copulation
/ˌkɒpjuˈleɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkɑːpjuˈleɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkä-pyə-ˈlā-shən/ (ame, mw)
copulation — 名詞
1. the physical act in which people or animals have sex with each other.
交配；性交
人或動物進行性行為的行為
the physical act in which people or animals have sex with each other.
The film showed snake copulation during the spring breeding season.
影片拍到了蛇在春季繁殖期交配的畫面。
formal biology noun: animal mating act
Researchers recorded penguin copulation on the island before sunrise.
研究人員在日出前於島上記錄了企鵝交配。
pattern: observe or record copulation
The textbook explains how copulation allows sperm to enter the body.
課本說明性交如何讓精子進入體內。
The court heard evidence of forced copulation during the attack.
法庭聽取了攻擊過程中遭強迫性交的證據。
Biologists observed copulation between the insects under a small lamp.
生物學家在小燈下觀察昆蟲之間的交配。
- sexual intercourse
a formal but less technical term, especially common for people
- mating
more common for animals and breeding behavior
- coitus
a medical or highly formal term, especially in clinical writing
文法句型
copulation between + animals
during copulation
forced copulation
用法筆記
Usually used in formal, scientific, or legal writing rather than everyday conversation. In ordinary speech, people more often say 'sex' or 'sexual intercourse', while 'copulation' is especially common for animals or technical description.