composition

/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkäm-pə-ˈzi-shən/ (ame, mw)

composition — 名詞

  • compositionsingular
  • compositionsplural

1. a musical work created by a composer — anything from a brief piano melody to a f

1.名詞B1
釋義

樂曲

創作的音樂作品

a musical work created by a composer — anything from a brief piano melody to a full symphony written for a concert hall or recording.

例句

Élise played her new composition on the piano for the music class.

Élise 在音樂課上用鋼琴演奏了她的新樂曲。

possessive + composition + played for [audience]

The orchestra performed a short composition by a young Brazilian composer.

交響樂團演奏了一首由一位年輕巴西作曲家創作的短曲。

同義詞
  • piece

    more general; can refer to any musical work, not necessarily formal

  • work

    more formal; often used for classical or serious compositions

  • opus

    very formal; refers to numbered works by major classical composers

文法句型

someone's + composition

composition + by + composer

composition + for + instruments

常見錯誤

❌He wrote a composition of the school song.
✅He wrote a composition called the school song.
💡'composition of [title]' is not idiomatic; use 'composition called [title]' or 'composition for [instruments/occasion]'.

2. the activity or craft of creating music, from inventing tunes to organising them

2.名詞B1
釋義

作曲

創作音樂的過程或技巧

the activity or craft of creating music, from inventing tunes to organising them into a finished work for different instruments.

例句

Sumin is studying music composition at a conservatory in Taipei.

Sumin 目前正在台北的一所音樂學院學習作曲。

studying + composition + at [institution]

The course covers composition, music theory, and basic piano skills.

這門課程涵蓋作曲、樂理和基本鋼琴技巧。

同義詞
  • composing

    more casual; describes the act itself rather than the formal discipline

  • songwriting

    narrower; refers only to writing songs with lyrics

  • musical creation

    very broad; includes both composition and improvisation

文法句型

composition + as a subject

study + composition

in + composition

用法筆記

Uncountable in this sense — you cannot say 'a composition' when referring to the activity. Use 'a piece of music' or 'a composition' (sense 1) for a finished work.

常見錯誤

❌She is learning composition at school and wrote a composition yesterday.' (two senses confused)
✅She is learning composition at school and wrote a short piece for the piano yesterday.
💡reserve 'composition' (sense 2) for the process; use 'piece' or 'composition' (sense 1) for the finished work.

3. how objects, shapes, and colours are placed within a painting, photograph, or ot

3.名詞B2
釋義

構圖

繪畫或照片中物體排列的方式

how objects, shapes, and colours are placed within a painting, photograph, or other image — for instance, whether the main figure sits at the centre or near the edge.

例句

The photographer adjusted the composition before pressing the shutter.

攝影師在按下快門之前調整了構圖。

adjusted the composition of [visual work]

In this painting the composition draws the viewer's eye toward the window.

在這幅畫中，構圖將觀者的目光引向那扇窗戶。

同義詞
  • layout

    more practical; used for design, documents, and web pages rather than fine art

  • arrangement

    broader; can refer to any placement, not just visual art

  • framing

    specific to photography and film; focuses on what the camera includes

文法句型

the composition of + [artwork]

composition + in + [medium]

常見錯誤

❌The composition in the music was beautiful.' (ambiguous — could mean sense 1 or 2)
✅The composition of the photograph was beautiful.
💡when discussing visual art, pair 'composition' with a clear visual-art noun such as 'painting', 'photograph', or 'drawing'.

4. a brief written text on a given topic that a student produces as part of a schoo

4.名詞B1
釋義

作文

學生寫的短篇文章

a brief written text on a given topic that a student produces as part of a school or college assignment.

例句

The teacher asked the class to write a composition about their summer holidays.

老師要求全班寫一篇關於暑假的作文。

write a composition about [topic]

Niran's composition on climate change received the highest grade.

Niran 關於氣候變遷的作文得到了全班最高分。

同義詞
  • essay

    more common in American English and at university level; often longer and more formal

  • paper

    used for longer academic writing assignments at college or university

  • assignment

    broader; refers to any task given by a teacher, not just a written one

文法句型

write a composition + about + topic

a + [number]-word + composition

用法筆記

British English: used from primary through secondary school. American English prefers 'essay' at all levels, though 'composition' still appears in some classroom contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I wrote a composition for my boss.' (wrong context)
✅I wrote a composition for my English teacher.
💡'composition' in this sense is limited to school exercises, not professional or workplace writing.

5. what something consists of — the different substances or elements present in it,

5.名詞B2
釋義

成分；組成

構成某物的各部分或物質

what something consists of — the different substances or elements present in it, together with their proportions; for example, the gases that form the air, or the minerals inside a rock.

例句

The chemical composition of the tablet was tested in the laboratory.

這顆藥片的化學成分在實驗室裡進行了檢測。

chemical composition of [substance]

Baraka examined the composition of the soil before planting vegetables.

Baraka 在種植蔬菜之前先檢測了土壤的成分。

同義詞
  • makeup

    less formal; common in everyday English ('the makeup of the team')

  • constituents

    more technical; used in scientific and formal writing

  • structure

    focuses on how parts are organised, not just what they are

文法句型

the composition of + [substance/system]

chemical composition of + [substance]

用法筆記

Often used with 'chemical' or a domain label ('mineral composition', 'nutritional composition'). Frequently followed by 'of + [thing]' to specify what is being analysed.

常見錯誤

❌The composition of cake is flour, sugar, and eggs.' (unnatural)
✅The ingredients of a cake are flour, sugar, and eggs.
💡'composition' is formal and technical; use 'ingredients' for food recipes and everyday mixtures.