currency

/ˈkʌrənsi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɜːrənsi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkər-ən(t)-sē ˈkə-rən(t)-/ (ame, mw)

currency — 名詞

  • currencysingular
  • currenciesplural

1. The official payment tools — including coins, paper notes, and digital balances

1.名詞B1
釋義

貨幣；通貨

國家或區域使用的交易媒介

The official payment tools — including coins, paper notes, and digital balances — that people rely on when buying and selling things within a nation or across member nations of a union.

例句

Ayesha exchanged her dollars for Japanese currency at the airport counter.

Ayesha 在機場櫃檯把她的美元換成了日幣。

exchange + currency

The euro is the official currency used by twenty European countries.

歐元是二十個歐洲國家使用的官方貨幣。

official + currency

同義詞
  • money

    A broader, everyday term that covers all forms of payment, not just a country's official system

  • legal tender

    A formal term for money that must be accepted for payment of debts

  • cash

    Specifically refers to physical money in the form of notes and coins, not the overall system

文法句型

currency + preposition + country/region

adjective + currency

the + currency + of + country

用法筆記

Uncountable when referring to a country's money system in general ('Japanese currency is stable'). Countable when naming different national systems ('several Asian currencies weakened').

常見錯誤

❌I don't have any currency on me.
✅I don't have any cash on me.
💡'currency' refers to the system of money used in a country, not the physical notes in your wallet. Use 'cash' for actual paper money you carry.

2. The condition of being widely known, accepted, or used by many people in a socie

2.名詞B2
釋義

流通；通用

被廣泛接受或使用的狀態

The condition of being widely known, accepted, or used by many people in a society or group — for example, a term, an idea, or a practice that many people adopt.

例句

The term 'fast fashion' gained currency among shoppers after the documentary aired.

「快時尚」一詞在紀錄片播出後開始在消費者之間流通開來。

gain + currency

Traditional herbal remedies still have currency in many parts of Southeast Asia.

傳統草藥在東南亞許多地方仍然通用。

have + currency

同義詞
  • popularity

    More about being liked by many people; 'currency' focuses on acceptance and use rather than positive feeling

  • acceptance

    Closer in meaning but narrower — 'acceptance' implies approval, while 'currency' implies actual use

  • prevalence

    More technical; emphasizes how widespread something is without suggesting active adoption

反義詞
  • obscurity

    The state of being unknown or forgotten

  • disuse

    The state of no longer being used or practiced

文法句型

gain + currency

have + currency

find + (wide/general) + currency

currency + among + group

用法筆記

Commonly follows verbs like 'gain', 'have', 'find', and 'lose'. This sense is formal and typically used for ideas, terms, beliefs, or practices — not for physical objects.

常見錯誤

❌This new sneaker style has currency this month.
✅This new sneaker style is popular this month.
💡'currency' in this sense implies lasting, broad acceptance, not a short-term fashion trend. Use 'popular' for temporary trends.

3. How relevant, timely, or up-to-date something is — for instance, information, kn

3.名詞C1
釋義

現時性；時效

資訊或資格與當下相關的程度

How relevant, timely, or up-to-date something is — for instance, information, knowledge, a law, or a qualification — when judged against the current era rather than earlier periods.

例句

Adaeze questioned the currency of the textbook, since its latest edition was from 2005.

Adaeze 對這本教科書的現時性提出質疑，因為最新版是 2005 年的。

question + the currency of + noun

Gabriel took an online course to maintain the currency of his nursing license.

Gabriel 為了維持護理師執照的時效性而參加了線上課程。

maintain + the currency of

同義詞
  • timeliness

    Very close in meaning; 'timeliness' emphasizes being appropriate for the current moment, while 'currency' emphasizes factual up-to-dateness

  • relevance

    Broader — can apply to things that are meaningful in general, not necessarily tied to the present time

  • modernity

    Refers more to the quality of being modern in style or character, not specifically about factual accuracy

反義詞
  • obsolescence

    The state of being outdated or no longer useful

  • outdatedness

    The quality of belonging to the past rather than the present

文法句型

lose + (its/the) + currency

maintain + (the) + currency + of + noun

question + the + currency + of + noun

用法筆記

Frequently appears in academic, professional, and legal contexts to evaluate whether information, qualifications, or regulations are still valid. Often paired with 'lose', 'maintain', or 'question'.

常見錯誤

❌The currency of the meeting is important.
✅The timing of the meeting is important.
💡'currency' refers to the relevance of information or ideas, not the scheduling of events. Use 'timing' for when something happens.