alien
/ˈeɪ.li.ən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈeɪ.li.ən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈā-lē-ən ˈāl-yən/ (ame, mw) · /ˈeɪliən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈeɪliən/ (ame, ipa)
alien — 形容詞
1. connected with living things or objects imagined to come from space rather than
外星的
與外太空生物或事物有關
connected with living things or objects imagined to come from space rather than Earth.
The movie shows an alien ship above the desert at sunrise.
那部電影拍出一艘外星飛船在日出時出現在沙漠上空。
before noun: alien ship
Scientists checked the rock for alien life after the Mars mission.
火星任務後，科學家檢查那塊岩石是否帶有外星生命。
collocation: alien life
Children drew alien animals with three eyes and silver tails.
孩子們畫了長著三隻眼和銀色尾巴的外星動物。
An alien signal crackled through the radio during the final scene.
在最後一幕裡，一道外星訊號穿過收音機發出劈啪聲。
- extraterrestrial
more formal or scientific
- space
informal, usually in phrases like 'space creature' or 'space life'
- terrestrial
formal word for coming from Earth
- earthly
less technical; connected with Earth or ordinary human life
文法句型
alien + life / ship / signal
用法筆記
Usually before a noun: alien life, alien ship, alien world. Distinguish from sense 3, which is about other countries or groups on Earth, not beings from space.
2. so unlike what you know or expect that it feels strange and hard to recognize as
陌生的
感覺奇怪且不熟悉的
so unlike what you know or expect that it feels strange and hard to recognize as normal.
After ten years away, her own bedroom felt alien and cold.
離開十年後，她自己的臥室都讓她覺得陌生又冰冷。
predicative: feel + alien
The machine made an alien sound that scared the dog.
那台機器發出一種陌生的聲音，把狗嚇到了。
before noun: alien sound
The city children found the village's outdoor toilet and wood stove alien.
城裡來的孩子覺得村裡的戶外廁所和柴爐都很陌生。
After months in a dark mine, the bright hospital room looked alien.
在黑暗的礦坑待了幾個月後，那間明亮的病房看起來很陌生。
- strange
broad everyday word for something unusual
- unfamiliar
milder and often neutral; simply not known yet
- odd
informal; suggests small details that seem wrong or surprising
文法句型
feel / seem / look / sound + alien
用法筆記
Often follows linking verbs such as feel, seem, look, or sound. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense is about unfamiliar appearance or feeling, not about being against someone's nature or values.
3. coming from outside the country, culture, or community being talked about; forei
外來的
來自其他國家或外部群體的
coming from outside the country, culture, or community being talked about; foreign.
Villagers resisted the taxes of an alien government.
村民反抗那個外國政府徵收的稅。
formal collocation: alien government
The novel shows a young prince growing up under alien rule after the invasion.
那本小說描寫一位王子在入侵後於外來統治下長大。
formal collocation: alien rule
Officials tracked alien ships entering the river port at dawn.
官員追蹤清晨駛入河港的外國船隻。
Investigators found alien money in envelopes at Councilor Wu's campaign office.
調查人員在吳議員的競選辦公室裡發現了裝著外國資金的信封。
文法句型
alien + government / rule / money
用法筆記
Mostly formal or historical in this sense, especially with words like government, rule, power, land, or money. Distinguish from noun 2: here alien describes something as foreign; it does not name a person.
4. so different from a person's nature, values, or usual way of life that it does n
不相容的
與本性、價值或體系不合
so different from a person's nature, values, or usual way of life that it does not fit with them.
Violence is alien to the team values Coach Lin writes on the wall.
暴力和林教練寫在牆上的球隊價值觀並不相容。
pattern: alien to + values
Long silences are alien to the fast, noisy style of this newsroom.
長時間的沉默和這間編輯部快速吵鬧的作風格格不入。
pattern: alien to + style
Cheating is alien to Priya's careful, honest way of working.
作弊這種事和普莉雅仔細又誠實的做事方式格格不入。
Cold calls at dinner time seem alien to our small family shop.
晚餐時間打推銷電話這種做法和我們的小家庭商店格格不入。
- incompatible
direct and neutral; often used in formal writing
- contrary
stronger; emphasizes opposition to a principle or rule
- foreign to
close in meaning and often takes the same pattern with 'to'
- compatible
able to exist or work well together
- natural
fitting someone's usual character or way
- suited
appropriate for a person, place, or purpose
文法句型
alien to + [noun]
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'to'. The subject is often an action, quality, or idea, and the complement names a person, nature, value, or system. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 means unfamiliar, while this sense means fundamentally not fitting.
alien — 名詞
1. a living being imagined or believed to come from space rather than from Earth.
外星人
來自其他星球的生物
a living being imagined or believed to come from space rather than from Earth.
In the story, one alien teaches the children a secret song.
在故事裡，一位外星人教孩子們一首祕密歌曲。
singular count noun: an alien
An alien landed beside the farm and waved at Rosa.
一位外星人降落在農場旁邊，還向羅莎揮手。
The cartoon alien fixed the broken robot with a blue tool.
那個卡通外星人用一個藍色工具修好了壞掉的機器人。
Reporters asked whether the strange lights came from an alien.
記者問那些怪異的燈光是不是來自某個外星人。
- extraterrestrial
formal or scientific
- space creature
informal and more picture-based
- being from another world
longer descriptive phrase rather than a fixed single-word synonym
文法句型
an alien
alien from space
用法筆記
Common in science fiction, films, and conversations about life beyond Earth. Distinguish from noun 2, which is a formal word for a person without citizenship in a country.
2. a person living in a country where they do not hold citizenship, especially in l
非公民
居住當地但無公民身分的人
a person living in a country where they do not hold citizenship, especially in laws and official documents.
The form asks whether the applicant is a citizen or an alien.
那份表格會問申請人是公民還是非公民。
official/legal use: citizen or alien
The record listed Mei as an alien before she gained citizenship.
那份紀錄在梅取得公民身分前把她列為非公民。
Under that law, an alien needed a stamped permit before voting.
依照那條法律，非公民要先拿到蓋章許可才能投票。
In court, the judge ruled that the alien could meet a lawyer.
在法庭上，法官裁定那名非公民可以會見律師。
- non-citizen
neutral modern term used in policy and news writing
- foreign national
formal and official; often used in government or legal contexts
- immigrant
not always the same; it focuses on moving into a country, not simply lacking citizenship
文法句型
citizen or alien
an alien under the law
用法筆記
Common in laws, government forms, and older official writing; in everyday speech, more specific terms like 'non-citizen', 'foreign national', or 'immigrant' are often preferred because 'alien' can sound impersonal when used about people.
常見錯誤
3. someone outside a place, group, or situation, or someone who feels separate from
局外人
不屬於該群體或地方的人
someone outside a place, group, or situation, or someone who feels separate from it.
At the reunion, Omar felt like an alien after twenty years away.
在那場聚會上，離開二十年的歐瑪覺得自己像個局外人。
common pattern: feel like an alien
At lunch, new students often feel like aliens at a table of old friends.
吃午餐時，新生常常覺得自己像一桌老朋友中的局外人。
The tourist moved like an alien among neighbors who knew each other.
那名遊客走在彼此都認識的鄰居之間，像個局外人。
Her rich city accent made Sara seem like an alien there.
她濃厚的城市口音讓莎拉在那裡像個局外人。
文法句型
feel like an alien
seem like an alien
用法筆記
Often used with 'feel like', 'seem like', or 'be treated as'. Distinguish from noun 2: this sense is emotional or social, not a legal label.
alien — 動詞
1. to make someone feel less close, less welcome, or less willing to support a pers
使疏遠
使人失去親近或支持感
to make someone feel less close, less welcome, or less willing to support a person, group, or idea.
Harsh benching rules can alien young players from the team.
嚴苛的板凳規定可能使年輕球員對球隊感到疏遠。
pattern: alien + person from + group
A rude email reply can alien customers waiting for a refund.
一封無禮的回信可能使等著退款的顧客感到疏遠。
pattern: alien + person
The mayor's jokes alien many parents from the school board.
市長的玩笑使許多家長對學校董事會感到疏遠。
Years of silence can alien brothers after a fight over their father's farm.
在為父親農場吵翻後，多年的沉默可能使兄弟彼此疏遠。
文法句型
alien + person
alien + person from + group
用法筆記
Rare in modern English and far less common than 'alienate'. When a second complement is given, it is usually introduced by 'from' to show the person or group someone turns away from.
常見錯誤
2. to pass legal ownership of land, shares, or other property to another person or
讓與
依法移轉財產所有權
to pass legal ownership of land, shares, or other property to another person or organization.
The owner could not alien the land without family consent.
那名屋主若沒有家人同意，就不能讓與那塊土地。
legal pattern: alien + land
Under the trust, Elena may alien her shares only to close relatives.
依照信託規定，艾蓮娜只能把她的股份讓與近親。
legal pattern: alien + property to + person
The riverfront lot cannot be aliened until Judge Morales signs the order.
那塊河岸土地在莫拉萊斯法官簽署命令前，不能被讓與。
He signed a deed to alien the house to his daughter.
他簽了一份契據，把房子讓與女兒。
文法句型
alien + property
alien + property to + person
be aliened without + noun
用法筆記
Restricted to legal writing. The object is usually property, land, shares, rights, or an estate; outside legal contexts, ordinary English normally uses 'sell' or 'transfer' instead.