calling

/ˈkɔːlɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkȯ-liŋ/ (ame, mw)

calling — 名詞

1. a strong, deeply felt wish to spend your life doing a particular type of work, e

1.名詞B2
釋義

使命感；天職

從事某種工作的強烈內在渴望

a strong, deeply felt wish to spend your life doing a particular type of work, especially work that helps others or serves a greater purpose (for instance, becoming a doctor, a teacher, or a religious worker)

例句

Aiko always felt a calling to work with children in need.

Aiko 一直有種使命感，覺得自己應該去幫助弱勢兒童。

calling + to-infinitive

After the earthquake, Ravi discovered his calling as a rescue volunteer.

地震過後，Ravi 發現自己當救援志工的天職。

possessive his/her/their + calling + as

同義詞
  • vocation

    more formal; often used in religious or career-guidance contexts

  • mission

    emphasises a sense of purpose or duty

  • purpose

    broader — can apply to life in general, not only work

文法句型

calling + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Frequently appears with a possessive (his calling, her calling) or with 'to' + infinitive (a calling to teach). Distinguish from sense 2 — this sense emphasises personal passion and moral drive rather than merely the job title one holds.

常見錯誤

❌His calling is a doctor.
✅He feels a calling to become a doctor.
💡'calling' is not a direct synonym for 'job'; it refers to the internal sense of purpose, not the occupation label itself.

2. the profession or job that a person does, especially one that requires special t

2.名詞B1
釋義

職業；行業

需要訓練或技能的正式工作

the profession or job that a person does, especially one that requires special training or skill — for example, law, medicine, or engineering

例句

Dr. Okafor chose medicine as his calling at a very young age.

Okafor 醫師很小就選擇醫療作為自己的職業。

formal register: 'choose X as one's calling'

On the visa application, Tomás was asked to state his calling and years of experience.

在簽證申請表上，Tomás 被要求填寫自己的職業和年資。

formal register: 'state one's calling' on documents

同義詞
  • profession

    the most direct synonym; emphasizes formal training and qualification

  • occupation

    neutral and official-sounding; common in forms and records

  • career

    focuses on the long-term path rather than the current role

  • trade

    implies manual or skilled work rather than academic training

文法句型

one's + calling

用法筆記

This sense is more formal than everyday words like 'job' or 'career'. It typically appears in writing or formal speech. The meaning here is neutral — it does not carry the strong moral or spiritual weight of sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌What is your calling?' (asking in casual conversation).
✅What do you do for a living?
💡'calling' in the profession sense sounds overly formal in everyday spoken English.