big
big — 形容詞
1. greater than usual in physical size, number, or quantity.
大的
尺寸、數量或程度超過一般
greater than usual in physical size, number, or quantity.
The bakery ordered a big oven for the new shop downtown.
那家麵包店為市中心的新店訂了一台大的烤箱。
big + concrete noun for size
A big crowd waited outside the stadium before the singer arrived.
歌手到場前，體育館外已經有一大群人在等。
big + crowd for large number
My aunt grows big tomatoes in wooden boxes behind her kitchen.
我阿姨在廚房後面的木箱裡種出很大的番茄。
That jacket looks big on Leo, so try the smaller one.
那件外套穿在 Leo 身上看起來太大了，試試小一號的吧。
We need a big table because twelve cousins are coming tonight.
我們需要一張大桌子，因為今晚有十二個表親要來。
文法句型
big + noun
be/look/feel + big
用法筆記
Covers both physical size and large amounts. Distinguish from sense 6: 'a big problem' usually means important or serious, not physically large.
常見錯誤
2. important, serious, or powerful enough to have a strong effect.
重大的
因影響深遠而重要或嚴重
important, serious, or powerful enough to have a strong effect.
Choosing a new school was a big decision for the whole family.
選新學校對全家來說是個重大的決定。
big + decision/problem/difference
There is a big difference between hearing advice and following it.
聽到建議和真的照著做之間有很大的差別。
Losing that bridge would be a big problem for nearby farms.
若失去那座橋，附近農場就會遇到重大問題。
The bank's failure had a big effect on small shops downtown.
那家銀行倒閉，對市中心的小店造成了很大的影響。
Tonight's debate became the big story on every local channel.
今晚的辯論成了每個地方頻道的重要新聞。
文法句型
big + decision/problem/difference/effect
用法筆記
Usually appears before nouns such as 'decision', 'difference', 'problem', 'risk', or 'story'. Distinguish from adjective/7 in the other chunk, where 'big' means well-known or influential in a place or field, not simply serious or important.
常見錯誤
3. older than another child, or old enough to be expected to act in a more adult wa
年長的
年紀較大，或已像大人
older than another child, or old enough to be expected to act in a more adult way.
Eva's big sister walked her across the road on Monday.
Eva 年長的姊姊星期一陪她走過馬路。
big sister = older sister
The big kids sat in the front row for the school play.
年長的孩子們坐在學校表演的前排。
At ten, Wairimu is big enough to wash her own cup.
Wairimu 十歲了，已經大到可以自己洗杯子。
Mom said Eli was too big for a bedtime story now.
媽媽說 Eli 現在已經大到不需要睡前故事了。
文法句型
big brother/sister
big enough + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Often used in family roles such as 'big brother' and 'big sister', and in 'big enough to ...' when talking about expected behaviour. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about size rather than age or maturity.
常見錯誤
4. in the phrase 'in a big way', to a very great degree or with strong effect.
非常
固定片語中表程度很高
in the phrase 'in a big way', to a very great degree or with strong effect.
After the concert, Hana fell for the drummer in a big way.
演唱會後，Hana 深深迷上那名鼓手。
fixed phrase: in a big way
Since the storm, food prices have risen in a big way.
暴風雨過後，食物價格漲了很多。
Luca's sleep improved in a big way after he stopped coffee.
Luca 戒掉咖啡後，睡眠改善得非常明顯。
Her life changed in a big way after her song spread online.
她的歌在網路上傳開後，她的人生有了很大的改變。
- slightly
shows only a small degree of change or feeling
文法句型
in a big way
用法筆記
Usually appears after verbs about feelings, change, growth, or increase. Distinguish from sense 5: this sense stresses degree, not how wide the spread is.
常見錯誤
5. in the phrase 'in a big way', across many people, places, or activities, or over
大規模地
牽涉很多人事物或範圍很廣
in the phrase 'in a big way', across many people, places, or activities, or over a broad area.
The chain plans to expand in a big way across southern India.
那家連鎖店打算明年在印度南部大規模地擴張。
large-scale expansion in a big way
Solar power is growing in a big way in many farming towns.
太陽能正在許多農村城鎮大規模地發展。
Online classes took off in a big way during the long strike.
長期罷工期間，線上課程一下子大規模地興起。
The museum wants to use local artists in a big way next year.
那家博物館明年想大規模地採用在地藝術家。
- widely
focuses on spread rather than intensity
- broadly
often used for general spread or use
- on a large scale
more formal and more explicit
- locally
limited to one area
- in a limited way
shows small scale rather than broad spread
文法句型
in a big way
用法筆記
Also mostly appears in 'in a big way', but here the idea is broad spread or large-scale activity. Distinguish from sense 4, which can describe one person's feeling or one change becoming stronger.
常見錯誤
6. liking someone or something very much and showing strong interest in it.
熱中於
對某人事物特別有興趣
liking someone or something very much and showing strong interest in it.
Nina is big on morning runs before work.
Nina 很熱中於上班前晨跑。
be big on + activity
Grandpa is big on old train maps and station photos.
爺爺很熱中於老火車地圖和車站照片。
be big on + thing
The twins are big on Korean dramas this year.
那對雙胞胎今年很迷韓劇。
Aunt Mei has never been big on spicy food.
Mei 阿姨一向不太愛吃辣。
Leo is big on meeting new people when he travels.
Leo 旅行時很熱中於認識新朋友。
- uninterested in
shows little or no interest
- against
suggests active dislike or opposition
文法句型
be big on + noun
be big on + gerund
用法筆記
This informal sense is usually followed by 'on'. It often talks about hobbies, food, music, or ways of doing things.
常見錯誤
7. used about a product, style, or activity that huge numbers of people like, buy,
當紅
產品或活動非常受歡迎
used about a product, style, or activity that huge numbers of people like, buy, or talk about.
Vinyl records are big again with college students in Kaohsiung.
黑膠唱片在高雄的大學生之間又當紅起來了。
be big with + group
Cold brew tea became big after the summer music festival.
冷萃茶在那場夏季音樂祭後變得很紅。
become big
Escape rooms were big on social media last winter.
密室逃脫去年冬天在社群媒體上很當紅。
That dance app is still big among junior high students.
那個跳舞 App 在國中生之間現在還是很當紅。
- unpopular
not liked by many people
- old-fashioned
no longer attractive or current
文法句型
be big with + group
be big among + group
become big
用法筆記
Most often describes trends, entertainment, food, or activities. Distinguish from sense 7, where a person or thing is big in a place or field because of status there.
8. well known and treated as important within one place, scene, or area of work.
吃得開
在某地或某圈子很有名有分量
well known and treated as important within one place, scene, or area of work.
That singer was already big in Taiwan before her world tour.
那位歌手在世界巡演前，就已經在台灣很吃得開了。
be big in + place
Before television, Ken was big in local radio across Hsinchu.
上電視前，Ken 在新竹地方廣播界就很吃得開。
be big in + field
The charity became big in southern Taiwan after years of flood work.
那個慈善團體做了多年水災救援後，在台灣南部變得很有分量。
For young jazz fans, Ella is still big in New Orleans clubs.
對年輕爵士迷來說，Ella 在 New Orleans 的俱樂部圈仍然很有名。
- famous
stresses being widely known, not always having influence
- influential
focuses more on power over people or decisions
- prominent
slightly more formal and often used in news or public writing
文法句型
be big in + place
be big in + field
用法筆記
Usually follows the verb 'be'. Distinguish from sense 8, which is about a product or activity being very popular, not about having standing in a place or field.
常見錯誤
9. showing kindness, fairness, or forgiveness, especially after someone could have
寬厚
待人寬容又肯讓步
showing kindness, fairness, or forgiveness, especially after someone could have reacted badly.
It was big of Maria to thank the nurse after the mistake.
Maria 在出錯後還向那位護理師道謝，真的很寬厚。
it is big of + person + to-infinitive
Even after losing, Hana was big enough to shake Carla's hand.
就算輸了，Hana 還是很有風度地主動跟 Carla 握手。
be big enough to + verb
That was big of your brother after such a rough game.
你哥哥在那麼激烈的一場比賽後還那樣大方，真的不簡單。
At the meeting, Jenna was big enough to praise her old rival.
在會上，Jenna 願意稱讚以前的對手，真的很寬厚。
文法句型
it is big of + person + to-infinitive
be big enough to + verb
用法筆記
Most common in the patterns 'It was big of ... to ...' and 'be big enough to ...'. It often appears after an argument, a loss, or some other tense moment.
常見錯誤
10. put before a noun to make the description sound stronger or more emotional.
十足的
放在名詞前加強語氣
put before a noun to make the description sound stronger or more emotional.
Stop being a big baby about the cold swimming pool.
別因為泳池太冷就像個十足的愛哭鬼。
emphatic: big + insulting noun
The twins called Max a big bully after he hid their ball.
那對雙胞胎說 Max 是個十足的惡霸，因為他把球藏起來。
After the trick failed, Ben felt like a big idiot.
那個把戲失敗後，Ben 覺得自己像個十足的笨蛋。
Don't be such a big show-off during the science fair.
科展時別表現得像個大愛現鬼。
文法句型
big + insulting or emotional noun
用法筆記
Mainly used before a noun, especially in emotional labels such as insults or self-criticism. It adds force more than new factual meaning.
常見錯誤
11. carrying a baby and showing it clearly because the stomach has grown large.
懷孕
口語指肚子已明顯變大的孕期
carrying a baby and showing it clearly because the stomach has grown large.
By spring, the farm dog was big and needed shorter walks.
到了春天，那隻農場狗肚子已經大起來，散步時間也得縮短。
informal use for pregnancy
The old neighbors said Rosa was big and due in October.
那些老鄰居說 Rosa 肚子已經很明顯，預產期在十月。
Everyone could see the mare was big before the county fair.
大家在郡博覽會前就看得出那匹母馬懷孕了。
By late summer, Lena was big and washing tiny baby clothes.
到了夏末，Lena 肚子已很明顯，還在洗小小的嬰兒衣服。
- pregnant
the normal neutral word
- expecting
common and slightly softer in tone
- with child
old-fashioned and more literary
文法句型
be big
look big
用法筆記
Mostly an older or informal way to talk about pregnancy, especially when it is easy to see. Learners usually want the neutral word 'pregnant' instead.
big — 副詞
1. in an ambitious way that uses a lot of money, space, or effort, or aims at a wid
大手筆地
以大規模、大場面方式進行
in an ambitious way that uses a lot of money, space, or effort, or aims at a wide effect.
The cafe went big for its tenth birthday and rented the whole plaza.
那家咖啡店為十週年大手筆慶祝，包下整個廣場。
go big for a large event
From the start, Mira thought big and planned tours across Asia.
Mira 一開始就很有野心，規劃要在亞洲巡演。
think big for ambitious planning
This year the museum is going big with night shows and street food.
今年那家博物館要大陣仗推出夜間表演和街頭美食。
The company is building big in Vietnam with three new factories.
那家公司正在 Vietnam 大規模擴建，新蓋三座工廠。
- ambitiously
focuses more on high aims than on visible scale
- boldly
stresses courage or risk, not necessarily size
- on a grand scale
more formal phrase for very large scope
- modestly
with limited aims or spending
- on a small scale
without wide reach or large resources
文法句型
think big
go big
build big
plan big
用法筆記
Most often appears in business, event, and planning talk, especially in patterns like 'think big' and 'go big'. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes how large the outcome is, not how large the plan is.
常見錯誤
2. with very large gains, losses, or effects, especially when the result is much gr
大收穫；大賠
成果、收益或損失都很大
with very large gains, losses, or effects, especially when the result is much greater than usual.
The bakery won big at the city food awards last night.
那家麵包店昨晚在市美食獎上大有斬獲。
win big for major success
Farouk's small idea paid off big after her video went online.
Farouk 那個小點子在影片上線後收效很大。
pay off big for strong effect
Investors lost big when the bridge project stopped in March.
那個橋梁案三月喊停後，投資人大賠。
Our school scored big in the science fair this spring.
我們學校今年春天在科展上大放異彩。
文法句型
win big
pay off big
lose big
score big
用法筆記
Usually follows verbs of result such as 'win', 'lose', 'score', or 'pay off'. Distinguish from sense 2, where the plan or action itself is large in scale, as in 'think big'.
常見錯誤
3. in a loud, showy, self-important way, especially when someone is making claims a
吹牛地
口氣很大地誇口或放話
in a loud, showy, self-important way, especially when someone is making claims about themselves or their plans.
Leo talked big after one lucky win at the school pool table.
Leo 在學校撞球桌僥倖贏了一次後，就開始吹牛。
talk big for boastful speech
At dinner, the new coach spoke big about winning every game.
晚餐時，那位新教練口氣很大地說要場場都贏。
speak big about future success
After one small contract, the brothers started talking big about hotels.
才接到一筆小合約，那對兄弟就開始吹牛說要買旅館。
On the bus home, Trevor was still talking big about boxing.
在回家的公車上，Trevor 還在吹牛自己的拳擊本事。
- boastfully
the closest neutral equivalent
- swaggeringly
adds a stronger show-off attitude
- loudly
can match the noisy tone, but not always the boasting
文法句型
talk big
speak big
用法筆記
Mostly used with 'talk' or 'speak'. Unlike sense 1, it does not describe a large result; it describes an overconfident tone.
常見錯誤
4. with great force, especially when hitting or serving a ball in sport.
猛力地
用很大力道，尤指擊球
with great force, especially when hitting or serving a ball in sport.
On match point, Keiko served big and forced a weak return.
到了賽末點，Keiko 猛力發球，逼出一記軟弱回球。
serve big for a powerful shot
The left-hander hits big from the back court on clay.
那名左撇子在紅土場後場擊球很猛。
hit big in tennis reporting
Even in the rain, Omar swung big at every short ball.
就算下雨，Omar 看到每顆短球還是猛力揮拍。
Near the end, Ava served big and won the game quickly.
接近尾聲時，Ava 猛力發球，很快就拿下那場比賽。
- hard
the nearest basic word for this sense
- powerfully
more general and less tied to sports commentary
- aggressively
can include force and attacking intent together
文法句型
serve big
hit big
swing big
play big off the baseline
用法筆記
Rare and mostly found in sports writing, especially tennis. It usually describes the power of a shot, not the size of a plan or the size of a result.
常見錯誤
big — 名詞
1. in basketball, a tall player, usually one who plays close to the basket.
長人
籃下高個球員
in basketball, a tall player, usually one who plays close to the basket.
Coach Rivera started two bigs against the taller team from Seoul.
Coach Rivera 讓兩名長人先發，對上來自 Seoul 的較高隊伍。
play two bigs
Farouk's brother is the only big on his high school team.
Farouk 的哥哥是他高中校隊唯一的長人。
the only big on [team]
When Leo drove toward the basket, the big waited near the net.
Leo 往籃下切入時，那名長人守在籃框附近。
The coach asked every big to block shots and grab rebounds.
教練要求每個長人都要阻攻、抓籃板。
At six foot eight, Noah became the team's strongest big this season.
身高六呎八的 Noah 這季成了隊上最強的長人。
- center
a specific position, while 'big' can include some forwards too
- post player
focuses on playing near the basket rather than on body size
- big man
older informal term; often used for male players
- guard
usually a smaller outside player handling the ball or defending the perimeter
文法句型
a big
play two bigs
用法筆記
Mainly used in basketball talk by coaches, players, and commentators. Singular 'a big' names one player; plural 'bigs' often contrasts with 'guards' on the same team.
常見錯誤
2. the highest professional level in a sport, especially baseball, where the strong
大聯盟
最高層級職業聯盟，尤指棒球
the highest professional level in a sport, especially baseball, where the strongest teams and players compete.
After eight years in the minors, Luis finally made the bigs.
在小聯盟待了八年後，Luis 終於打上大聯盟。
make the bigs
Her father spent one summer in the bigs before a shoulder injury.
她爸爸只在大聯盟待過一個夏天，後來就因肩傷退下。
in the bigs
Reporters crowded around the rookie when he got his first call to the bigs.
那名新秀第一次被叫上大聯盟時，記者全擠了過來。
Only a few pitchers from that small town ever reach the bigs.
那個小鎮出身的投手，真正打上大聯盟的沒幾個。
- the majors
especially common in baseball
- major leagues
more explicit and slightly less slangy
- top flight
broader sports term, often used beyond baseball
- the minors
the lower professional level that feeds players upward
- minor leagues
full form of 'the minors', especially in baseball
文法句型
make the bigs
play in the bigs
get called up to the bigs
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'the bigs' in American baseball writing and speech. It refers to the top professional level as a whole, not to one particular club.