sailing

/ˈseɪlɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈseɪlɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsā-liŋ/ (ame, mw)

sailing — noun

  • sailingsingular
  • sailingsplural

1. the activity or sport of controlling a boat that uses the wind pushing against i

1.名詞B1
釋義

the activity or sport of controlling a boat that uses the wind pushing against its sails to move across water

例句

Beatriz goes sailing every weekend with her father on the lake near their home.

collocation: go sailing

The sailing club is looking for new members to join the summer racing team.

同義詞
  • yachting

    more specific — refers to sailing as a leisure or racing activity on a yacht, often with connotations of wealth

  • boating

    broader — covers any kind of boat activity including motorboats, not limited to sail-powered vessels

文法句型

[uncountable] sailing

go + sailing

用法筆記

Uncountable — 'a sailing' is not used for this sense ('a sailing' belongs to sense 2). Frequently appears in the pattern 'go sailing'.

常見錯誤

❌I like to do sailing on weekends.
✅I like to go sailing on weekends.
💡'go sailing' is the standard fixed pattern for describing the activity as a hobby.
❌Sailing are a popular sport in our town.
✅Sailing is a popular sport in our town.
💡'sailing' is uncountable and takes a singular verb.

2. a scheduled time when a ship or ferry leaves a port and begins its journey to an

2.名詞B2
釋義

a scheduled time when a ship or ferry leaves a port and begins its journey to another destination

例句

The next sailing to the island is at six o'clock tomorrow morning.

collocation: next sailing to [destination]

Defne checked the sailing times before booking her ferry ticket to the mainland.

collocation: sailing times

同義詞
  • departure

    more general — used for any type of transport (trains, planes, buses), not just ships

  • crossing

    refers to the journey itself rather than the scheduled departure time

文法句型

[number] + sailing(s)

the next/last sailing

sailing to/from [place]

用法筆記

Countable — you can say 'a sailing' (meaning one departure). Most commonly used with 'next', 'last', or a number (e.g. 'three daily sailings'). Distinguish from sense 1 by the presence of a schedule or departure context.

常見錯誤

❌The sailing from Kaohsiung to Penghu takes four hours.' (if meaning the journey itself)
✅The crossing from Kaohsiung to Penghu takes four hours.
💡'sailing' refers to the departure time, not the duration of the voyage.