agave

IPA/əˈɡeɪvi/
IPA/əˈɡɑːvi/

agave — 名詞

  • agavesingular
  • agavesplural

1. a plant with thick, pointed leaves growing in a circle from the base, found natu

1.名詞B1
釋義

龍舌蘭

生長於美洲乾旱地區的多肉植物

a plant with thick, pointed leaves growing in a circle from the base, found naturally in hot, dry parts of the Americas and grown for its fibre, the drink it produces, or as a garden plant

例句

The botanist planted a young agave next to the row of cacti at the research station.

植物學家在研究站種了一株小龍舌蘭，就在那排仙人掌旁邊。

countable: a young agave

Farmers in the highlands of Oaxaca have grown agave for hundreds of years to make a traditional alcoholic drink.

瓦哈卡高地的農民種植龍舌蘭已有數百年，用來製作傳統酒精飲料。

collocation: grow agave

同義詞
  • century plant

    common name for some agave species that flower only once after many years; less precise than 'agave'

  • succulent

    broader category of water-storing plants that includes agaves; useful when the exact species is unknown

用法筆記

Agave is the name of both the plant genus and its individual members. In everyday English, 'an agave' or 'agave plants' is more natural than 'agaves'.

常見錯誤

❌Agave is a type of cactus.
✅Agave is a succulent plant, not a cactus.
💡Agaves look similar to cacti but belong to the asparagus family and store water in their fleshy leaves, not in a stem.

2. a thick, sweet syrup taken from the core of the agave plant, often used in place

2.名詞B1
釋義

龍舌蘭蜜

取自龍舌蘭莖部的甜味液體，可代替糖使用

a thick, sweet syrup taken from the core of the agave plant, often used in place of sugar or honey to sweeten food and drinks

例句

Diego stirred a spoonful of agave into his iced tea instead of white sugar.

Diego 在冰茶裡攪了一匙龍舌蘭蜜，代替白糖。

collocation: spoonful of agave

The label on the bottle read 'organic blue agave nectar — a natural sweetener'.

瓶身的標籤寫著「有機藍色龍舌蘭花蜜——天然甜味劑」。

typical packaging language: blue agave nectar

同義詞
  • honey

    similar thickness and sweetness but made by bees, not plants; honey has a stronger flavour

  • maple syrup

    a sweet syrup from maple tree sap; thinner than agave and has a distinct woody taste

  • corn syrup

    a processed sweetener made from corn starch; cheaper but less natural than agave

用法筆記

Agave (sense 2) is an uncountable noun — you say 'some agave' or 'a bottle of agave', never 'an agave' when referring to the sweetener.

常見錯誤

❌I bought an agave at the grocery store.' (when meaning the sweetener)
✅I bought a bottle of agave at the grocery store.
💡The sweetener is uncountable; use a container word for countability.