day

/deɪ/ (bre, ipa) · [dˈe] /deɪ/ (ame, ipa) · [dˈe] /ˈdā/ (ame, mw)

day — 名詞

  • daysingular
  • daysplural

1. a complete cycle of 24 hours, running from one midnight to the next, used as the

1.名詞A1
釋義

天；日

從午夜到隔天午夜的24小時

a complete cycle of 24 hours, running from one midnight to the next, used as the basic time unit for calendars and schedules.

例句

There are seven days in a week, from Monday to Sunday.

一週有七天，從星期一到星期日。

countable noun for calendar units

The wedding is in three days, and Anong still has not bought a dress.

婚禮還有三天就到了，Anong 還沒買禮服。

同義詞
  • 24-hour period

    more technical, used in formal or scientific contexts

  • full day

    emphasises a complete cycle from morning to the next morning

反義詞
  • night

    the dark half of a 24-hour cycle

文法句型

day + number (three days ago)

day + of + week/month

常見錯誤

❌I will come back after two day.
✅I will come back after two days.
💡'day' is countable and needs a plural -s after numbers greater than one.

2. the hours when the sun is up and there is natural light outside, as opposed to n

2.名詞A2
釋義

白天

太陽出來有自然光的時段

the hours when the sun is up and there is natural light outside, as opposed to night.

例句

The park is open during the day and closes at ten at night.

公園白天開放，晚上十點關門。

during the day vs at night

Kwame prefers to work during the day because his eyesight is poor in dim light.

Kwame 偏好白天工作，因為他在光線暗的地方視力不好。

同義詞
  • daytime

    more precise synonym for the hours of light

  • daylight

    emphasises the presence of natural light

  • sunlight hours

    used for the period when the sun is above the horizon

反義詞
  • night

    the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise

  • night-time

    the dark hours when most people sleep

文法句型

during the day

by day

all day (long)

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1 (24-hour period), this sense refers only to the hours of natural light. 'During the day' contrasts with 'at night.' In some contexts 'by day' is used to emphasise the contrast: 'Owls sleep by day and hunt by night.'

常見錯誤

❌I will finish the report in three days' (when you mean daylight hours only).
✅I will finish the report today' or 'during the day.
💡sense 1 (24-hour period) spans the full cycle; sense 2 is only the light part.

3. the hours that a person spends at work, at school, or doing their regular duties

3.名詞A2
釋義

工作日

上班或上學的時段

the hours that a person spends at work, at school, or doing their regular duties, as opposed to free or rest time.

例句

João's work day starts at eight in the morning and finishes at five.

João 的工作日從早上八點開始，下午五點結束。

work day / school day for regular schedule

A typical school day for Minho has six classes and one break for lunch.

Minho 典型的上學日有六堂課和一頓午餐休息時間。

同義詞
反義詞
  • day off

    a day when no work or school is expected

  • free time

    hours not committed to work or duties

文法句型

a long/busy/hard day

day at work/school

day off

用法筆記

Commonly used with adjectives such as 'long,' 'busy,' 'hard,' 'productive,' or 'tiring.' The phrase 'have a good day' is a standard farewell, but uses this sense loosely to refer to someone's overall experience rather than just their working hours.

常見錯誤

❌I had a long day' (when you just mean it was a long 24 hours).
✅Use when referring to the working or active part of your day
💡sense 3. For a full 24-hour period, use sense 1.

4. a day when a person does not have to go to work, attend school, or perform other

4.名詞A2
釋義

休假天

不用工作或上學的日子

a day when a person does not have to go to work, attend school, or perform other normal duties, usually for rest or personal activities.

例句

The shop is closed on Sunday because it is the owner's day off.

那家店星期日公休，因為那天是老闆的休假日。

have / take a day off

Tamar took a day off from school to visit her sick grandmother.

Tamar 跟學校請了一天假，去探望生病的祖母。

同義詞
  • day off work

    emphasises absence from paid employment

  • time off

    broader term for any period away from work

  • day of rest

    slightly formal; used in religious or traditional contexts

反義詞

文法句型

have/take/get a day off

day off from + noun

用法筆記

Unlike 'holiday' or 'vacation,' a 'day off' is usually a single day and is not necessarily part of an organised break. Employees may 'take a day off' for personal reasons.

常見錯誤

❌I took a holiday to go to the dentist.
✅I took a day off to go to the dentist.
💡'holiday' means a longer break or public celebration; 'day off' is a single day away from work for any reason.

5. used in phrases like 'the other day' or 'a few days ago' to refer to an occasion

5.名詞B1
釋義

幾天前

最近過去的某幾天

used in phrases like 'the other day' or 'a few days ago' to refer to an occasion in the recent past, without giving an exact date.

例句

The package arrived a few days ago, but I have not opened it yet.

包裹幾天前就到了，但我還沒打開。

a few days ago for recent past

Anong told me about the new café the other day when we met for coffee.

Anong 前幾天和我喝咖啡時，提到那家新咖啡館。

同義詞
  • recently

    covers any recent time, not necessarily just days

  • lately

    implies ongoing relevance up to the present

  • not long ago

    more informal; emphasises short time since the event

文法句型

a few days ago

the other day

用法筆記

This sense is fixed in set phrases. 'The other day' is slightly informal and means 'a few days ago' without being precise. 'The other day' cannot refer to a specific named day (e.g., *'I saw her the other day, last Tuesday').

常見錯誤

❌I saw him a few days before.' (ambiguous).
✅I saw him a few days ago.
💡'ago' marks time before the present moment; 'before' needs a reference point.

6. a fixed expression (such as 'these days' or 'nowadays') pointing to the current

6.名詞B1
釋義

如今

與過去對比的現在

a fixed expression (such as 'these days' or 'nowadays') pointing to the current era, often used to highlight a difference from how things were before.

例句

These days, most people use their phones to take photos instead of cameras.

如今，大多數人用手機拍照，而不是用相機。

these days / nowadays for present vs past

Children these days spend more time indoors than their parents did at their age.

現在的小孩待在室內的時間，比他們父母小時候多很多。

同義詞
  • nowadays

    near-identical meaning; slightly more formal

  • at present

    formal; describes the current state without explicit past contrast

  • currently

    neutral register; used for ongoing situations

反義詞

文法句型

these days

nowadays

用法筆記

Typically appears at the beginning of a sentence to set a temporal frame. 'Nowadays' is a near-synonym but sounds slightly more formal. Both expressions imply a contrast with an earlier period and are rarely used for one-off events.

常見錯誤

❌These days I went to the store.' (referring to a single past event).
✅I went to the store the other day.
💡'these days' refers generally to the present era, not to one specific day.

7. a time in someone's personal past, such as their youth or early working life, of

7.名詞B1
釋義

當年

個人年輕或工作的過往時期

a time in someone's personal past, such as their youth or early working life, often remembered with nostalgia and used to contrast how things were then with how they are now

例句

In my day, we learned to type on heavy typewriters, not on lightweight laptops.

我那個年代，我們學打字用的是笨重的打字機，不是輕巧的筆記型電腦。

collocation: in my day for personal past

My grandmother says that in her day, children walked to school through rain and snow.

外婆說，在她那個年代，孩子們得頂著風雨走路去上學。

collocation: in one's day

同義詞
反義詞
  • nowadays

    contrasts present with past

  • today

    refers to the present era

文法句型

in + my/his/her + day

one's + day

in those days (for personal past)

用法筆記

Often carries a tone of nostalgia or contrast when comparing past habits with present ones.

常見錯誤

❌In those day, we had no electricity.
✅In those days, we had no electricity.
💡'days' must be plural in this fixed phrase.

8. in the near future, before much more time passes; used to say that something wil

8.名詞B1
釋義

近日

未來幾天之內

in the near future, before much more time passes; used to say that something will happen very soon, possibly within the coming two or three days

例句

The repair team should arrive any day now to fix the broken heater.

維修團隊隨時都可能來修理壞掉的暖氣。

any day now

One of these days, Omar will quit his job and travel the world.

總有一天，Omar 會辭掉工作去環遊世界。

one of these days

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

any + day + (now)

one of these + days

these + days

用法筆記

Typically used with 'any day (now)' for imminent events, or 'one of these days' for something the speaker intends or expects to happen in the near future.

常見錯誤

❌I will finish my report one of this days.
✅I will finish my report one of these days.
💡'these' is fixed in this phrase, not 'this'.

9. used in phrases like 'by day' or 'during the day' to describe activities that ha

9.名詞A2
釋義

日間

白晝時段（與夜晚相對）

used in phrases like 'by day' or 'during the day' to describe activities that happen in daylight hours, especially when contrasted with what happens at night

例句

Owls sleep during the day and go out to hunt after the sun goes down.

貓頭鷹白天睡覺，太陽下山後才出去覓食。

adverbial phrase: during the day (contrasted with after sunset)

By day, Jenna works as a nurse; at night she paints in her small studio.

Jenna 白天當護士，晚上則在她的畫室裡作畫。

by day ... at night

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

by + day

during the + day

all + day

用法筆記

Unlike sense 2 (daytime as a general concept), this sense is tied to adverbial phrases that explicitly contrast daylight activities with night-time ones. 'By day' and 'at night' are a common paired structure.

10. happening repeatedly every day, often in a way that feels boring, tiring, or unc

10.名詞B1
釋義

日復一日

每天重複地發生

happening repeatedly every day, often in a way that feels boring, tiring, or unchanging

例句

Day after day, Sahil sat at the same desk typing reports for the insurance company.

Sahil 日復一日地坐在同一張辦公桌前，為保險公司打報告。

day after day

Noise from the construction site continued day after day, and neighbours could not sleep.

工地的噪音日復一日持續不斷，鄰居們都無法入睡。

同義詞

文法句型

day + after + day

day + in, + day + out

every + day

用法筆記

Frequently expresses a negative feeling of repetition or monotony, unlike 'each day' or 'daily', which are neutral.

常見錯誤

❌Day by day, he did the same boring job.' (when meaning 'repeatedly')
✅Day after day, he did the same boring job.
💡'day after day' expresses repetition; 'day by day' expresses gradual change.

11. for the whole period from morning until night; continuing without stopping durin

11.名詞A2
釋義

整天

從早到晚不間斷

for the whole period from morning until night; continuing without stopping during the daylight hours

例句

The children played outside all day and came home with muddy shoes and happy smiles.

孩子們在外面玩了一整天，回家時鞋子沾滿泥巴，臉上掛著開心的笑容。

all day

Beatrix worked on her project all day long and finished it just before the deadline.

Beatrix 整天忙著準備她的專題報告，直到截止前才完成。

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

all + day + (long)

day + and + night

用法筆記

When used with 'day and night', the meaning extends to a full 24-hour period, emphasising continuous effort or activity.

常見錯誤

❌All the day, I waited for the bus.
✅All day, I waited for the bus.' or 'I waited for the bus all day.
💡'all day' does not include 'the'.

12. slowly and steadily, as time passes from one day to the next; used to describe a

12.名詞B1
釋義

一天天

隨著時間一天天過去逐漸…

slowly and steadily, as time passes from one day to the next; used to describe a gradual change or improvement over time

例句

The patient's health improved day by day after surgery, and she was soon able to walk again.

病人手術後身體一天天好轉，很快就能再次走路了。

day by day

Day by day, the young tomato plants grew taller and their leaves turned darker green.

小番茄苗一天天長高，葉子也變得越來越深綠。

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

day + by + day

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 10 ('day after day'): 'day by day' describes gradual change or progress; 'day after day' describes boring repetition.

常見錯誤

❌Day by day, I did the same work and felt bored.' (if meaning 'repeatedly')
✅Day by day, my skills improved and I felt more confident.
💡'day by day' implies progress, not repetition.

13. used when something is not the same on different days; it keeps changing, especi

13.名詞B2
釋義

變化無常

每天狀況都不一樣

used when something is not the same on different days; it keeps changing, especially referring to weather, prices, feelings, or conditions that are not stable or predictable.

例句

The weather changes from day to day here, so bring a jacket and umbrella.

這裡天氣天天變化，所以最好帶著外套和雨傘。

phrase: from day to day with verbs of change (vary, shift, improve)

Brooke felt a little stronger from day to day after she started physical therapy.

Brooke 開始做物理治療後，身體一天比一天更有力氣。

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

from day to day

day to day

用法筆記

This sense typically pairs with verbs of change: 'vary', 'shift', 'improve', 'worsen', 'change'. It describes situations that are not stable rather than things that happen regularly.

常見錯誤

❌The weather changes day to day, so it is often different.
✅The weather changes from day to day.
💡the standard phrase includes 'from'; omitting it sounds unnatural.

14. happening on every single day; used to describe the regular passage of days, dai

14.名詞A2
釋義

每天；每日

發生在每一天

happening on every single day; used to describe the regular passage of days, daily routines, or progress that continues day after day.

例句

Each day, Eve waters the small garden behind her apartment before breakfast.

Eve 每天早餐前都會幫公寓後方的小花園澆水。

adverbial phrase: each day placed at the start of a sentence

The old clock in the tower chimes every day at exactly twelve o'clock.

鐘樓的老時鐘每天中午十二點整會準時報時。

同義詞
  • daily

    'daily' is more formal and often used in writing or schedules

反義詞
  • never

    opposite in terms of frequency — zero days out of all days

文法句型

each day

every day

用法筆記

Functions adverbially and commonly appears at the beginning or end of a clause. 'Every day' is more frequent in spoken English; 'each day' is slightly more formal or emphatic.

常見錯誤

❌I go to school everyday.
✅I go to school every day.
💡'everyday' (one word) is an adjective meaning 'ordinary', while 'every day' (two words) means 'each day'.

15. a period of history or culture that existed long ago, describing social customs,

15.名詞B1
釋義

舊時

歷史上久遠的過去年代

a period of history or culture that existed long ago, describing social customs, technology, or ways of living that are different from modern times

例句

In those days, people sent letters instead of emails or text messages.

在那個年代，人們寄信而不是寫電子郵件或傳簡訊。

phrase: in those days for referring to a past era

In the old days, most people worked on farms and grew their own food.

舊時，大多數人在農場工作，自己種糧食吃。

同義詞
  • era

    'era' suggests a longer, more historically significant period

  • age

    'age' suggests a period defined by a notable figure or development

文法句型

in those days

in the old days

back in the day

in + historical + days

用法筆記

Use 'in those days' for a past era in general, 'in my day' for a personal past period (often contrasted with how things are now), and 'back in the day' informally for a nostalgic past. 'In my day' can sound old-fashioned or disapproving when comparing past and present.

16. still happening or still true now, even after a long time has passed since somet

16.名詞B1
釋義

至今

從以前到現在仍然持續

still happening or still true now, even after a long time has passed since something began or happened; continuing up to the present moment.

例句

To this day, no one knows who wrote that famous unsigned poem.

直到今天，仍然沒人知道那首著名的無名詩是誰寫的。

fixed phrase: to this day for situations that continue into the present

This old stone bridge has stood here for centuries, still in use to this day.

這座古老石橋矗立在此數百年，至今仍在使用中。

同義詞
  • still

    'still' is less emphatic but similar in meaning

  • even now

    'even now' can replace 'to this day' in most contexts

反義詞
  • no longer

    describes something that has stopped after a period of time

文法句型

to this day

用法筆記

Usually appears at the beginning or end of a clause to emphasise continuity. Often used with negative or surprising statements — something that has NOT changed despite the passage of time.

常見錯誤

❌To this day, she still goes to work.' (unremarkable routine).
✅To this day, she refuses to talk about what happened that night.
💡the phrase works best with situations that have lasted unexpectedly or remarkably.