reproduce

/ˌriːprəˈdjuːs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌriːprəˈduːs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌrē-prə-ˈdüs -ˈdyüs/ (ame, mw)

reproduce — verb

  • reproducepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • reproduceshe / she / it
  • reproducedpast simple
  • reproducing-ing form

1. to make a version of a picture, sound recording, or piece of writing that closel

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to make a version of a picture, sound recording, or piece of writing that closely matches the original, or to bring back a particular feeling, mood, or atmosphere that existed before.

例句

Imran reproduced the Renaissance painting so precisely that even experts admired his skill.

reproduce + adverb (precisely/accurately) for copy quality

The engineers cleaned up the old recording to reproduce the folk singer's voice more clearly.

reproduce + noun phrase (sound/recording)

同義詞
  • copy

    more general and mechanical; can refer to any duplication without emphasis on accuracy

  • replicate

    more formal and scientific, especially for experiments or data

  • duplicate

    emphasises making an exact second copy, often identical in form

  • recreate

    focuses on reviving a feeling, mood, or experience rather than a physical object

反義詞
  • destroy

    to completely remove or ruin something so it cannot be copied

  • erase

    to remove recorded material so it cannot be played back or copied

文法句型

reproduce + noun phrase (copy of image/sound/document)

reproduce + adverb (accurately/faithfully/perfectly)

noun phrase + reproduces + adverb (intransitive quality)

用法筆記

Common with adverbs such as 'accurately', 'faithfully', 'perfectly', and 'precisely' to describe how well a copy matches the original. When used intransitively, the subject is typically the medium or device doing the reproduction: 'This scanner reproduces well.'

常見錯誤

❌The artist reproduced a new painting from scratch.
✅The artist reproduced a copy of the original painting.
💡'reproduce' means making a copy of something that already exists, not creating something new.

2. to do something again or achieve something again, for example by carrying out a

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to do something again or achieve something again, for example by carrying out a scientific test for a second time or by creating the same successful outcome in a different situation.

例句

The biology team tried several times to reproduce the experiment but got different results.

try + to reproduce + noun (experiment/results)

After months of practice, Mira finally reproduced the gymnastics routine she had created years earlier.

time phrase + reproduce + noun (routine/performance)

同義詞
  • repeat

    simpler and more general; can refer to any action done again without requiring precision

  • replicate

    more formal, strongly associated with scientific experiments and verifiable results

  • recreate

    emphasises the creative or performative aspect of producing something similar

反義詞
  • fail

    to be unable to achieve the same result again

文法句型

reproduce + noun phrase (result/success/experiment/conditions)

try/attempt/hope + to reproduce + noun phrase

be unable to reproduce + noun phrase

用法筆記

Very common in academic and research contexts when discussing scientific experiments and the need for results to be replicable. Can also apply to artistic performances, sporting achievements, or any repeatable outcome.

常見錯誤

❌The team reproduced the experiment for the first time.
✅The team reproduced the experiment to check whether the first results were accurate.
💡'reproduce' in this sense implies doing something again, not doing it for the first time.

3. when an animal, plant, or other living thing produces young or new members of it

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

when an animal, plant, or other living thing produces young or new members of its own species, continuing its kind from one generation to the next.

例句

Sea turtles return to the beach where they were born to reproduce each year.

intransitive: living thing + reproduces + purpose clause

The botanist explained that many fern species reproduce through tiny spores rather than seeds.

reproduce + through [means]

同義詞
  • breed

    more common for domestic animals or pets; implies intentional pairing

  • multiply

    focuses on increase in number rather than the process of producing offspring

  • propagate

    more formal; often used for plants or in scientific writing

  • procreate

    almost exclusively for humans; more formal and often used in moral or legal contexts

反義詞
  • die out

    to become extinct as a species through failure to reproduce

  • become extinct

    to cease to exist as a group because no offspring are produced

文法句型

living thing + reproduces (intransitive)

living thing + reproduces + itself (reflexive)

reproduce + by/through + gerund/noun (means)

reproduce + adverb (rapidly/sexually/asexually)

用法筆記

Frequently used with adverbs describing the rate or method of reproduction ('rapidly', 'sexually', 'asexually'). The reflexive form 'reproduce itself' is common when the organism is the subject and the offspring are not explicitly named.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor said the disease reproduces in the body.
✅The doctor said the virus reproduces inside the body by entering healthy cells.
💡'reproduce' is natural for micro-organisms, but the sentence needs a specific agent (virus, bacteria) to be precise.