bell

/bel/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈɛl] /bel/ (ame, ipa) · [bˈɛl] /ˈbel/ (ame, mw)

bell — 名詞

  • bellsingular
  • bellsplural

1. A small signalling unit mounted beside a doorway that alerts people inside when

1.名詞A2
釋義

門鈴

門口電子鈴聲裝置

A small signalling unit mounted beside a doorway that alerts people inside when a visitor arrives — pressing its button causes a chime or tone to sound within the building.

例句

Jisoo pressed the bell and waited for someone to open the door.

Jisoo 按了門鈴,等著有人來開門。

press the bell — common verb collocation

The bell in the kitchen rang, so Marta knew a customer had arrived at the shop.

廚房的鈴響了,Marta 知道有客人到店裡來了。

bell rings — subject–verb pattern

同義詞
  • doorbell

    more specific — 'doorbell' is the full compound noun for a bell at an entrance

  • buzzer

    a buzzer makes a buzzing sound instead of a ringing sound, common in apartments

用法筆記

In British English, 'doorbell' is the common word for a bell at a home entrance; 'bell' alone often refers to a school bell or a service bell on a counter.

常見錯誤

I pressed the bell's button.
I rang the bell.' or 'I pressed the bell.
💡native speakers use 'ring' or 'press' directly with 'bell'.

2. A hollow, cup-shaped piece of metal that produces a clear ringing sound when a l

2.名詞A2
釋義

鐘;鈴

金屬製杯狀敲擊響器

A hollow, cup-shaped piece of metal that produces a clear ringing sound when a loose piece inside it, called a clapper, strikes the sides.

例句

Christopher rang the church bell every Sunday morning before the service started.

Christopher 每個星期天早上在禮拜開始前都會敲響教堂的鐘。

ring + church bell — typical collocation

A small brass bell on the hotel counter rang when guests walked through the door.

飯店櫃檯上的一個小銅鈴在客人走進門時發出叮噹聲。

同義詞
  • chime

    a set of bells tuned to musical notes, or the sound they make

  • gong

    a flat metal disc that you hit with a stick, producing a different type of sound

用法筆記

This sense covers both large bells hung in towers and small handheld bells. The verb 'ring' is the most common action verb for this sense.

常見錯誤

I clapped the bell.
I rang the bell.
💡'clap' means to hit your hands together; 'ring' is the correct verb for a bell.

3. A musical instrument in which metal pieces — either cup-shaped bells hung in a f

3.名詞B1
釋義

鐘琴;鐵琴

用槌敲擊金屬片發聲的樂器

A musical instrument in which metal pieces — either cup-shaped bells hung in a frame, or flat bars on a stand — are struck with mallets to produce bright, clear notes. In everyday language, both types of instrument are simply called 'bells'.

例句

Mayumi played a short tune on the bells during the school concert.

Mayumi 在學校音樂會上用鐘琴演奏了一小段曲子。

play + bells — verb–object pattern

The orchestra's bells added a bright, cheerful sound to the final part of the song.

管弦樂團的鐘琴為歌曲最後的部分增添了清脆愉快的音色。

同義詞
  • glockenspiel

    the formal music term for the flat-bar version of this instrument

  • orchestral bells

    the formal music term for the cup-shaped version played in orchestras

  • handbells

    a set of small bells held in the hands and rung by shaking, often played in groups

用法筆記

In formal music terminology, the flat-bar version of this instrument is specifically called a 'glockenspiel', while the cup-shaped version is called 'orchestral bells'. In everyday speech, both types are simply called 'bells'.

4. The wide, outward-curving opening at the far end of a brass or wind instrument,

4.名詞B2
釋義

喇叭口

管樂器末端寬大的開口

The wide, outward-curving opening at the far end of a brass or wind instrument, through which the sound leaves the instrument.

例句

Hamza cleaned the bell of his trumpet carefully after every practice session.

Hamza 每次練習完都會仔細清潔他的小號喇叭口。

the bell of [instrument] — possessive-of pattern

The saxophone's bell is made of brass and gives the instrument a warm tone.

薩克斯風的喇叭口是黃銅製成的,賦予樂器溫暖的音色。

同義詞
  • flare

    describes the shape of the opening rather than the part itself

用法筆記

This sense is specific to brass and wind instruments such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and tubas. It is not used for string or percussion instruments.

bell — 動詞