bum
/bʌm/ (bre, ipa) · /bʌm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbəm/ (ame, mw)
bum — 名詞
- bumsingular
- bumsplural
1. the soft back part of your body that rests on a seat when you sit down.
屁股
人坐下時壓在椅子上的部位
the soft back part of your body that rests on a seat when you sit down.
The toddler landed on his bum after missing the last stair.
那個幼兒踩空最後一階後，一屁股跌坐在地上。
land on your bum — common result pattern after a fall
Beatriz rubbed her sore bum after the long bike ride home.
Beatriz 騎很久的腳踏車回家後，揉了揉發痛的屁股。
The cold bench made Paul shift his bum every few minutes.
那張冰冷的長椅讓 Paul 每隔幾分鐘就要挪一下屁股。
At the beach, Hao brushed sand off his bum before sitting in the car.
在海邊時，Hao 先把屁股上的沙拍掉，才坐進車裡。
用法筆記
Common in casual speech. In more polite or medical contexts, speakers usually choose bottom, backside, or buttocks instead.
常見錯誤
2. a person with no settled home or regular job who survives by begging or dependin
遊民；流浪漢
沒有固定住處、靠乞討過活的人
a person with no settled home or regular job who survives by begging or depending on other people's help.
Outside the bakery, Imani gave a bum a cup of hot tea.
在麵包店外，Imani 給了一名遊民一杯熱茶。
give a bum [food/drink] — typical charity scene
The old bum slept under the bridge with two blankets and a shopping cart.
那名老流浪漢蓋著兩條毯子，和一台購物車睡在橋下。
A bum asked Reuben for bus fare near the night market.
在夜市附近，一名遊民向 Reuben 討車錢。
Volunteers knew the bum by name and saved him soup each evening.
志工們認得那名流浪漢，晚上都會替他留一碗湯。
- homeless person
neutral and respectful modern term
- beggar
focuses on asking strangers for money
- vagrant
more formal and often legal in tone
- householder
someone with an established home
- worker
someone with regular employment
用法筆記
This word is old-fashioned and often insulting. In neutral real-world discussion, homeless person is usually the safer choice.
常見錯誤
3. someone who avoids work and expects other people to support them or do things fo
懶鬼；米蟲
好吃懶做、老靠別人的人
someone who avoids work and expects other people to support them or do things for them.
Sahil's uncle called him a bum when he quit three jobs in one month.
Sahil 的叔叔看到他一個月內辭了三份工作，就罵他是懶鬼。
call someone a bum — direct criticism of laziness
Everyone in the flat was tired of the bum who never washed dishes.
公寓裡的每個人都受夠了那個從不洗碗的米蟲。
After noon, the two bums were still on the sofa playing video games.
過了中午，那兩個懶鬼還坐在沙發上打電動。
Noor refused to lend money to her cousin, calling him a bum.
Noor 不肯借錢給表弟，還直接罵他是個懶鬼。
- freeloader
emphasizes living off other people's money or effort
- moocher
focuses on always asking for small favors or free things
- slacker
suggests avoiding work or effort
- hard worker
someone who works steadily and responsibly
- self-supporting person
someone who provides for themselves
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (STREET BEGGAR): this sense criticizes idleness or living off others, not homelessness itself.
常見錯誤
bum — 形容詞
- bumpositive
- bummercomparative
- bummestsuperlative
1. poor, unfair, unpleasant, or not working properly in a way that makes something
差勁；不靈
很差、很倒楣，或不太管用的
poor, unfair, unpleasant, or not working properly in a way that makes something disappointing.
A bum knee kept Christopher off the football field for six weeks.
Christopher 因為膝蓋不太靈，六週都沒法上足球場。
a bum + body part — means injured or not working well
We got a bum deal and paid extra for a room without windows.
我們碰上了差勁的交易，多付了錢卻住進沒有窗戶的房間。
a bum deal — common fixed phrase for something unfair
The old radio has a bum switch, so it only works sometimes.
那台老收音機的開關不太靈，所以只是偶爾能用。
After that bum movie, Yael wanted her money back from the theater.
看完那部差勁的電影後，Yael 想把票錢討回來。
文法句型
a bum + [deal/knee/switch/movie]
用法筆記
Very informal. The exact shade comes from the noun that follows: a bum deal is unfair, a bum knee is damaged, and a bum switch does not work properly.
常見錯誤
bum — 動詞
- bumpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bums3rd person singular
- bumming-ing form
- bummedpast simple
1. to talk someone into giving you something for free as a favor, with no plan to r
白拿；討要
開口向人免費要東西
to talk someone into giving you something for free as a favor, with no plan to repay them.
Nikos bummed a cigarette from the drummer behind the club.
Nikos 在俱樂部後方向鼓手討了一根菸。
bum + something + from someone — core transitive pattern
After lunch, Beatriz bummed ten dollars off her brother for bus fare.
午餐後，Beatriz 為了車錢向哥哥白拿了十美元。
bum + money + off someone — common alternative preposition
Hao tried to bum a ride home when the last train was canceled.
末班火車停開後，Hao 試著討一程便車回家。
At the festival, Paul kept bumming chips from anyone with an open bag.
在音樂節上，Paul 看到有人打開洋芋片，就一直向人討要。
文法句型
bum + [money/cigarette/ride] + from/off + someone
用法筆記
The thing wanted is the direct object, and the person usually comes after from or off. It often suggests casual, shameless asking rather than real need.
常見錯誤
2. to spend time doing nothing useful, often hanging around a place or drifting abo
閒晃；混日子
懶散地晃來晃去，不做正事
to spend time doing nothing useful, often hanging around a place or drifting about without a plan.
During summer break, Indra bummed around the harbor with his cousins.
暑假期間，Indra 和表兄弟們在港邊閒晃。
bum around + place — typical wandering pattern
The band bummed about town all afternoon before the evening show.
演出前的整個下午，那支樂團都在城裡閒晃。
bum about town — British-flavored variant with about
On Sunday, Christopher just bummed on the couch and watched cooking videos.
星期天時，Christopher 就只是窩在沙發上混日子，看料理影片。
After losing his job, Reuben spent a week bumming around and sleeping late.
失業後，Reuben 花了一週閒晃度日，還天天睡到很晚。
- loaf
focuses on doing nothing useful
- lounge around
suggests lazy time spent resting in one place
- hang around
neutral informal phrase for staying somewhere without purpose
- work steadily
spend time doing useful tasks
- hurry
move with purpose instead of idling
文法句型
bum around/about + place
bum on + furniture
用法筆記
Usually appears with around or about when someone wanders casually, or with on when someone lies around doing nothing. It does not necessarily imply homelessness.