breath
/breθ/ (bre, ipa) · /breθ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbreth/ (ame, mw)
breath — 名詞
1. air moving through your lungs while you breathe.
氣息
呼吸時進出肺部的空氣
air moving through your lungs while you breathe.
Cold air made Mira's breath look white outside the bakery.
冷空氣讓 Mira 在麵包店外呼出的氣息變成白霧。
breath as visible air in cold weather
The nurse checked for breath after the swimmer was pulled ashore.
那名游泳者被拉上岸後，護理師檢查他是否還有氣息。
check for breath in an emergency
Garlic from lunch stayed on Bao's breath through the afternoon class.
午餐的大蒜味一直留在 Bao 的口氣裡，直到下午上課。
Fear made my breath quick and noisy in the dark stairwell.
恐懼讓我在昏暗樓梯間的呼吸又急又重。
- air
broader; not specifically the air a person moves in and out of the lungs
- exhalation
more technical and usually stresses the air going out
- respiration
formal and scientific rather than everyday
文法句型
on somebody's breath
check for breath
用法筆記
Common with verbs and phrases about smell, visibility, or signs of life: check for breath, feel breath on your face, bad breath. Distinguish from sense 7, which counts one single inhalation or exhalation.
常見錯誤
2. a short stop that lets your breathing become normal again after effort or shock.
喘口氣
停一下讓呼吸恢復
a short stop that lets your breathing become normal again after effort or shock.
After carrying the sofa upstairs, I sat down to catch my breath.
把沙發搬上樓後，我坐下來喘口氣。
catch your breath after effort
Leila stopped halfway up the hill to get her breath back.
Leila 走到半山腰時停下來，好讓自己喘口氣。
get your breath back
Startled by the crash, Grandpa Yusuf needed a minute to catch his breath.
被那聲巨響嚇到後，Grandpa Yusuf 需要一分鐘喘口氣。
The goalkeeper bent over briefly, trying to get her breath back.
守門員短暫地彎下腰，想讓自己喘口氣。
- breather
informal and broader; can mean any short rest
- recovery pause
clearer in exercise or medical contexts
- rest
broader and does not specifically suggest breathing returning to normal
文法句型
catch your breath
get your breath back
用法筆記
Usually follows 'catch' or 'get ... back'. It is about your body settling after running, climbing, or a sudden shock, unlike sense 4, which is a work pause between tasks.
常見錯誤
3. the simple act of breathing, especially in the phrase 'draw breath'.
呼吸
用在 draw breath，指能夠呼吸
the simple act of breathing, especially in the phrase 'draw breath'.
After the rescue, Omar could finally draw breath without coughing.
獲救後，Omar 終於能呼吸而不再一直咳嗽。
draw breath = breathe
Smoke filled the kitchen so fast that nobody could draw breath.
濃煙很快灌滿廚房，大家都無法呼吸。
negative form: could not draw breath
The newborn calf drew breath and then struggled onto its legs.
那頭新生小牛吸進第一口氣後，就掙扎著站了起來。
Even through the mask, Theo struggled to draw breath in the dust.
即使隔著口罩，Theo 在灰塵中還是很難呼吸。
- breathe
plain verb equivalent outside the fixed phrase
- respire
formal and uncommon in everyday speech
- take in air
paraphrase that explains the physical action
文法句型
draw breath
用法筆記
Most often used with 'draw'. It talks about being physically able to breathe at all, not about taking one deliberate inhale like sense 8.
4. a brief break before the next task, call, or event begins.
歇口氣
忙碌中短暫停一下
a brief break before the next task, call, or event begins.
Between serving tables, the waiter barely had time to draw breath.
在一桌接一桌之間穿梭時，服務生幾乎沒有時間歇口氣。
barely have time to draw breath
After three school visits, the campaign team paused for breath in the van.
連跑三所學校後，競選團隊在廂型車裡歇口氣。
pause for breath between tasks
Ms. Okafor barely drew breath before the next parent arrived.
Ms. Okafor 幾乎還來不及歇口氣，下一位家長就到了。
The kitchen staff had no chance to draw breath during the lunch rush.
午餐尖峰時段，廚房人員完全沒有機會歇口氣。
文法句型
draw breath
pause for breath
用法筆記
Often appears when someone is busy and moves straight to the next thing. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about breathing recovering after exertion, not simply getting a brief gap in activity.
5. air kept inside your lungs for a moment when you stop breathing out.
憋氣
把氣留在肺裡不吐出
air kept inside your lungs for a moment when you stop breathing out.
The children held their breath as they swam under the floating dock.
孩子們游過浮動碼頭下方時都憋著氣。
hold your breath underwater
Before diving, Yara held her breath and slipped below the surface.
潛水前，Yara 憋住氣，滑進水面下。
The doctor asked Ravi to hold his breath during the chest scan.
做胸腔掃描時，醫師請 Ravi 憋住氣。
For the x-ray, Mei held her breath until the machine stopped buzzing.
拍 X 光時，Mei 一直憋氣，直到機器不再嗡嗡作響。
- stop breathing
plain paraphrase, though less exact about keeping air inside
- suspend breathing
formal and medical
- keep still
often happens at the same time in scans, but not the same meaning
- breathe out
releasing the air instead of keeping it in
文法句型
hold your breath
用法筆記
Usually follows 'hold'. Most often literal in swimming, diving, singing, or medical instructions. Distinguish from sense 6, which uses the same words figuratively for anxious waiting.
常見錯誤
6. an anxious or excited way of waiting for news or an event, as if your breathing
屏息以待
緊張又期待地等著
an anxious or excited way of waiting for news or an event, as if your breathing briefly pauses.
Families watched the hospital doors with bated breath during the storm.
暴風雨期間，家屬都屏息以待，盯著醫院大門。
fixed phrase: with bated breath
Parents waited with bated breath for the exam results.
家長們都屏息以待，等著考試成績公布。
The class listened with bated breath as the winner's name was read.
宣布得獎者名字時，全班都屏息以待地聽著。
Fans watched the final kick with bated breath in the school hall.
球迷們在學校禮堂裡屏息以待，看著最後那一腳。
- anticipation
broader and more neutral; it does not suggest the same tense feeling
- suspense
focuses on uncertainty itself, not on the people waiting
- calm
shows a relaxed state instead of tense waiting
文法句型
with bated breath
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'with bated breath', rather than as a free noun phrase.
常見錯誤
7. one time when you breathe in.
吸一口氣
一次吸氣的動作
one time when you breathe in.
Before the photo, Aiko took a breath and fixed her hair.
拍照前，Aiko 吸一口氣，整理好頭髮。
take a breath
The nurse told Ravi to take one breath before the test.
護士叫 Ravi 在檢查前先吸一口氣。
one breath = one inhaling action
At the cold window, Diego drew a sharp breath and smiled.
站在冰冷的窗邊時，Diego 猛吸一口氣，然後笑了。
After crying, the child finally took a long, steady breath.
哭過之後，那孩子終於吸了一口又長又穩的氣。
- inhalation
more formal and more common in medical writing
- intake
used especially when breathing is measured or controlled
- exhalation
the action of breathing air out
文法句型
take a breath
draw a breath
用法筆記
Focuses on the action of breathing in. Distinguish from sense 8, which treats breath as the amount of air taken in.
常見錯誤
8. the amount of air you take in with one intake into your lungs.
一口氣
一次吸入的空氣量
the amount of air you take in with one intake into your lungs.
Each breath felt smaller as Yusuf ran up the hill.
Yusuf 跑上山時，每一口氣都覺得更短。
each breath = each amount of air taken in
The doctor counted Hana's breaths while she slept in the clinic.
Hana 在診所睡覺時，醫生數著她每一口氣。
One deep breath eased some of the pain in Theo's chest.
Theo 胸口疼痛時，深吸一口氣讓疼痛稍微緩和。
Every breath brought cold air deep into Noa's lungs.
Noa 的每一口氣都把冷空氣帶進肺裡。
- lungful
close in meaning, but less common in everyday use
- inhalation
can overlap, but often sounds more formal and action-focused
- exhalation
the amount of air breathed out
文法句型
a deep breath
each breath
between breaths
用法筆記
Often appears with words that measure or describe the air itself, such as 'deep', 'shallow', 'every', or 'between'. Distinguish from sense 7, which highlights the act of breathing in.
常見錯誤
9. even the weakest little movement in the air.
一絲風
極微弱的一點風
even the weakest little movement in the air.
There was not a breath of wind on the lake at sunrise.
日出時，湖面上一絲風也沒有。
not a breath of wind
The old flag hung still; not a breath of air moved it.
那面舊旗子一動也不動，連一絲風都沒有。
By noon, the garden was hot and without a breath of wind.
到了中午，花園裡又熱又悶，沒有一絲風。
Not even the leaves shook, because there was no breath of wind.
連葉子都沒有晃動，因為完全沒有一絲風。
- gale
a very strong wind, the opposite extreme
文法句型
not a breath of wind
not a breath of air
用法筆記
Usually appears in negative statements to stress complete stillness, especially with 'wind' or 'air'.
常見錯誤
10. a brief time outside, especially to get some fresh air after being indoors.
透口氣
到外面短暫透氣
a brief time outside, especially to get some fresh air after being indoors.
After three hours inside, Priya went out for a breath of fresh air.
在室內待了三個小時後，Priya 出去透口氣。
go out for a breath of fresh air
The cook stepped outside for a quick breath of fresh air.
那位廚師走到外面，趕快透透氣。
During the long meeting, Jin slipped outside for a breath of fresh air.
會議開了很久，Jin 偷偷溜到外面透口氣。
The children asked for a breath of fresh air after the bus ride.
搭完公車後，孩子們說想出去透口氣。
文法句型
go out for a breath of fresh air
step outside for a breath of fresh air
用法筆記
Most often part of the phrase 'a breath of fresh air' when someone briefly goes outside. Distinguish from sense 9, which is about a tiny movement of wind.
常見錯誤
11. life itself, used in phrases about people who have ever lived.
活著
指曾經活在世上
life itself, used in phrases about people who have ever lived.
Beside the trophy case, the coach said no runner who drew breath matched Zara.
站在獎盃櫃旁時，教練說歷來沒有哪個跑者比得上 Zara。
who drew breath = who lived
At the shelter, Ravi said every child who drew breath deserved hot soup.
在收容所裡，Ravi 說每個活著的孩子都該有熱湯喝。
In the museum, few painters who ever drew breath matched Imani's storm paintings.
在博物館裡，古往今來很少有畫家的作品比得上 Imani 的風暴畫作。
The village called Aunt Rosa the bravest woman ever to draw breath.
村裡的人都說，Aunt Rosa 是有史以來最勇敢的女人。
- die
the direct opposite in meaning
文法句型
who drew breath
ever to draw breath
用法筆記
Usually follows 'draw' in broad claims or comparisons. It sounds elevated and emphatic. Distinguish from sense 3, where 'draw breath' means the physical act of breathing.