that the lively paper audience laughed at every joke.
collocation: a paper audience
Even with a paper crowd, the cast played the show with full energy.
Director Watanabe worried that the strong paper attendance hid weak ticket sales.
- comp
shorthand for 'complimentary'; theatre slang for free tickets
- paying
describes audiences who bought their tickets
文法句型
paper + [audience/house/crowd]
用法筆記
Theatre jargon, mostly used by producers, agents, and reviewers. Always before nouns like 'house', 'audience', or 'crowd'. Implies that the seats are filled but not paid for.
6. (of a surface, especially leather or fabric) treated until it has the crisp, eve
(of a surface, especially leather or fabric) treated until it has the crisp, even smoothness of paper.
The luxury wallets came in a soft, paper finish that felt expensive.
collocation: paper finish
Master craftsmen polish each leather strap to a fine paper smoothness.
The factory finishes its silk in a delicate paper texture.
Lina liked the paper finish on the new notebook cover best.
- smooth
everyday word; not specific to paper-like surfaces
- calendered
technical; pressed between rollers to get a smooth surface
- rough
the everyday opposite of a smooth, paper-like finish
文法句型
paper + [finish]
用法筆記
Specialist term in leather, paper, and textile manufacturing. Refers to a finish that mimics the crisp, even surface of fine paper.