virtues

IPA/ˈvɜː.tʃuː/
KK[vˈɚtʃuz]IPA/ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

virtues — noun

  • virtuessingular
  • virtuesesplural

1. a trait of character that reflects moral goodness, for example honesty, kindness

1.名詞B2
釋義

a trait of character that reflects moral goodness, for example honesty, kindness, or bravery; the general condition of living by sound moral principles

例句

Eli's patience is a virtue his own children admire deeply.

countable: a virtue

Ms. Tariro taught her students that honesty is the most important virtue.

同義詞
  • goodness

    more general; can refer to any positive quality, not only moral ones

  • morality

    focuses on the system of right and wrong, rather than an individual quality

  • integrity

    specifically means honesty and strong principles in one's actions

反義詞
  • vice

    a bad moral quality or habit, the direct opposite of a virtue

  • immorality

    the general state of lacking moral principles

文法句型

a virtue

the virtue of something

virtues (plural)

用法筆記

Countable when naming a specific moral quality (patience, honesty); uncountable when referring to the general idea of moral goodness.

常見錯誤

Playing the piano well is a virtue.
Playing the piano well is a skill.
💡'virtue' is about moral character, not learned ability or talent.

2. a good or useful feature that something has; a particular benefit that makes som

2.名詞B2
釋義

a good or useful feature that something has; a particular benefit that makes something worth choosing or keeping

例句

One virtue of this small car is that it uses very little fuel.

The main virtue of the new schedule is its flexibility for working parents.

同義詞
  • advantage

    more common in everyday speech; 'virtue' in this sense is slightly more formal

  • benefit

    emphasises the positive result or gain, rather than the feature itself

  • merit

    similar meaning but used more often for arguments, proposals, or candidates

反義詞
  • drawback

    a negative feature that makes something less useful or attractive

  • disadvantage

    the general opposite; something that puts a thing at a worse position

文法句型

a virtue of something

the virtue of something

virtues of something

have the virtue of being + adjective

用法筆記

Often used in the pattern 'the virtue of [something] is...' when explaining what makes a thing good or useful. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes practical benefits, not moral character.

常見錯誤

Her greatest virtue is being tall.
Her greatest advantage is being tall.
💡'virtue' in the benefit sense is usually about features of things or systems, not physical traits of people.