candidate

/ˈkændɪdət/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkændɪdət/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkan-də-ˌdāt ˈka-nə-, -dət/ (ame, mw)

candidate — 名詞

1. someone who applies for a job or asks people to vote for them in an election, ho

1.名詞B2
釋義

候選人；應徵

爭取工作或選舉職位的人

someone who applies for a job or asks people to vote for them in an election, hoping to be chosen for the role or position.

例句

The committee interviewed five candidates for the manager position.

委員會面試了五位應徵經理職位的候選人。

candidate for + role

Kofi was one of the strongest candidates in the mayoral election.

Kofi 是市長選舉中實力最強的候選人之一。

strong candidate (positive evaluation)

同義詞
  • applicant

    narrower — only for jobs or positions, not elections

  • nominee

    narrower — someone officially proposed for a role or award, often after a formal selection process

  • contender

    more informal; emphasises active competition rather than formal application

2. someone or something viewed as having a good likelihood of being selected for a

2.名詞B2
釋義

熱門人選

很有可能被選中或經歷某事的人或事物

someone or something viewed as having a good likelihood of being selected for a role or of going through a particular experience — such as a person likely to win an award or a city being considered to host a major event.

例句

That old building is a strong candidate for demolition.

那棟老建築很可能會被拆除。

candidate for + action/outcome

Barcelona was seen as the leading candidate to host the next conference.

巴塞隆納被視為主辦下屆會議的熱門城市。

leading candidate + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • possibility

    more neutral and objective — 'a possibility for promotion' sounds less personal than 'a candidate for promotion'

  • contender

    more informal, and usually implies active competition rather than passive likelihood

  • prospect

    slightly more formal; often used for things rather than people ('the best prospect for development')

用法筆記

Typically used with adjectives like 'likely', 'strong', 'obvious', 'perfect', or 'prime' to indicate how probable the outcome is. Unlike sense 1, this sense can refer to things as well as people.

常見錯誤

❌She is a candidate to win the prize' (when meaning she will probably win).
✅She is a strong candidate to win the prize.
💡'candidate' alone simply means someone being considered; use 'strong' or 'likely' to convey probability.

3. a person who takes a test or examination to show their knowledge or skill in a s

3.名詞B1
釋義

考生；應試者

參加考試或測驗的人

a person who takes a test or examination to show their knowledge or skill in a subject.

例句

All candidates must bring a pencil and an eraser to the exam hall.

所有考生必須攜帶鉛筆和橡皮擦進入考場。

modal: must + bring

The examiner read out the rules before the candidates opened their papers.

監考人員在考生打開試卷前宣讀了考試規則。

同義詞
  • test-taker

    less formal; common in everyday conversation and test-prep materials

  • examinee

    very formal and impersonal; mainly used in official exam documentation

  • sitter

    British informal, found in phrases like 'exam sitter' but rare as a standalone word

用法筆記

In exam contexts, 'candidate' implies someone who is present and actively taking the test — not someone who has simply registered. It is the standard term used in exam instructions and official documents.

常見錯誤

❌The candidate passed his test' — technically correct but too formal for casual conversation.
✅The student passed his test.
💡use 'student' or 'test-taker' in informal contexts.