cell
/sel/ (bre, ipa) · /sel/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsel/ (ame, mw)
cell — 名詞
1. the tiniest living unit in any plant or animal, invisible except through a micro
細胞
生物體的最小基本單位
the tiniest living unit in any plant or animal, invisible except through a microscope; all living things are built from these units.
The human body contains trillions of cells that work together.
人體內有數兆個細胞協同運作。
contains + trillions of cells
A blood sample can show whether the white cells are fighting infection.
血液樣本可以顯示白血球是否正在對抗感染。
blood cell / white cell
Under the microscope, Priya saw the round shape of a skin cell.
在顯微鏡下，Priya 看到了皮膚細胞的圓形輪廓。
The cancer cells were growing faster than the healthy ones.
癌細胞比健康細胞長得更快。
Each nerve cell sends signals to the brain through tiny pathways.
每個神經細胞透過微小的通路將訊號傳送至大腦。
- microorganism
different — a living thing made of one cell, not a single unit of a larger organism
- unit
very general; not specific to biology
- organelle
a smaller part inside a cell, not the cell itself
文法句型
cell + verb (divide, grow, die)
blood / skin / muscle / cancer + cell
cell + noun (wall, membrane, division)
用法筆記
This is the core biological sense. It appears frequently in compound nouns: blood cell, skin cell, nerve cell, stem cell, and cancer cell. You can also say a cell divides, grows, or dies.
常見錯誤
2. a basic room, often with nothing more than a bed, used for locking up convicts a
囚室；禪房
監獄或修道院的小房間
a basic room, often with nothing more than a bed, used for locking up convicts at jailhouses or for a brother or sister sleeping alone at a religious house.
The guard locked the door of the prison cell at nine o'clock.
警衛在九點鐘鎖上了監獄囚室的門。
prison cell
Ravi shared a cell with two other men for six months.
Ravi 和另外兩個人共用一間囚室長達六個月。
shared a cell with
The monk returned to his small cell after the evening prayer.
晚禱結束後，修士回到他簡樸的小房間。
For three nights, the police kept him in a holding cell at the station.
警方將他留置在警局的拘留室裡三天。
文法句型
in a/the cell
prison / jail / monk's / nun's + cell
cell + noun (door, window, mate)
用法筆記
This sense has two main branches: prison cells (for criminals) and monastery cells (for monks or nuns). The prison branch is much more common in everyday English. In compounds: prison cell, jail cell, holding cell, padded cell.
常見錯誤
3. a device that creates electricity by using a chemical reaction or by collecting
電池；電芯
產生電能的裝置
a device that creates electricity by using a chemical reaction or by collecting light energy, such as a dry cell or a solar cell.
The solar cell on the roof powers the garden lights at night.
屋頂上的太陽能電池在夜間供應花園燈具的電力。
solar cell
A fuel cell converts hydrogen into electricity without burning fuel.
燃料電池在不燃燒燃料的情況下將氫轉化為電能。
fuel cell
The engineer tested a new dry cell for use in portable radios.
工程師測試了一種用於手提收音機的新型乾電池。
Camera batteries often contain several small cells connected together.
相機的電池通常包含數個連接在一起的小電芯。
- battery
often used interchangeably in everyday speech, though technically a battery contains multiple cells
- accumulator
technical term for a rechargeable battery
文法句型
cell + noun (battery, charger)
solar / fuel / dry + cell
cell produces/generates + energy
用法筆記
This sense describes a single unit that produces electricity. It is broader than battery, since a battery contains one or more cells. Common compounds: solar cell, fuel cell, dry cell. Not to be confused with a prison cell or a phone (sense 4).
常見錯誤
4. a short way of saying cell phone; a telephone that has no wires and can be carri
手機
無線行動電話的簡稱
a short way of saying cell phone; a telephone that has no wires and can be carried anywhere because it works by radio, used for calls, messages, and internet.
Diego reached for his cell as soon as the train arrived.
Diego 火車一到站就去拿他的手機。
possessive + cell
Can I borrow your cell for a quick call to the doctor?
能借你的手機打個電話給醫生嗎？
The screen on my cell cracked when it fell off the table.
我的手機螢幕從桌上摔下來就裂了。
Aiko left her cell on the bus and had to go back for it.
Aiko 把手機忘在公車上，只好回去拿。
- cell phone
the full form, suitable for any register
- mobile phone
British English equivalent
- smartphone
a cell phone with advanced computing features
- landline
a phone connected to a fixed wire in a building
文法句型
on my/his/her + cell
call + someone on + possessive + cell
cell phone
用法筆記
The shortened form cell is mainly used in North American English. In British English, mobile or phone is more common. Use this sense only in informal situations — for formal writing, use cell phone or mobile phone.
常見錯誤
5. one of the small spaces, sections, or compartments that together make up a large
格子；巢室
大結構中的小隔間
one of the small spaces, sections, or compartments that together make up a larger structure, such as a honeycomb, a beehive, or a storage box.
Each cell of the honeycomb holds a single drop of honey.
蜂巢的每個格子裡都裝著一滴蜂蜜。
cells of a honeycomb
The bees filled every cell in the hive before harvesting began.
在收割前，蜜蜂將蜂巢的每個格子都填滿了。
cell in the hive
The storage box was divided into six square cells for tools.
這個工具箱被分隔成六個方形格子來放置工具。
Yusuf examined the cells of the cardboard egg tray under the light.
Yusuf 在燈光下仔細觀察了紙蛋盒上的格子。
- compartment
a more general word for a separate section within a container
- section
focuses on the division rather than the enclosed space
- cavity
suggests an empty space inside a solid material
文法句型
cell of + noun
the cells of a + structure
用法筆記
This is a general sense describing any small compartment within a larger structure. It is less specific than the biological or prison senses. Commonly used for honeycomb cells and sometimes for grid-based storage systems.
常見錯誤
6. a tiny team of operatives inside a bigger political body, typically operating in
小組；支部
秘密政治活動小團體
a tiny team of operatives inside a bigger political body, typically operating in secrecy and often planning unlawful or violent acts.
The police discovered a terrorist cell operating in the city centre.
警方在市區發現了一個恐怖分子小組在活動。
terrorist cell
Members of the revolutionary cell met in a basement to plan their next move.
革命小組的成員在地下室開會，策劃下一步行動。
revolutionary cell
Each cell in the network had only three members to avoid detection.
網絡中的每個小組只由三人組成，以避免被發現。
Intelligence agents worked for months to break up the secret cell.
情報人員花了數個月的時間瓦解這個秘密小組。
- faction
a group within a larger one, often with differing opinions; less secret than a cell
- splinter group
a group that has broken away from a larger organization
- ring
a group of people working together, especially illegally
- unit
neutral and general; not specifically secret or political
文法句型
terrorist / revolutionary / secret + cell
cell of + organization
cell operates / meets / plans
用法筆記
This sense carries a strong connotation of secrecy, conspiracy, and often violence. It appears most often in news reporting about terrorism, espionage, and underground political movements. The members of a cell typically do not know the members of other cells, for security reasons.
常見錯誤
7. a single box in a spreadsheet application (like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
儲存格
試算表中的輸入方格
a single box in a spreadsheet application (like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets) where you put a number, a word, or a calculation.
Theo entered the sales total into cell B12 of the spreadsheet.
Theo 將銷售總額輸入試算表 B12 儲存格中。
cell + column/row reference
When you select a cell, its address appears in the top-left corner.
選取一個儲存格時，其位址會顯示在左上角。
select a cell
Hana copied the formula from cell C6 and pasted it into the next row.
Hana 將 C6 儲存格的公式複製到下一行。
The budget sheet had a red border around every empty cell.
預算表上每個空的儲存格都加上紅色邊框。
文法句型
cell + noun (reference, address, value)
select / enter data into / click on + a cell
cell A1, cell B2, etc.
用法筆記
Each cell on a spreadsheet is identified by a unique address made of its column letter and row number, for example A1, F12, or Z100. This sense is used in computing and office contexts. In everyday English, the word box or square is more common for general grid spaces.