binary
/ˈbaɪnəri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbaɪnəri/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbī-nə-rē -ˌner-ē -ˌne-rē/ (ame, mw) · /ˈbaɪ.nər.i/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbaɪ.ner.i/ (ame, ipa)
binary — 形容詞
1. describing a way of writing numbers in which every value is built from just the
二進位的
只用 0 和 1 表示數字的
describing a way of writing numbers in which every value is built from just the two digits 0 and 1, used inside computers because each digit can match an electrical on or off signal.
Jin showed his daughter how the letter A becomes 01000001 in binary code.
Jin 教女兒，字母 A 在二進位中會變成 01000001。
binary + noun: 'binary code'
Every photo on your phone is stored as a long string of binary digits.
你手機裡的每張照片，都是以一長串二進位數字儲存的。
binary + noun: 'binary digits'
The textbook asked the students to convert the number twelve into its binary form.
課本要學生把數字十二換成二進位的形式。
Old computers from the 1970s could only read binary input from paper tape.
1970 年代的舊電腦，只能讀紙帶上的二進位輸入。
Dilnoza was surprised that her name in binary needed forty zeros and ones.
Dilnoza 很驚訝，她的名字寫成二進位居然要四十個 0 和 1。
- base-2
more technical; preferred in maths textbooks
- decimal
the everyday base-10 system using digits 0 to 9
文法句型
binary + noun (code, digit, number, file)
用法筆記
Almost always sits before a noun (binary code, binary digit, binary file, binary number); rarely used after a linking verb in this sense.
常見錯誤
2. made up of, or forcing you to pick between, exactly two opposite categories such
二元的
只分成兩種對立選項的
made up of, or forcing you to pick between, exactly two opposite categories such as yes or no, on or off, with no middle ground allowed.
The referendum gave voters a binary choice: leave the union or stay.
這次公投給選民一個二元選擇：脫離聯盟或繼續留下。
binary + noun: 'binary choice'
Dr. Eitan argued that gender is not as binary as the old forms suggest.
Dr. Eitan 主張，性別並不像舊表格寫的那樣只有二元之分。
predicative use after linking verb
The new app rejects the binary thinking that every food is either healthy or junk.
這款新 App 拒絕「食物不是健康就是垃圾」的二元思維。
Pass or fail is a binary system, with no marks for partial credit.
及格或不及格是一種二元制度，沒有部分給分這回事。
Hiro refused to see the debate in binary terms of right and wrong.
Hiro 不願用非對即錯的二元角度去看這場辯論。
- two-way
plainer, less academic
- dichotomous
very formal; common in academic writing
- either-or
informal; often hyphenated before a noun
- non-binary
rejecting a strict two-category split, especially of gender
- spectrum
noun: a range with many positions between two ends
文法句型
binary + noun (choice, opposition, system)
用法筆記
Often carries a slightly critical tone, suggesting the two-way split is too simple. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about any pair of opposites, not specifically the digits 0 and 1.
常見錯誤
binary — 名詞
1. the way of counting that computers use, where every number is written using only
二進位
僅以 0 和 1 表示數字的計數法
the way of counting that computers use, where every number is written using only the digits 0 and 1 instead of the ten digits people normally use.
The teacher asked Citlali to write the number ten in binary on the whiteboard.
老師請 Citlali 把數字十用二進位寫在白板上。
preposition pattern: 'in binary'
Computers turn every keystroke into binary before saving it to memory.
電腦會把每一次按鍵轉成二進位，再存進記憶體。
object of 'into': 'into binary'
Kenji loves the puzzle of converting his birthday to binary.
Kenji 很喜歡把自己的生日換算成二進位的小遊戲。
The lecturer drew a chart showing how the number five looks in binary.
講師畫了一張圖，說明數字五用二進位看起來是什麼樣子。
- base-2
synonymous; more technical and used in maths classes
- decimal
the base-10 system most people use daily
文法句型
in binary
convert (sth) to / into binary
用法筆記
Uncountable; never use 'a binary' or 'binaries' for this meaning. The fixed phrase 'in binary' is the most common pattern.
常見錯誤
2. a way of looking at the world that splits people, ideas, or things into only two
二元對立
把事物硬分成兩個對立群組的觀點
a way of looking at the world that splits people, ideas, or things into only two opposing groups and ignores anything that does not fit neatly into one or the other.
The professor challenged the binary of work and play in modern life.
這位教授質疑現代生活中工作與休閒的二元對立。
the binary of X and Y
Many young readers reject the good-or-evil binary in old fairy tales.
許多年輕讀者拒絕老童話裡善惡分明的二元對立。
X-or-Y + binary
Sociologists often describe the rich-poor binary as too simple for real cities.
社會學家常說，貧富的二元對立放在真實城市裡太過簡化。
Aunt Rosa's stories broke down the binary between the brave hero and the silent woman.
Aunt Rosa 的故事打破了勇敢英雄與沉默女性之間的二元對立。
文法句型
a binary of X and Y
the X / Y binary
用法筆記
Common in academic and journalistic writing, almost always with a critical tone arguing the two-way split is too narrow. Distinguish from sense 1: that sense is about numbers; this sense is about ideas or social categories.
常見錯誤
3. a pair of stars locked together by gravity, so that each one circles around the
雙星
兩顆相互繞轉的恆星系統
a pair of stars locked together by gravity, so that each one circles around the other instead of moving on its own through space.
Through her telescope, Mei spotted a faint binary near the constellation Cygnus.
Mei 透過望遠鏡，在天鵝座附近找到了一對微弱的雙星。
countable: 'a binary'
The star Sirius is actually a binary, with a tiny white dwarf as its partner.
天狼星其實是一組雙星，旁邊還有一顆小小的白矮星作伴。
predicative: 'is a binary'
Astronomers at the observatory tracked the slow dance of a distant binary for ten years.
天文台的研究人員追蹤了一對遙遠雙星的緩慢舞動長達十年。
Children at the planetarium learned that many stars in the night sky are really binaries.
天文館的孩子們學到，夜空中許多星星其實都是雙星。
- double star
everyday term used in popular astronomy
- binary system
fuller technical phrase
文法句型
a binary
binary star / binary system
用法筆記
Astronomy term, often expanded to 'binary star' or 'binary system'. Countable, with a regular plural 'binaries'.