cipher
/ˈsaɪfə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsaɪfər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsī-fər/ (ame, mw)
cipher — 名詞
- ciphersingular
- ciphersplural
1. a way of writing messages using special letters, numbers, or symbols so that onl
密碼；密寫法
用符號代表文字的祕密書寫系統
a way of writing messages using special letters, numbers, or symbols so that only people who know the rules can read what it says
During the war, Lotte's grandmother sent letters home in a cipher only her family could read.
戰時 Lotte 的祖母用一種只有家人看得懂的密碼把信寄回家。
in a cipher (in coded form)
The spy invented a simple cipher that replaced each letter with the next one in the alphabet.
那名間諜發明了一種簡單的密碼，把每個字母換成字母表中的下一個字母。
a cipher that [does X] for describing how a code works
Mizuki broke the cipher by spotting that the same symbol always appeared at the start of each word.
Mizuki 發現同一個符號總是出現在每個字的開頭，因而破解了那組密碼。
Hugo wrote his diary entries in a cipher so his younger brother could not read them.
Hugo 用密碼書寫日記，這樣他弟弟就無法閱讀。
- code
more general; any system of signs that stands for something else, not always secret
- cryptogram
a single message written in cipher, often used as a puzzle
- plaintext
the original, readable message before it is turned into a cipher
文法句型
a cipher for [content]
in cipher
用法筆記
Frequently used with verbs of encoding and decoding: write in cipher, break a cipher, crack a cipher. Distinguish from sense 2 (a worthless person): only sense 1 is about secret codes.
常見錯誤
2. someone who seems to have an important position but actually has no real power,
傀儡；無實權
位高而毫無實權、被他人操控的人
someone who seems to have an important position but actually has no real power, and is only used by other people to do what they want
Critics called the new president a mere cipher, since the army generals made every real decision.
評論者稱這位新總統不過是個傀儡，因為所有實際決策都由將領們做出。
a mere cipher (typical adjective collocation)
Once the board changed hands, Salma realised her director title had turned her into a cipher.
公司易主之後，Salma 才發現自己的總監頭銜已經把她變成了一個有名無實的人。
turn someone into a cipher (causative pattern)
The young king ruled in name only and remained a cipher throughout his uncle's regency.
那位年輕的國王只是名義上在位，整個叔父攝政期間都只是個傀儡。
Anjali refused the post because she did not want to be a cipher for the party leader.
Anjali 拒絕了這個職位，因為她不想成為黨魁的傀儡。
- figurehead
more neutral; a leader in name only, especially a royal one
- puppet
stronger and more critical; clearly controlled by someone else
- nonentity
wider in scope; any person regarded as having no importance, not only in power contexts
- powerbroker
the opposite role: a person who quietly controls who gets power
文法句型
be a (mere/political) cipher
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'a mere' or 'a political' and used with the verbs 'be', 'become', or 'remain'. Distinguish from sense 1 (a secret code): only sense 2 describes a person.
常見錯誤
3. the digit 0, used in writing numbers to show that there is nothing in that place
零；數字零
書寫數字時表示「無」的零
the digit 0, used in writing numbers to show that there is nothing in that place
Folake explained that adding a cipher to the end of a number makes it ten times larger.
Folake 解釋說，在數字末尾加上一個零，就會讓那個數字變成原本的十倍。
a cipher at the end (positional reference)
The old textbook called the symbol '0' a cipher because it was once a strange new idea in Europe.
那本舊教科書把符號「0」稱為 cipher，因為它在歐洲曾經是個新奇的概念。
call 0 a cipher (metalinguistic use)
Christopher counted three ciphers in a row and realised the price tag said one million yen.
Christopher 數到一連三個零，才意識到價格標籤上寫的是一百萬日圓。
Without the cipher, the number 207 would simply be written as 27, which means something quite different.
若少了那個零，數字 207 就會被寫成 27，意思就完全不同了。
文法句型
the cipher [in/at the end of a number]
用法筆記
Rare in modern English; mostly seen in older or formal writing about the history of mathematics. The everyday word for this digit is 'zero' or 'nought'.
常見錯誤
4. a small decorative design that joins together someone's name initials, often sta
姓名花字
由姓名首字母交織而成的裝飾標記
a small decorative design that joins together someone's name initials, often stamped onto objects they own or have made
The silver spoons carried a small cipher of the queen's two initials on the handle.
那些銀湯匙的把手上都帶有一個小小的女王姓名花字。
a cipher of [the owner's initials]
Andrés found a leather wallet stamped with a tiny gold cipher in the corner.
Andrés 撿到一個皮夾，角落印著一個小小的金色姓名花字。
stamped with a cipher (typical passive collocation)
Mayumi designed a cipher for her bakery by twisting her two initials into a single shape.
Mayumi 把自己兩個姓名首字母交織成一個圖形，為她的烘焙坊設計了專屬花字。
Every napkin in the old hotel was embroidered with the family's cipher in dark blue thread.
那家老旅館的每條餐巾上，都用深藍色繡線繡著家族的姓名花字。
文法句型
a cipher of [initials]
the king's/queen's cipher
用法筆記
Almost always used in writing about royalty, antiques, or luxury goods. In everyday English, people say 'monogram' for the same thing.
常見錯誤
cipher — 動詞
- cipherpresent simple I / you / we / they
- ciphers3rd person singular
- ciphering-ing form
- cipheredpast simple
1. to change ordinary words into a secret form of writing that other people cannot
編成密碼
把文字轉成只有持鑰者能讀的密碼形式
to change ordinary words into a secret form of writing that other people cannot read without a key
Gita ciphered every order before sending it across enemy lines during the long winter campaign.
在那場漫長的冬季戰役中，Gita 把每一道命令都編成密碼後才送過敵方戰線。
cipher + [content noun] (typical object pattern)
The radio operator ciphered the short report and tapped it out in dots and dashes.
那名無線電操作員把簡短的報告編成密碼，再用點點劃劃發送出去。
cipher then transmit (sequential verb pattern)
Old documents from the embassy show that diplomats once ciphered even routine notes about the weather.
大使館的舊文件顯示，外交官們從前連談天氣的例行函件都會編成密碼。
Cole asked the team to cipher the file with a stronger key before uploading it anywhere.
Cole 要求團隊用更強的金鑰把檔案編成密碼，再上傳到任何地方。
文法句型
cipher [a message]
用法筆記
Almost completely replaced today by 'encrypt' or 'encode'; learners may meet 'cipher' in older novels, history books, or formal writing. Distinguish from sense 2 (do arithmetic): only sense 1 takes a written message as its object.
常見錯誤
2. to work out the answer to a problem by adding, taking away, multiplying, or divi
計算；算數
用加減乘除做算術運算
to work out the answer to a problem by adding, taking away, multiplying, or dividing numbers, usually on paper
Old Mr. Kian sat by the stove and ciphered the day's takings in a small leather notebook.
老 Mr. Kian 坐在火爐邊，在一本小皮面筆記本裡算著當天的進帳。
cipher + [object] (transitive arithmetic)
Sumin could cipher faster in her head than most adults could with a calculator.
Sumin 心算的速度比大多數大人用計算機還快。
cipher in one's head (idiomatic location)
On rainy afternoons, the children practised reading and ciphering at the kitchen table.
下雨的午後，孩子們在廚房桌上練習讀書和算術。
Dylan ciphered the bill twice and still came out with a different total each time.
Dylan 把帳單算了兩遍，每一次卻都算出不同的總和。
文法句型
cipher [a sum]
cipher in [a notebook]
用法筆記
Mainly American and old-fashioned; appears in older novels and rural speech, especially in the pairing 'reading and ciphering' for basic schoolwork. Distinguish from sense 1 (encode): only sense 2 is about doing sums with numbers.