broken
/ˈbrəʊ.kən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbroʊ.kən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrəʊkən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbrəʊkən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrō-kən/ (ame, mw)
broken — 動詞
1. the form of break used after have, has, or had, and in passive sentences.
過去分詞
break 的過去分詞形
the form of break used after have, has, or had, and in passive sentences.
The branch has broken twice since the heavy snow began.
自從大雪開始後，那根樹枝已經斷了兩次。
have broken for completed action
By noon, Mei had broken three cups in the busy cafe.
到了中午，Mei 在忙碌的咖啡館裡已經打破了三個杯子。
had broken + object
The back window was broken during the storm last night.
後窗在昨晚的暴風雨中被打破了。
Hana has never broken a promise to her younger sister.
Hana 從來沒有對妹妹食言。
文法句型
have/has/had broken
be broken
用法筆記
This is the verb form, not the adjective senses below. After have, has, or had, English uses broken rather than broke.
常見錯誤
broken — 形容詞
1. hurt, in pieces, or missing a part, so it cannot work or be used properly.
破損
受損而不能正常使用
hurt, in pieces, or missing a part, so it cannot work or be used properly.
Ravi tried to start the broken scooter outside the train station.
Ravi 試著發動車站外那台壞掉的機車。
broken + machine
A broken plate lay under the table after the children left.
孩子們離開後，一個破損的盤子躺在桌子底下。
broken + object in pieces
The clinic replaced the broken step at the front door.
那家診所更換了前門口破損的階梯。
Our TV is broken, so we watched a movie on Mira's phone.
我們的電視壞掉了，所以改用 Mira 的手機看電影。
One wheel was broken, and the cart would not move.
有一個輪子壞掉了，所以那台推車動不了。
文法句型
broken + machine/object/part
be broken
用法筆記
Common with machines, household objects, body parts, and missing parts. Distinguish from adjective 3: this sense is about damage or failure, not about something stopping and starting.
常見錯誤
2. so hurt inside by a bad experience that a person struggles to live normally.
受創的
因痛苦經歷而心裡受傷
so hurt inside by a bad experience that a person struggles to live normally.
After the fire, Leila seemed broken and stopped seeing friends.
火災後，Leila 看起來很受創，也不再去見朋友了。
be broken after a traumatic event
The long war left many children broken and afraid.
漫長的戰爭讓許多孩子受創又害怕。
Years of cruel jokes made Yusuf feel broken at school.
多年殘酷的嘲笑讓 Yusuf 在學校裡覺得自己整個人都受創了。
By spring, the coach looked broken after his son's funeral.
到了春天，那位教練在兒子葬禮後看起來整個人都垮了。
- traumatized
more explicit about a shocking experience
- shattered
stronger and often more dramatic
- crushed
often stresses sadness or defeat
文法句型
feel broken
look broken
be broken after [event]
用法筆記
Usually predicative, not before a noun. It often describes a person after trauma, loss, abuse, illness, or long hardship.
3. stopping and starting again instead of moving, sounding, or continuing smoothly.
斷續
不是連續的，時停時續
stopping and starting again instead of moving, sounding, or continuing smoothly.
The radio gave a broken signal as the boat moved away.
那艘船駛遠時，收音機只傳來中斷的訊號。
broken signal
Grandpa woke often after another night of broken sleep.
爺爺又是一夜斷續的睡眠，所以常常醒來。
collocation: broken sleep
Her broken English still helped the lost tourists find the station.
她那口不太流利的英文，還是幫迷路的遊客找到了車站。
A broken white line runs down the middle of this road.
這條路中央畫著一條白色虛線。
- interrupted
the nearest general equivalent
- uneven
often used when the pattern changes irregularly
- patchy
informal, especially for signals or attention
- continuous
without stopping
- smooth
without sudden gaps or changes
文法句型
broken + line/signal
broken sleep
broken English
用法筆記
Common with nouns naming lines, sleep, journeys, speech, and signals. Distinguish from adjective 1: this sense is about lack of continuity, not physical damage.
常見錯誤
4. finished or ruined so badly that it cannot continue as before.
破碎；瓦解
家庭、關係或體制已毀壞失序
finished or ruined so badly that it cannot continue as before.
After the mayor's arrest, the local party looked broken at city hall.
市長被捕後，這個地方政黨在市政廳裡看起來已經垮掉了。
broken institution or group
Nadia grew up in a broken home after her parents split.
Nadia 在父母分開後，在破碎家庭中長大。
collocation: broken home
After the cash went missing, trust was broken among the shop staff.
現金失蹤後，店員之間的信任已經破碎了。
By winter, Aiko and Kenji's marriage felt broken beyond repair.
到了冬天，Aiko 和 Kenji 的婚姻感覺已經破碎到無法挽回。
文法句型
broken + home/marriage
trust is broken
look broken
用法筆記
Often used for families, marriages, trust, political groups, and other structures that no longer hold together. Distinguish from adjective 5: here the whole relationship or system has collapsed, not just one promise or rule.
5. not followed in the way a law, rule, agreement, or promise should be.
失信；違約
承諾、契約或規定沒有被遵守
not followed in the way a law, rule, agreement, or promise should be.
The judge punished the company for its broken safety rules.
法官因公司違反安全規定而處罰了該公司。
broken + rule/law
A broken promise hurt Omar more than the lost money.
那次失信比丟掉那些錢更讓 Omar 受傷。
collocation: broken promise
Neighbors complained after another broken contract delayed the repairs.
又一次違約拖慢了修繕進度，鄰居們因此抱怨。
Parents protested over the school's broken agreement on lunch prices.
家長們抗議學校沒有履行午餐價格協議。
- violated
common with laws, rules, and rights
- unkept
used especially for promises, but less common
- dishonored
more formal, especially for agreements or obligations
文法句型
broken + promise/rule/law
broken contract
broken agreement
用法筆記
Object is usually a promise, law, rule, contract, or agreement. Distinguish from adjective 4: this sense focuses on failure to obey or keep a specific commitment.
常見錯誤
6. trained to stay calm with people, so a horse is safe for riding or pulling a veh
馴服的
馬已受訓，能讓人騎乘或拉車
trained to stay calm with people, so a horse is safe for riding or pulling a vehicle.
The guide chose a broken horse for the nervous beginner.
那位嚮導替緊張的新手挑了一匹馴服的馬。
broken horse
Farmers need broken horses before the heavy carts go out.
農夫在重車出發前，需要先有受過訓的馬。
By autumn, the young mare was broken and easy to ride.
到了秋天，那匹年輕的母馬已經馴服，也容易騎乘。
The children watched the trainer lead two broken ponies home.
孩子們看著訓馬師把兩匹馴服的小馬帶回家。
文法句型
broken horse
broken mare
be broken to ride
用法筆記
Used almost only before horse, mare, pony, or similar nouns. It is less common in everyday modern English than trained or tamed.
7. uneven and rough on top, with small rises, holes, or hard edges.
崎嶇
表面粗糙不平，有高低起伏
uneven and rough on top, with small rises, holes, or hard edges.
We walked slowly over the broken ground after the dry summer.
乾燥的夏天過後，我們慢慢走過那片崎嶇的地面。
broken ground
Rainwater filled the broken surface of the old tennis court.
雨水積在那座老網球場不平的表面上。
The bicycle shook on the broken road near the farm.
那輛腳踏車在農場附近崎嶇的路面上震個不停。
Builders covered the broken stone path with fresh sand.
工人們用新沙子蓋住那條凹凸不平的石子小路。
文法句型
broken ground
broken road
broken surface
用法筆記
Usually before nouns like ground, road, path, stone, or surface. Distinguish from adjective 3: this sense describes physical unevenness, not interruption in time or sequence.