circulating

/ˈsɜː.kjə.leɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈɚkjəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈsɝː.kjə.leɪt/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈɚkjəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈsər-kyə-ˌlāt/ (ame, mw)

circulating — 動詞

  • circulatingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • circulatings3rd person singular
  • circulatinging-ing form
  • circulatingedpast simple

1. to move or cause something to move steadily along a closed path or through a sys

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

循環

在封閉系統或範圍內流動

to move or cause something to move steadily along a closed path or through a system, returning to where it started — for example, blood flowing through the body, air moving around a room, or water travelling through pipes.

例句

A ceiling fan helps keep the air circulating in a hot room.

吊扇有助於讓熱房間裡的空氣保持循環。

intransitive: keep + noun + circulating + in [place]

After a short run, your heart pumps faster so blood circulates through your whole body.

稍微跑一下步之後，心臟會加速輸血，讓血液循環到全身。

intransitive: blood circulates + through [body part]

同義詞
  • flow

    suggests a smooth, continuous movement, not necessarily in a closed loop

  • course

    more formal, used mainly for liquids moving through vessels

  • cycle

    emphasises returning to the starting point repeatedly

反義詞
  • stagnate

    to stop moving and become still or stale

文法句型

circulate + through/around [system/space]

circulate + noun + through [system]

something circulates

用法筆記

Frequently used with prepositions such as 'through', 'around', and 'throughout' to describe the path or system. Can be transitive (someone circulates something) or intransitive (something circulates by itself).

常見錯誤

❌The blood circulates around the body in veins.
✅The blood circulates through the body in blood vessels.
💡'Circulate through' is the standard preposition for describing movement inside a system; 'around' implies a circular path on a surface.

2. to move around a social gathering, going from one person or group to another in

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

交際；走動

在社交場合走動與人交談

to move around a social gathering, going from one person or group to another in order to talk and interact with many different people.

例句

At the wedding reception, Samir circulated among the tables, shaking hands and greeting distant relatives.

在婚宴上，Samir 在各桌之間走動，握手並問候遠房親戚。

circulate + among [group/people]

Mira spent most of the evening circulating through the crowd, introducing herself to new colleagues.

Mira 花了整個晚上在人群裡穿梭，向新同事自我介紹。

同義詞
  • mingle

    more informal, emphasises chatting and mixing with others

  • network

    focuses on making professional contacts rather than casual socialising

反義詞
  • hide

    to stay in one spot and avoid social interaction

文法句型

circulate + among [group]

circulate + at [event]

用法筆記

Used only as an intransitive verb. The subject is always a person at a social event. Common in descriptions of conferences, parties, and other networking occasions. Unlike sense 1, this sense does NOT take a direct object.

常見錯誤

❌He circulated the room to meet everyone.
✅He circulated around the room to meet everyone.
💡When the meaning is 'move around a space at an event', use a preposition (around / among / through) rather than placing the location as a direct object.

3. to pass or be passed from one person to another, so that information, documents,

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

流傳；傳播

資訊、文件在人群中擴散

to pass or be passed from one person to another, so that information, documents, news, or opinions become known to many people — for example, a rumour spreading at a school, a newsletter being emailed to subscribers, or a video being shared online.

例句

A false rumour about the school closing started circulating among worried parents.

有關學校可能關閉的假謠言在擔憂的家長之間開始流傳。

rumour + circulate + among [group]

The charity circulated a letter to donors explaining how the money was spent.

該慈善機構向捐款人發了一封信，說明款項的使用方式。

transitive: circulate + noun + to [recipients]

同義詞
  • spread

    more general and can apply to physical or non-physical things; less formal

  • distribute

    more deliberate and organised, usually by an authority

  • disseminate

    formal, used mainly in academic or official contexts

反義詞
  • suppress

    to stop information from becoming known

文法句型

something circulates

circulate + noun

something is circulated + through/by [medium]

rumours circulate that…

用法筆記

Common in passive constructions ('was circulated') and with that-clauses ('rumours circulated that…'). Often used for unverified information (rumours, gossip) as well as formal documents (memos, reports, newsletters). The subject can be the information itself (intransitive) or the person/organisation spreading it (transitive).

常見錯誤

❌The email was circulated around all employees.
✅The email was circulated to all employees.
💡When the meaning is 'sent to a group of people', use 'to' rather than 'around'.