dependant
dependant — 名詞
1. a person, especially a child or an elderly relative, who needs another person to
受撫養者
依靠他人經濟支持的人（如子女）
a person, especially a child or an elderly relative, who needs another person to provide them with a home, food, and money because they cannot support themselves
The Watanabe family listed three dependants on their tax form: two children and Mr. Watanabe's mother.
渡邊家在報稅單上列出了三名受撫養者：兩個孩子和渡邊先生的母親。
common in tax/benefit forms
Employees can claim extra health insurance for each dependant living in their household.
員工可為同住的每名受撫養者申領額外健康保險。
collocation: claim for a dependant
As a student with no income, Fatima was listed as a dependant on her parents' annual tax return.
Fatima 是沒有收入的學生，因此在父母的年度報稅表上被列為受撫養者。
- family member
less specific; does not imply financial reliance
- child
narrower; only a minor or young person
- beneficiary
more formal; used mainly in legal or insurance contexts
- breadwinner
the person who provides the financial support
用法筆記
Common in British official forms, tax declarations, and benefit applications. In the US, the spelling is typically 'dependent', but the meaning is the same. The noun always refers to a person, not a condition or state.
常見錯誤
dependant — 形容詞
1. needing another person to provide food, money, care, or a home because you canno
依賴的
需要他人提供照顧或經濟援助
needing another person to provide food, money, care, or a home because you cannot manage alone
After the accident, Pedro was completely dependant on his sister for meals and transport to hospital visits.
車禍後，Pedro 完全依賴姊姊為他準備餐食和接送他去醫院。
pattern: dependant on [person] for [things]
The charity provides hot meals for elderly people who are dependant on others for daily care.
該慈善機構為需要他人照顧日常生活的老年人提供熱餐。
Many young adults remain dependant on their parents while they finish university in London.
許多年輕人在倫敦讀大學期間仍依賴父母生活。
- reliant
slightly more formal; used with 'on'
- supported by
describes the situation without the emotional connotation
- independent
able to manage without help from others
- self-sufficient
needing no outside help at all
文法句型
dependant + on + noun/person
用法筆記
Use 'dependant on' (British spelling) when describing a person who relies on someone else. For the US spelling, always use 'dependent'. This sense overlaps with the noun, but the noun refers to the person, while the adjective describes the state.
常見錯誤
2. happening or existing only because something else happens first; not fixed or fi
取決於
由其他條件決定的
happening or existing only because something else happens first; not fixed or final until a particular condition is met
The funding for the new library is dependant on approval from the city council next month.
新圖書館的資金取決於下個月市議會的批准。
pattern: dependant + on + noun phrase
My job offer is dependant upon passing a background check and a health examination.
我的工作錄取取決於背景調查和健康檢查是否通過。
formal: dependant + upon
- contingent
more formal; used in formal and academic writing
- conditional
emphasises that one thing must happen before another
- independent
not affected or controlled by other things
文法句型
dependant + on/upon + noun phrase
用法筆記
Unlike the US spelling 'dependent on', this British spelling retains the '-ant' ending in all contexts. Both 'on' and 'upon' are used, with 'upon' sounding more formal.
常見錯誤
3. physically or psychologically unable to stop using a substance such as a drug, a
上癮的
對藥物或酒精產生依賴（正式用語）
physically or psychologically unable to stop using a substance such as a drug, alcohol, or medication because the body has grown used to it
The clinic treats patients who have become dependant on prescription painkillers after surgery.
這間診所治療那些在手術後對處方止痛藥產生依賴的患者。
formal/clinical register: dependant on [substance]
Dr. Adebayo explained that the patient was not dependant on the drug but was still suffering withdrawal symptoms.
Adebayo 醫師解釋說，該患者並未對藥物成癮，但仍出現戒斷症狀。
- addicted
more common in everyday speech; less clinical
- habituated
very formal; used in psychology texts
文法句型
dependant + on + drug/substance
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in formal medical and clinical writing. In everyday conversation, 'addicted' is more common than 'dependant' for this meaning. The US spelling 'dependent' is standard in medical literature worldwide.