central
/ˈsentrəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsentrəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsen-trəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈsen.trəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsen.trəl/ (ame, ipa)
central — 形容詞
- centralpositive
- more centralcomparative
- most centralsuperlative
1. situated close to the middle of a space, or placed so that reaching it from vari
中心的
位於中央或中心附近的
situated close to the middle of a space, or placed so that reaching it from various directions is convenient.
The hotel sits on a central street, a short walk from the main train station.
這間飯店位於中央街道上，離主要火車站僅幾步之遙。
position: central + location noun (street, area, district)
Wen picked a central table in the restaurant so everyone could see the stage.
Wen 選了餐廳中央的桌子，讓每個人都能看到舞台。
position: central + noun for object (table, room, point)
The central area of the park has a large fountain and benches for visitors.
公園的中心區域有一座大噴泉和長椅供遊客休息。
Diego found an apartment in a central area with all the shops within walking distance.
Diego 在中心區找到一間公寓，所有商店都在步行距離內。
用法筆記
Often used to describe the position of a building, room, or area within a city or space. The opposite is 'outlying' or 'remote'.
2. being the most important or essential part of something, serving as the main bas
核心的
最重要或最關鍵的
being the most important or essential part of something, serving as the main basis for an idea, system, or argument.
Trust is a central part of any strong friendship between two people.
信任是任何深厚友誼中核心的一部分。
pattern: central + part / element / issue / theme
The central argument of the article is that education must be free for everyone.
那篇文章的主要論點是教育應該對所有人免費。
Reducing waste became a central goal for the company after the new director arrived.
在新主管到任後，減少浪費成了公司的核心目標。
A central theme of the film is the struggle between personal freedom and family duty.
這部電影的主題之一是個人自由與家庭責任之間的掙扎。
- main
more general and slightly less formal; 'central' emphasises the core function more strongly
- key
similar intensity, often used in problem-solving contexts ('key factor', 'key element')
- principal
more formal; often used in official or financial contexts
- core
suggests the very centre of something; slightly more emphatic than 'central'
- peripheral
describes something of minor or secondary importance
- secondary
less important, not the main focus
用法筆記
Frequently used with abstract nouns: central issue, central question, central role, central theme. It is stronger than 'important' — implies that without this element, the whole thing would not work or make sense.
常見錯誤
3. relating to the main office or group that controls or directs smaller units with
中央的
由總機構統一管理或控制的
relating to the main office or group that controls or directs smaller units within the same system, such as branches, local teams, or affiliated organisations.
The central office sends new policy updates to all branch managers every quarter.
總部每季向所有分行經理發送新的政策更新。
collocation: central office / central bank / central committee
Leila's application was reviewed by the central committee before the final decision was made.
Leila 的申請在做出最終決定前由中央委員會審查。
The central bank lowered interest rates to help small businesses borrow more easily.
中央銀行調降利率，幫助小型企業更容易借貸。
All hiring decisions must be approved by the central human resources department in Taipei.
所有招聘決定都必須獲得位於臺北的中央人力資源部門的批准。
用法筆記
Only used before a noun ('attributive position'). You cannot say 'The office is central' with this meaning — that would be sense 1 (NEAR THE MIDDLE). The noun that follows is typically an organisational unit: office, government, bank, committee, authority.
常見錯誤
central — 名詞
1. a former local government area in central Scotland that existed from 1975 to 199
中央區
蘇格蘭中部舊行政區
a former local government area in central Scotland that existed from 1975 to 1996, after which it was divided into smaller council areas.
Central was one of nine regions created in Scotland during the local government reorganisation of 1975.
中央區是蘇格蘭在 1975 年地方政府改組時設立的九個區域之一。
proper noun; refers to a historical administrative area
Stirling served as the main administrative centre of the Central region until its dissolution in 1996.
Stirling 是中央區的主要行政中心，直到該區於 1996 年解散。
Maps from the 1980s show Central as a separate area covering Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire.
1980 年代的地圖將中央區標示為涵蓋 Stirlingshire 及 Clackmannanshire 的獨立行政區。
The Central region included the town of Falkirk before the 1996 reorganisation.
在 1996 年改組之前，中央區涵蓋了 Falkirk 鎮。
用法筆記
Always capitalised as a proper noun when referring to this historical region. In modern contexts, write 'the Central region' or simply 'Central'. This sense is mainly encountered in historical or geographical writing about Scotland.