chicken

/ˈtʃɪkɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtʃɪkɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈchi-kᵊn sometimes -kᵊŋ/ (ame, mw) · /ˈtʃɪk.ɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtʃɪk.ɪn/ (ame, ipa)

chicken — 名詞

  • chickensingular
  • chickensplural

1. a farm bird that people keep to get eggs from or to eat. The word is also used f

1.名詞A2
釋義

雞

一種家禽；其肉

a farm bird that people keep to get eggs from or to eat. The word is also used for the food that comes from cooking this bird.

例句

The chickens in Hana's garden give six eggs every morning.

Hana 花園裡的雞每天早上會下六顆蛋。

countable: the live bird

Kofi cooked chicken with rice and beans for the family.

Kofi 做了雞肉搭配米飯和豆子給家人吃。

uncountable: the meat as food

同義詞
  • hen

    specifically an adult female chicken

  • rooster

    specifically an adult male chicken, more common in American English

  • poultry

    general term for domestic fowl kept for meat or eggs, including chickens, turkeys, and ducks

  • chick

    a baby chicken

用法筆記

Countable when referring to the living bird (three chickens). Uncountable when referring to the meat (some chicken). When ordering food, 'chicken' without an article means the meat.

常見錯誤

❌I ate a chicken for dinner last night.
✅I ate chicken for dinner last night.
💡When referring to the meat, use uncountable 'chicken' without 'a'. Saying 'a chicken' means the whole live bird.

2. a person who does not have enough courage to do something difficult or frighteni

2.名詞B1
釋義

膽小鬼

缺乏勇氣的人

a person who does not have enough courage to do something difficult or frightening

例句

Tomás was called a chicken by other kids for not jumping off the wall.

Tomás 因為不敢從牆上跳下來，被其他孩子叫膽小鬼。

informal: called someone a chicken

Yara admitted she was a chicken and asked her cousin to try the ride first.

Yara 承認自己是膽小鬼，請表姊先試乘那項遊樂設施。

同義詞
  • coward

    stronger and more negative; can be used in formal contexts

  • scaredy-cat

    more playful and childish; very informal

  • wimp

    informal; suggests weakness more than fear

反義詞

用法筆記

Strongly informal. Avoid in formal writing or polite conversation. Often used playfully among friends, but can sound insulting if used seriously with strangers.

常見錯誤

❌The witness was a chicken during the trial' (in a formal news report).
✅The witness appeared nervous during the trial.
💡'Chicken' for a cowardly person is too informal for formal writing.

chicken — 形容詞

chicken — 動詞