emulate

/ˈemjuleɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈemjuleɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈem-yə-ˌlāt -yü-/ (ame, mw)

emulate — 動詞

  • emulatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • emulateshe / she / it
  • emulatedpast simple
  • emulating-ing form

1. to try to be as good as someone else by copying the successful things they do or

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

效法

模仿他人優點力求達到同等水準

to try to be as good as someone else by copying the successful things they do or the qualities they show

例句

The young pianist hopes to emulate her teacher's elegant playing style after years of practice.

這位年輕鋼琴家希望能效法老師多年的練習成果，展現優雅的彈奏風格。

emulate + person's style / method

Many new technology startups try to emulate the success of companies like Apple and Google.

許多新創科技公司試圖效法蘋果和谷歌等企業的成功模式。

emulate + abstract achievement (success)

同義詞
  • copy

    more neutral; does not carry the admiration or effort implied by 'emulate'

  • imitate

    suggests following the surface behaviour rather than the deeper achievement

  • rival

    emphasises competition more than admiration; can be more formal

反義詞
  • ignore

    to deliberately pay no attention to someone's example

文法句型

emulate + noun phrase (person, success, style, method)

用法筆記

Often used for admiring imitation — the person being emulated is seen as a role model. The object is typically someone's success, style, method, or personal quality, not a direct copy of a physical thing.

常見錯誤

❌He emulated his friend's homework.
✅He copied his friend's homework.
💡'Emulate' means to try to match a standard with admiration, not to make an identical duplicate.
❌She emulated the document on the photocopier.
✅She copied the document on the photocopier.
💡'Emulate' cannot replace 'copy' when producing an exact reproduction.

2. to make a piece of equipment or software behave like a different system by imita

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

模擬

讓設備或軟體模仿另一系統的功能

to make a piece of equipment or software behave like a different system by imitating its functions and commands

例句

This free programme can emulate a vintage Nintendo console on any modern laptop computer.

這套免費程式可以在任何現代筆電上模擬老舊的任天堂主機。

emulate + specific device on + platform

The engineering team developed a microchip that emulates the functions of a much larger processor.

工程團隊開發出一款晶片，能模擬體積大得多的處理器所執行的功能。

同義詞
  • simulate

    broader — can mean mimicking a real-world scenario, not necessarily an existing system

  • mimic

    less formal; can describe any kind of imitation, not just technical

文法句型

emulate + noun phrase (system, device, environment)

be emulated on + device

用法筆記

Technical or semi-technical register. The subject is usually a programme, device, or system. Common in passive form: 'The original environment can be emulated on any modern PC.'

常見錯誤

❌This app emulates as a calculator.
✅This app emulates a calculator.
💡'Emulate' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.

3. to reach the same level of success or performance as someone or something, espec

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

匹敵；比肩

在成就或表現上達到同等水準

to reach the same level of success or performance as someone or something, especially after working towards it

例句

After years of steady growth, the company finally emulated the record sales set by its main competitor.

經過多年的穩定成長，這家公司終於匹敵了主要競爭對手所創下的銷售紀錄。

finally emulated + record / achievement

No other runner has ever emulated her gold-medal performance at three consecutive Olympic Games.

從未有其他跑者在連續三屆奧運會上匹敵她的金牌表現。

同義詞
  • equal

    more direct and less formal; focuses purely on matching a level

  • match

    the most common alternative; does not carry admiration like 'emulate' does

  • rival

    suggests ongoing competition rather than reaching a specific standard

反義詞

文法句型

emulate + noun phrase (achievement, record, performance)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 focuses on copying a method to achieve success; sense 3 focuses on reaching the same outcome or standard, regardless of method. Often used with 'finally', 'at last', or to describe a milestone reached after sustained effort.

常見錯誤

❌She emulated the painting by making an identical copy.
✅She reproduced the painting.
💡For reaching the same quality of output rather than making a copy, 'emulate' is too formal; use 'match' or 'equal' instead.

emulate — 形容詞