answer
answer — 名詞
1. the words or actions someone gives back after being asked a question, sent a let
回答；答覆
對問題、信件或來電所做的回應
the words or actions someone gives back after being asked a question, sent a letter, or called on the phone.
Theo waited two weeks for an answer to her job application.
Theo 等了兩個星期才收到她應徵工作的回覆。
answer to + noun phrase
When the teacher asked who broke the window, no one gave an answer.
老師問是誰打破窗戶時，沒有人回答。
give an answer
Dimitri sent three emails but got no answer from the landlord.
Dimitri 寄了三封信，但都沒收到房東的回覆。
Theo's answer was a quiet nod and a small smile.
Theo 的回答是輕輕點頭並露出淺淺的微笑。
Please write your answers in full sentences on the back of the page.
請在背面用完整的句子寫下你的答案。
- question
what an answer responds to
文法句型
answer to + noun
give an answer
用法筆記
Used for both spoken replies and written responses, including answers on tests and exam papers. Typically takes the preposition 'to' before the question or letter being answered.
常見錯誤
2. a way of dealing with a problem or difficult situation so that the trouble goes
解決辦法
用來處理問題、讓困難消失的方法
a way of dealing with a problem or difficult situation so that the trouble goes away — for example, a new policy that ends traffic jams, or a method that fixes a broken machine.
Building more bike lanes is one answer to the city's traffic problem.
增建自行車道是解決城市交通問題的一個辦法。
answer to + problem
Mr. Kim told the staff there was no easy answer to the noisy classroom problem.
Kim 老師告訴同事，吵鬧的教室問題沒有簡單的解決辦法。
no easy answer
For Tomás, moving back home was the answer to his money worries.
對 Tomás 來說，搬回家就是他解決金錢煩惱的辦法。
Engineers searched for an answer to the strange noise inside the engine.
工程師們努力找出引擎裡奇怪聲響的原因和對策。
The mayor said more police were not the only answer to street crime.
市長表示，增加警力並不是解決街頭犯罪的唯一辦法。
- problem
the thing the answer is meant to solve
文法句型
answer to + problem
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: a 'solution' answer fixes a problem, while a sense-1 answer simply replies to a question or letter. Often appears with 'easy', 'simple', 'real', or 'only' before it.
常見錯誤
answer — 動詞
1. to give somebody words back — spoken, written, or signalled — after they have as
回答；回覆
用言語、文字或動作對問題或來信作出回應
to give somebody words back — spoken, written, or signalled — after they have asked you a question, sent you a letter, or spoken to you.
Yusuf answered every question in the math test correctly.
Yusuf 把數學考試的每一題都答對了。
answer + question (transitive)
I asked him three times, but he didn't answer.
我問了他三次，但他都沒回答。
intransitive use
Tomás answered that he had never been to Tokyo before.
Tomás 回答說他從沒去過東京。
'I'm not sure,' Dr. Noa answered with a small shrug.
「我不太確定。」田中醫生聳聳肩回答。
Please answer my email by Friday afternoon at the latest.
請在週五下午前回覆我的電子郵件。
文法句型
answer + question
answer + that-clause
answer + direct speech
用法筆記
Object can be the question, the person, or the letter/message — all are correct ('answer the question', 'answer me', 'answer the letter'). Distinguish from sense 2: replying with words versus opening a door or picking up a ringing phone.
常見錯誤
2. to pick up a ringing phone so that you can speak, or to open the front door when
接電話；應門
拿起響起的電話或打開有人敲的門
to pick up a ringing phone so that you can speak, or to open the front door when somebody knocks or rings the bell.
Could you answer the phone? My hands are covered in flour.
可以幫我接一下電話嗎？我手上都是麵粉。
answer the phone
Yusuf ran downstairs to answer the door before his sister woke up.
Yusuf 跑下樓去應門，免得吵醒妹妹。
answer the door
I rang the bell three times, but nobody answered.
我按了三次門鈴，但沒人應門。
Please don't answer the door to strangers, especially after dark.
請不要替陌生人開門，尤其是天黑之後。
The cafe was so noisy that the owner couldn't hear the phone to answer it.
咖啡店太吵了，老闆根本聽不到電話聲，沒辦法去接。
- ignore
to deliberately not answer the phone or door
文法句型
answer the phone / door / bell
用法筆記
Object is almost always 'the phone', 'the door', or 'the bell' — not the person calling or knocking. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about responding physically (lifting the receiver, opening the door), not giving a verbal reply.
常見錯誤
3. to be known by a particular name, especially the name a pet or person responds t
名叫；應名
以某個名字被叫喚並有反應
to be known by a particular name, especially the name a pet or person responds to when called.
Our neighbor's golden retriever answers to the name Biscuit.
鄰居的黃金獵犬一聽到 Biscuit 這個名字就會有反應。
answer to the name + name
The grey kitten answers to Mochi but ignores any other word.
那隻灰色小貓叫牠 Mochi 才會理人，其他名字都不理。
answers to + name
On stage the comedian Edward Park answered to the name 'Big Eddie'.
喜劇演員 Edward Park 在台上會回應「Big Eddie」這個名字。
The little parrot only answers to Kiwi when Grandma calls.
那隻小鸚鵡只有奶奶叫牠 Kiwi 時才會回應。
文法句型
answer to the name (of) + name
用法筆記
Almost always used in the structure 'answer to the name (of) X', and most often about pets, nicknames, or stage names rather than legal names. Do not confuse with the phrasal verb 'answer to' (= report to a boss); see the 'answer to' entry below.
常見錯誤
4. to be good enough or right for what somebody wants — for example, a small van th
符合需求
夠好或夠用，能滿足某人的需要或目的
to be good enough or right for what somebody wants — for example, a small van that does the work of a big truck, or a cheap room that meets all of a traveller's basic needs.
For a weekend in the mountains, an old tent answered our needs perfectly.
去山上度週末時，一頂舊帳篷就完全符合我們的需求了。
answer + needs
The little library answered every purpose the village had hoped for.
這座小圖書館完全達到了村子原本期待的所有用途。
answer + purpose
A second-hand bicycle would answer Tomás's daily commute very well.
一輛二手腳踏車就很適合 Tomás 每天通勤。
The new software answers most of the requirements set by the engineering team.
新軟體符合工程團隊提出的大多數需求。
- fail
to not be enough for what is needed
文法句型
answer + a need / purpose / requirement
用法筆記
Formal and somewhat literary; in everyday speech 'meet (the needs)', 'be enough', or 'do the job' are far more common. Object is almost always an abstract noun: 'needs', 'purpose', 'description', 'requirements'.
常見錯誤
5. to look like, or have the same features as, somebody (or something) that has jus
符合描述
外型或特徵與某人所描述的人或物相符
to look like, or have the same features as, somebody (or something) that has just been described — often used by police searching for a suspect or a missing person.
A man answering the description of the thief was seen near the train station.
有人在火車站附近看到一名外表符合那名小偷描述的男子。
answer (the) description (transitive)
The lost dog answers to the description Mrs. Park gave the shelter staff.
那隻走失的狗符合 Park 太太向收容所人員提供的描述。
answer to + description
Officers stopped a young woman who answered the description of the missing hiker.
警察攔下了一名外表符合失蹤山友描述的年輕女子。
None of the cars in the lot answered to the description in the witness's report.
停車場的車子沒有一輛符合目擊者報告中的描述。
- match
neutral and more common in everyday speech
- fit
very common; 'fit the description' is the most natural choice
- correspond to
formal; used in technical or written contexts
- differ from
to not match the description given
文法句型
answer (to) + a description
用法筆記
Both 'answer the description' and 'answer to the description' are correct; 'answer to' is a little more formal and common in police or news reports. The object is almost always 'description' or a similar noun like 'profile'.