port of entry

IPA/pˈɔːt ɒv ˈɛntɹi/
IPA/pˈɔːɹt ʌv ˈɛntɹi/

port of entry — noun

1. a harbour, airport, or border station where customs officials inspect foreign go

1.名詞B2
釋義

a harbour, airport, or border station where customs officials inspect foreign goods and admit them into the country after duties are paid

例句

Yumi's shipment of ceramics arrived at the port of entry in Kaohsiung for inspection.

at + port of entry + location

Wei's shipment of laptop batteries was held at the port of entry in Rotterdam for additional safety checks.

at the port of entry in + location

同義詞
  • customs checkpoint

    narrower — specifically the inspection station, not the entire location

  • inbound port

    more technical; used in logistics and shipping documents

文法句型

port of entry + (prepositional phrase)

用法筆記

Frequently preceded by a preposition (at, through, to) and often modified by adjectives like 'designated', 'main', or 'first'. The focus is on customs procedures for merchandise, not people.

常見錯誤

❌The airport is a port of entry for passengers.' (when referring to people, not goods).
✅The airport customs warehouse is a port of entry for imported cargo.
💡sense 1 applies only to goods clearance, not to traveller immigration.

2. an airport, seaport, or land border crossing where travellers show their documen

2.名詞B2
釋義

an airport, seaport, or land border crossing where travellers show their documents and are officially allowed to enter a country

例句

Mira showed her passport at the port of entry upon arriving at LAX.

at the port of entry upon arriving

Aiko declared the box of mochi at the port of entry in San Francisco and the inspector waved her through.

declared + [item] + at the port of entry

同義詞
  • border crossing

    more general; includes land borders between two countries

  • checkpoint

    less formal; can refer to any inspection point, not necessarily international

  • point of entry

    synonymous but less common in official documents

文法句型

port of entry + (prepositional phrase)

用法筆記

The subject is usually a traveller or an immigration officer. Unlike sense 1, this sense deals with human entry — passports, visas, and immigration status rather than cargo duties.

常見錯誤

❌The customs broker went to the port of entry to clear the shipment.' (using sense 2 for cargo).
✅The customs broker went to the port of entry to clear the shipment.
💡actually this could fit either sense; use 'immigration checkpoint' if referring to people, 'customs clearance point' if referring to goods.