copper
/ˈkɒpə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈɑpɚ] /ˈkɑːpər/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈɑpɚ] /ˈkä-pər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkɒp.ər/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈɑpɚ] /ˈkɑː.pɚ/ (ame, ipa)
copper — 名詞
- coppersingular
- coppersplural
1. a soft reddish-brown metal that conducts electricity and heat well. It is widely
銅
紅褐色金屬元素
a soft reddish-brown metal that conducts electricity and heat well. It is widely used to make wire, pipes, coins, and cooking equipment.
Amara ran new copper wiring through the walls of her apartment to fix the old electrical system.
Amara 在公寓牆內重新鋪設了銅線，以修復老舊的電力系統。
uncountable noun — 'copper wiring' as material
The pipes in Elena's bathroom are made of copper, which lasts much longer than plastic.
Elena 家浴室的水管是銅製的，使用壽命比塑膠管長得多。
Lisbon was once a major port for exporting copper to other parts of Europe.
里斯本曾是將銅出口到歐洲各地的主要港口。
The mechanic showed his apprentice how to solder two copper wires together using a torch.
技師用噴燈向學徒示範如何焊接兩條銅線。
Copper is an excellent conductor of heat, which is why professional chefs prefer copper pans.
銅是絕佳的導熱體，因此專業廚師偏好使用銅鍋。
- bronze
a similar alloy of copper and tin, darker and harder than pure copper
文法句型
uncountable — no article needed for general reference
用法筆記
Frequently uncountable when referring to the metal as a material. The countable form (coppers) is used for coins or, informally, police officers — see senses 3 and 4 below.
常見錯誤
2. a reddish-brown colour that looks like the metal copper, often with a warm shiny
銅色
類似銅的金屬光澤紅褐色
a reddish-brown colour that looks like the metal copper, often with a warm shiny quality
Amara bought a sweater in a warm copper that matched her autumn coat perfectly.
Amara 買了一件暖色調的銅色毛衣，和她的秋裝外套非常搭配。
colour as uncountable noun: 'a warm copper'
The maple leaves turned a beautiful shade of copper before falling to the ground.
楓葉在落地前轉成了美麗的銅色。
Mei-Lin painted her kitchen walls a soft copper that caught the afternoon light.
Mei-Lin 把廚房牆壁漆成淡淡的銅色，午後的陽光照射下格外好看。
Siti chose copper curtains for the living room to give the space a warm, elegant feel.
Siti 為客廳選了銅色窗簾，營造出溫暖優雅的氛圍。
文法句型
a/the + adjective + copper — for the shade/colour
用法筆記
Can also be used as an adjective (copper curtains) or a noun (shade of copper). When used as a noun for the colour, it is usually uncountable.
3. a small-value brown coin, for instance a British penny, that people use in minor
銅幣
低面額的棕色硬幣
a small-value brown coin, for instance a British penny, that people use in minor everyday purchases
Emma found a few loose coppers under her sofa cushions while cleaning the living room.
Emma 在清理客廳時，從沙發墊底下找到了幾枚零散的銅幣。
plural countable: 'a few coppers'
Priyanka dropped a handful of coppers into the charity collection box at the supermarket.
Priyanka 把一把銅幣投入超市的慈善捐款箱裡。
The busker smiled when Noa tossed several copper coins into his guitar case after the song.
街頭藝人唱完歌後，看到 Noa 往他的吉他盒裡丟了幾枚銅幣，開心地笑了。
Ananya counted the coppers in her wallet to see if she had enough for a single bus ticket.
Ananya 數了數錢包裡的銅幣，看看夠不夠買一張公車單程票。
- penny
the most common copper-coloured coin in the UK and US, worth one cent or one pence
- bronze coin
similar appearance but made of bronze alloy rather than pure copper
文法句型
number + copper(s) — for quantity
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. In American English, the equivalent is usually called a penny or simply a coin. The plural coppers is common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
4. a police officer, used in informal conversation rather than official contexts
警察
對警察的非正式口語稱呼
a police officer, used in informal conversation rather than official contexts
The copper spotted a stolen bicycle chained to a lamppost and radioed the station.
那名警察發現一輛被偷的腳踏車鎖在路燈柱上，便用無線電通報了警局。
informal register: 'the copper' for 'the police officer'
Sofia's grandfather was a well-known copper in Glasgow back in the 1970s.
Sofia 的祖父1970年代曾在格拉斯哥當警察。
When the shopkeeper heard glass breaking at midnight, he rang the local coppers.
店主半夜聽到玻璃碎裂的聲音，就打電話叫了當地的警察來。
A crowd watched as two coppers examined the damaged car outside the bank entrance.
一群民眾圍觀兩名警察在銀行門口檢查受損的汽車。
- police officer
neutral, formal term; appropriate in any context
- officer
shortened neutral term, often used when addressing police directly
- cop
equally informal, widely used in American English
文法句型
article/number + copper(s)
用法筆記
Informal and conversational. Do not use in formal writing, official reports, or when addressing a police officer directly. The neutral equivalent is police officer.
常見錯誤
copper — 形容詞
- copperpositive
- copperercomparative
- copperestsuperlative
1. fashioned from the reddish-brown metal, or describing something connected with t
銅製的
用銅製成的
fashioned from the reddish-brown metal, or describing something connected with that material. Objects made this way often conduct heat or electricity efficiently.
The kitchen had a beautiful copper sink that the owner polished until it shone.
廚房裡有個漂亮的銅製水槽，主人把它擦得閃閃發亮。
attributive: 'copper sink' = sink made of copper
The old farmhouse still had its original copper gutters, now weathered to a soft green.
那座老農舍仍保留著原有的銅製排水溝，如今已風化成淺綠色。
Wei bought a copper kettle at the antique market for brewing tea on the stove.
Wei 在古董市場買了一只銅製水壺，用來在爐子上煮茶。
The garden tap was connected to the house by a thick copper pipe buried underground.
花園的水龍頭透過一條埋在地下的粗銅管連接到屋內。
- coppery
describes the colour or appearance of copper, not necessarily the material itself; e.g. 'coppery hair'
文法句型
copper + noun — describing the material
用法筆記
Not gradable — something is either made of copper or it is not. Do not say 'more copper' or 'very copper'. Compare sense 2 (copper colour), which can be gradable.
常見錯誤
2. displaying the warm reddish-brown appearance that is typical of refined copper,
銅色的
呈紅褐銅色光澤的
displaying the warm reddish-brown appearance that is typical of refined copper, frequently with a shiny glow
Elena's hair had a natural copper sheen that glowed brightly in the sunlight.
Elena 的頭髮帶有天然的銅色光澤，在陽光下閃閃發亮。
attributive: 'copper sheen' — describes colour quality
The morning sun cast a copper light across the calm surface of the lake.
清晨的陽光在平靜的湖面上灑下一片銅色的光芒。
Noa wore a copper scarf that brought out the warm tones in her olive skin.
Noa 戴了一条銅色圍巾，襯托出她橄欖色肌膚的暖調。
The dog's coat was a rich copper, somewhere between deep red and golden brown.
那隻狗的毛色是濃郁的銅色，介於深紅色與金棕色之間。
- coppery
more common for colour description; e.g. 'coppery leaves', 'coppery sunset'
- auburn
specifically for hair; redder and warmer than copper
- rust-coloured
similar but duller and less shiny
文法句型
copper + noun / be + copper — describing colour
用法筆記
Gradable: you can say 'more copper' or 'very copper' in informal colour descriptions, though 'coppery' is more common for such uses. This sense describes appearance, not actual material.
copper — 動詞
- copperpresent simple I / you / we / they
- coppers3rd person singular
- coppering-ing form
- copperedpast simple
1. to apply a coating of the reddish-brown metal onto an object's surface, typicall
包銅；鍍銅
在表面覆蓋一層銅
to apply a coating of the reddish-brown metal onto an object's surface, typically for protection or to boost its electrical or thermal performance
The shipyard workers coppered the bottom of the fishing boat to protect it from sea water and barnacles.
造船廠的工人給漁船底部包上銅，以保護船身免受海水和藤壺侵蝕。
active transitive: 'coppered the bottom'
At the workshop, the metal artist learned how to copper steel sculptures using an electroplating bath.
在工作坊裡，金屬藝術家學會了如何用電鍍槽將鋼製雕塑鍍上銅。
The church roof was coppered in the traditional way, with sheets of the metal nailed over the wooden frame.
教堂的屋頂以傳統方式包了銅，將銅板釘在木造結構上。
Specialists copper the interior of the distillery's still to prevent unwanted chemical reactions during production.
專業人員在蒸餾廠的蒸餾器內部鍍銅，以防止生產過程中發生不良化學反應。
- plate with copper
more specific; electroplating rather than mechanical coating
- sheathe with copper
refers to covering with sheets of copper, especially on ship hulls
文法句型
copper + noun (object) — to apply copper coating
用法筆記
A technical term found mainly in shipbuilding, architecture, and metalworking. The passive form (be coppered) is more common than the active. Do not use this verb in everyday conversation.