ask
ask — 動詞
1. to use a question to find out something or get a reply
問；詢問
向人提問以取得資訊
to use a question to find out something or get a reply
Mina asked the driver when the last bus left.
Mina 問司機末班公車是幾點開走。
ask + wh-clause
At the museum desk, Leo asked about family tickets.
在博物館櫃台，Leo 詢問了家庭票的資訊。
ask about + noun
The reporter asked the coach three questions after the match.
比賽後，記者問了教練三個問題。
"Who left this bag on the bench?" Officer Chen asked.
「這個包是誰放在長椅上的？」陳警官問道。
文法句型
ask somebody something
ask about something
ask + wh-clause
ask, "... ?"
用法筆記
Often takes a person as object, as in ask the teacher, or a wh-clause, as in ask where the keys are. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about getting help, permission, or action rather than information.
常見錯誤
2. to let someone know that you want help, permission, action, or some object from
請求；要求
向人提出幫忙、給予或准許
to let someone know that you want help, permission, action, or some object from them
Rina asked the nurse for a glass of water.
Rina 請護士給她一杯水。
ask somebody for something
We asked our neighbors to watch the cat.
我們請鄰居幫忙照看貓。
ask somebody to do something
Jamal asked if he could leave work early.
Jamal 請求提早下班。
The letter asked that all forms be returned by Monday.
那封信要求所有表格在星期一前交回。
At the station, Eva asked for help with her suitcase.
在車站，Eva 請求別人幫她提行李箱。
文法句型
ask for something
ask somebody to do something
ask to do something
ask that ...
用法筆記
Only sense that regularly takes ask for, ask somebody to do something, and formal ask that ... . Distinguish from sense 1, where the result you want is information rather than action or permission.
常見錯誤
3. to invite someone to come with you, visit you, or join an event
邀請
邀人來、同行或參加活動
to invite someone to come with you, visit you, or join an event
Sofia asked Paloma to come over after school.
Sofia 邀請 Paloma 放學後到家裡來。
ask somebody to come over
Our cousins asked us to stay through Sunday night.
我們的表親邀請我們待到星期日晚上。
ask somebody to stay
Daniel finally asked Priya to the spring dance.
Daniel 終於邀請 Priya 一起去春季舞會。
The Martins asked three neighbors over for lunch.
Martins 一家邀了三位鄰居來吃午餐。
Noah looked surprised when the team asked him to dinner.
當球隊邀 Noah 一起吃晚餐時，他看起來很驚訝。
- invite
the clearest neutral alternative
- have over
informal and mainly for inviting someone to your home
- bring along
focuses on joining a group rather than the invitation itself
- exclude
means deliberately not including someone
文法句型
ask somebody to come
ask somebody to a party
ask somebody over
ask somebody to dinner
用法筆記
Object is the invited person, often followed by to + event, over, or to dinner. Distinguish from sense 2, where you want help, permission, or some other action rather than someone's company.
常見錯誤
4. to expect a certain effort, amount, or quality from someone or something
要求；苛求
期待某人付出或做到某程度
to expect a certain effort, amount, or quality from someone or something
At the bakery, the dawn shift asks Theo for steady hands.
在麵包店，清晨班次要求 Theo 手要夠穩。
task as subject
Coach Diaz asks a lot of new players in March.
Diaz 教練在三月對新球員要求很高。
ask a lot of somebody
Working two full jobs asks too much of Carla.
同時做兩份全職工作，對 Carla 來說實在太苛求。
It's asking a lot to finish the bridge by June.
要在六月前把橋完工，這要求真的很高。
- spare
means not making someone face the effort or demand
文法句型
ask a lot of somebody
ask too much of somebody
it is asking a lot to ...
用法筆記
Common with ask a lot or ask too much of somebody, or with a task or situation as subject. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about making a request, not placing demands or expectations.
5. to think seriously about something, often by putting a question to yourself
自問；反思
在心裡仔細想某事
to think seriously about something, often by putting a question to yourself
After the fight, Nora asked herself why she had shouted.
吵完架後，Nora 自問自己為什麼會大吼。
ask yourself + wh-clause
During the train ride, Omar asked if this plan still made sense.
搭火車時，Omar 反思這個計畫是否還說得通。
ask if ... for reflection
The committee asked whether the new rule would really help families.
委員會仔細思量這條新規定是否真的能幫到家庭。
Outside the hospital, Grace asked herself whether she could face another round of treatment.
站在醫院外，Grace 問自己是否還有辦法面對下一輪治療。
- ignore
means not thinking about the issue at all
文法句型
ask yourself + wh-clause
ask if ...
ask whether ...
用法筆記
Usually appears without an outside listener and often with ask yourself, if, whether, or another question word. Distinguish from sense 1, where you are seeking an answer from another person.
6. to state the price you want a buyer to pay for something
開價；索價
賣東西時說出要賣多少錢
to state the price you want a buyer to pay for something
The dealer asked $900 for the old pocket watch.
這只舊懷錶開價九百美元。
ask + amount + for + thing
Ms. Huang is asking too much for that tiny shop.
黃女士那間小店開價太高了。
be asking too much for ...
The online ad asked fifteen dollars for each chair.
那則網路廣告上，每張椅子開價十五美元。
At first, the seller asked more than we could pay.
一開始，賣家開的價錢比我們付得起的還高。
文法句型
ask $500 for something
be asking too much for something
用法筆記
Pattern is ask + amount + for + thing. Distinguish from sense 4, which is about demands or effort, not the selling price of an item.
常見錯誤
ask — 名詞
1. a direct request for help, money, support, or some other action
訴求；請求
明確提出希望對方支持或答應的事
a direct request for help, money, support, or some other action
The email ended with a clear ask for monthly support.
那封電子郵件最後明確提出每月贊助的請求。
ask for + support
During the meeting, Paula saved her main ask for last.
會議中，Paula 把她最主要的訴求留到最後才說。
main ask
The charity's ask was simple: buy one warm coat.
那家慈善機構的募款訴求很簡單：買一件保暖外套。
Before lunch, the sales team practiced making the ask.
午餐前，業務團隊練習怎麼開口提出訴求。
文法句型
make the ask
a clear ask
用法筆記
Usually singular and especially common in fundraising, campaign, and sales language.
2. a task or demand that is hard for someone to do or meet
高要求；難事
很難做到或達成的要求
a task or demand that is hard for someone to do or meet
Climbing that hill after surgery is a big ask.
手術後還要爬那座山，這要求太高了。
a big ask
For one nurse, ten patients at night is a huge ask.
夜班只有一位護理師要顧十位病人，這是很難的事。
a huge ask
Learning both parts in two days would be quite an ask.
要在兩天內把兩個角色都背熟，實在是件難事。
A complete refund after two years feels like a large ask.
用了兩年後還要求全額退款，感覺要求太高了。
- challenge
can be broader and not always caused by a request
- tall order
informal and close in meaning
- demand
stronger and less idiomatic than ask here
- easy task
suggests little effort is needed
文法句型
a big ask
a huge ask
quite an ask
用法筆記
Most often appears in the pattern a big ask or quite an ask, especially when a request feels heavy or unrealistic.
3. one attempt to check with several people to see what they know or can do
打聽一下
向幾個人問消息或求助
one attempt to check with several people to see what they know or can do
I'll have an ask around the office before lunch.
我會在午餐前先在辦公室打聽一下。
have an ask around
Nina had an ask around and found a cheap tutor.
Nina 去打聽了一下，後來找到一位便宜的家教。
The coach said he would have an ask around town.
教練說他會去鎮上打聽一下。
After school, Ben had an ask around for spare drums.
放學後，Ben 去打聽了一下哪裡有備用鼓可以借。
文法句型
have an ask around
用法筆記
Normally appears only in the British informal phrase have an ask around.
4. the price a seller wants for a share or another thing being sold
賣價；賣盤
賣方願出售證券的價格
the price a seller wants for a share or another thing being sold
The stock opened with a higher ask than buyers expected.
這檔股票開盤時的賣價比買方預期更高。
higher ask
Mia lowered the ask after no one touched the order.
一直沒人碰那筆委託後，Mia 把賣盤調低了。
lower the ask
On the screen, the ask stayed above fifty dollars.
在螢幕上，賣價一直維持在五十美元以上。
Traders watched the bid and ask all morning.
交易員整個早上都在盯著買價和賣價。
- asking price
the fuller expression outside fast market talk
- offer price
common in trading contexts and close in meaning
- bid
the price a buyer is willing to pay
文法句型
the ask
ask price
bid and ask
用法筆記
Used mainly in market reports and trading screens, often beside bid.