rare
/reə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /rer/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈrer/ (ame, mw)
rare — adjective
- rarepositive
- rarercomparative
- rarestsuperlative
1. Something that does not happen often, is not found in large numbers, or is not s
Something that does not happen often, is not found in large numbers, or is not seen in many places.
Snow is rare in southern Taiwan, so the children were thrilled when it fell on the mountain tops.
it is rare + location/context, showing low frequency
Asher collects rare coins from the Qing dynasty and keeps them in a special box.
attributive use: rare + noun (object of collecting)
It is rare for Kenji to arrive late, because he always plans his route carefully.
This type of orchid is extremely rare and can only be found in one small forest in Colombia.
Rare diseases affect very few people, which makes it hard for doctors to study them.
- uncommon
neutral synonym; 'rare' suggests greater scarcity
- scarce
emphasises insufficient quantity; often used for resources
- infrequent
focuses on how seldom something happens rather than overall quantity
文法句型
rare + noun
be rare
it is rare (for someone) to do something
用法筆記
Frequently modified by intensifiers such as 'very', 'extremely', 'increasingly', and 'quite'. The pattern 'it is rare (for someone) to do something' is common in both speech and writing.
常見錯誤
2. Unusually good or impressive in a way that makes someone or something stand out
Unusually good or impressive in a way that makes someone or something stand out from others.
The young pianist has a rare talent for expressing emotion through her playing.
rare talent — fixed collocation for exceptional ability
Diya's grandfather had a rare gift for fixing old clocks without any modern tools.
rare gift — natural ability that stands out
The sunset over the desert was a moment of rare beauty that the travellers would never forget.
Otis showed rare courage when he dived into the river to save the drowning child.
- exceptional
more formal; directly states the high quality
- remarkable
emphasises that something is worth noticing
- distinctive
focuses on the quality that makes someone or something different
文法句型
rare + abstract noun (talent, beauty, skill, gift)
用法筆記
In this sense 'rare' modifies abstract nouns describing admirable qualities. Unlike sense 1, it does NOT mean 'infrequent'; it means 'remarkable in degree'. Frequently paired with: talent, beauty, courage, skill, gift, intelligence.
常見錯誤
3. Red meat that has been heated briefly on the outside while the centre remains re
Red meat that has been heated briefly on the outside while the centre remains reddish, tender, and juicy.
Élise ordered her steak rare, with a side of roasted vegetables and a glass of red wine.
predicative: order + noun + rare
The chef recommends serving the lamb rare so that the natural flavour of the meat stays strong.
serve + noun + rare — common pattern at restaurants
Some people feel uncomfortable eating rare beef because they worry about food safety.
Ramón prefers his burger cooked medium rather than rare, because he likes the texture better.
- well-done
fully cooked with no pink inside
- overcooked
cooked beyond the intended level
文法句型
be rare (predicative)
rare + noun (steak, meat, lamb, beef)
用法筆記
This sense applies only to red meat (beef, lamb, venison) and tuna. It is never used for chicken, pork, or fish other than tuna. The doneness scale for steak is: blue → rare → medium-rare → medium → medium-well → well-done.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The steak was very rare.' (acceptable for intensity) — more naturally: 'The steak was cooked rare.' or 'The steak was quite rare.' — 'cooked rare' is the most common pattern.
4. Air that contains less oxygen than normal because it is high above sea level, ma
Air that contains less oxygen than normal because it is high above sea level, making physical activity very tiring.
At the base camp on Mount Everest, the rare air made even simple tasks feel exhausting.
attributive: rare + air — the most common pattern
The climbers had to stop every few steps to catch their breath in the thin, rare atmosphere of the Andes.
rare + atmosphere — alternative noun; 'thin' often co-occurs
Hikers new to high altitudes often underestimate how difficult the rare air can make a simple walk uphill.
The rescue team moved slowly because the rare air at 4,500 metres left them gasping for breath.
- thin
the everyday synonym; 'thin air' is much more common than 'rare air'
- low-oxygen
technical term used in physiology and mountaineering
文法句型
rare + noun (air, atmosphere)
用法筆記
Now somewhat literary or technical. In everyday conversation, speakers usually say 'thin air' instead of 'rare air'. This sense is almost exclusively attributive — you will not hear 'The air is rare today.'
5. Used before a noun to emphasise that something is an excellent or extreme exampl
Used before a noun to emphasise that something is an excellent or extreme example of its kind, often in fixed, friendly expressions.
We had a rare old time at the street party, with live music and dancing until midnight.
fixed expression: a rare old time
The homemade chocolate cake was a rare treat that the children talked about for days.
fixed expression: a rare treat
Listening to Sirin play the violin in that old church was a rare delight.
After a week of exams, an evening at the cinema felt like a rare luxury.
文法句型
rare + noun (treat, delight, fun, old time)
用法筆記
Mostly British English, and largely confined to a small set of fixed expressions: 'a rare treat', 'a rare delight', 'a rare old time', 'a rare laugh'. These are used in friendly, conversational contexts to show enthusiasm.