exposure

/ɪkˈspəʊʒə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪkˈspəʊʒər/ (ame, ipa) · /ik-ˈspō-zhər/ (ame, mw)

exposure — 名詞

  • exposuresingular
  • exposuresplural

1. A situation where you encounter something — often something harmful such as radi

1.名詞B2
釋義

接觸；暴露

接觸有害物質或新事物的狀態

A situation where you encounter something — often something harmful such as radiation, chemicals, or a disease, or something unfamiliar such as a different culture or a new idea.

例句

Long-term exposure to the sun can damage your skin and cause early wrinkles.

長期接觸陽光會傷害皮膚，導致過早出現皺紋。

exposure to + [harmful element]

After years of exposure to loud machinery, Hiro began to lose his hearing.

多年暴露於吵雜機器的環境後，Hiro 開始出現聽力受損的情況。

同義詞
  • contact

    more neutral and physical; does not carry the sense of danger or learning

  • vulnerability

    focuses on being unprotected rather than the encounter itself

  • experience

    broader; implies active participation rather than passive contact

反義詞
  • protection

    the state of being shielded from harm or outside influences

文法句型

exposure + to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often followed by the preposition 'to' and a noun phrase describing what is encountered. The noun phrase can refer to either harmful things (chemicals, radiation, disease) or beneficial ones (new ideas, culture, music). Frequently uncountable.

常見錯誤

❌Exposition to the sun is dangerous.
✅Exposure to the sun is dangerous.
💡'Exposition' refers to a written or spoken explanation, not the state of being exposed.
❌I had an exposure to Indian food last night.
✅I tried Indian food last night.
💡'Exposure' is not used for single, deliberate actions; it suggests a longer or repeated experience.

2. The act of making public something dishonest, illegal, or shameful that a person

2.名詞B2
釋義

揭露

讓隱藏的壞事或不法行為曝光

The act of making public something dishonest, illegal, or shameful that a person or organization had tried to keep hidden.

例句

The newspaper's exposure of the mayor's secret payments shocked the whole town.

報紙揭發了市長的秘密付款，震驚了整座城鎮。

exposure of + [secret wrongdoing]

Bilal feared exposure would end his political career before it could properly begin.

Bilal 擔心如果自己的祕密被揭發，他的政治生涯還沒真正開始就會結束。

同義詞
  • revelation

    more neutral; can be positive or negative

  • disclosure

    more formal; often used in legal or financial contexts

  • uncovering

    similar meaning, more dramatic in tone

反義詞

文法句型

exposure + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Typically used with the preposition 'of' to specify what is revealed. Often occurs in contexts of journalism, whistle-blowing, and legal investigations. Can be used as a countable singular ('an exposure') or uncountable depending on emphasis.

常見錯誤

❌The exposure of the new product was a success.
✅The launch of the new product was a success.
💡'Exposure' in this sense always implies revealing something bad or hidden, not a product launch.

3. The amount of attention that a person, event, product, or issue receives from ne

3.名詞B2
釋義

公眾關注

透過媒體報導而受到大眾注意

The amount of attention that a person, event, product, or issue receives from newspapers, television, social media, or other forms of public communication.

例句

The charity event gained wide exposure after a famous singer agreed to take part.

一位知名歌手同意參與後，這場慈善活動獲得了廣泛的媒體關注。

gain/get/receive exposure

Small businesses need media exposure to compete with larger companies in their field.

小型企業需要媒體曝光，才能在同領域中與大公司競爭。

同義詞
  • publicity

    more active; often implies a deliberate effort to attract attention

  • coverage

    specifically refers to news or media reporting

  • visibility

    focuses on how easily something is seen or noticed

反義詞
  • obscurity

    the state of being unknown or unnoticed

文法句型

exposure + in [media]

用法筆記

Frequently paired with verbs like 'gain', 'get', 'receive', 'increase', or 'give'. Unlike sense 2, this sense does not involve anything secret or shameful — it simply describes how widely something is seen or discussed.

常見錯誤

❌She gained a lot of exposure after her secret was found out.
✅She gained a lot of exposure after her fashion show was featured in Vogue.
💡If the context involves secrets being revealed, use sense 2; this sense is about general publicity.

4. A medical emergency that happens when a person stays outside in freezing tempera

4.名詞B2
釋義

失溫

因長時間處於酷寒導致的危險病症

A medical emergency that happens when a person stays outside in freezing temperatures without adequate protection, causing the body to lose heat and reach dangerously low levels.

例句

The hikers suffered from exposure after being trapped on the mountain overnight.

這些登山客在山區受困一整夜後出現了失溫的情況。

suffer from exposure

Without proper clothing, exposure to freezing temperatures can kill a person within hours.

若沒有適當的衣物，暴露在冰點以下的氣溫中可能在幾小時內致命。

同義詞
  • hypothermia

    the precise medical term; 'exposure' is a broader lay term

  • frostbite

    specifically refers to frozen tissue, not the overall drop in body temperature

文法句型

suffer from exposure

die of exposure

用法筆記

In this sense, 'exposure' is a medical term and is NOT followed by 'to' with a specific substance — the cold is implied. Do not use 'exposure' to mean 'hypothermia' in everyday informal speech; it is most common in news reports, rescue accounts, and medical writing.

常見錯誤

❌I caught exposure because I forgot my jacket.
✅I caught a cold because I forgot my jacket.
💡Medical 'exposure' is a severe condition, not a minor illness from being chilly.

5. In photography, either (a) how long light reaches the film or digital sensor whe

5.名詞B1
釋義

曝光值；底片

光線照射感光元件的時間或底片上的單張畫面

In photography, either (a) how long light reaches the film or digital sensor when taking a picture, or (b) a single frame or shot on a roll of film.

例句

The photographer adjusted the exposure to capture more detail in the dark room.

攝影師調整了曝光值，以便在昏暗的房間中拍出更多細節。

adjust the exposure

A fast shutter speed lets you use a shorter exposure for action shots of moving athletes.

快門速度快，就能用較短的曝光時間來拍攝運動員的動態畫面。

同義詞
  • shutter speed

    only refers to the time the shutter is open, not the whole concept

  • shot

    informal term for a single photograph, but does not include the light-duration meaning

文法句型

adjust the exposure

long exposure

short exposure

用法筆記

As a countable noun, 'exposure' means each individual photo frame on a film roll ('36 exposures per roll'). As an uncountable noun, it refers to the duration or amount of light reaching the sensor. Distinguish from sense 3 (public attention) — if the sentence involves a camera, this sense is intended.

常見錯誤

❌This photo has too much publicity.' (when meaning too much light)
✅This photo has too much exposure.
💡Don't confuse 'exposure' (photographic) with 'publicity' (public attention).

6. The direction that a building, room, or window faces, especially in terms of how

6.名詞B2
釋義

朝向

建築物或窗戶面對的方向

The direction that a building, room, or window faces, especially in terms of how much sunlight it receives during the day.

例句

The house has a southern exposure, so the living room stays warm all winter.

這棟房子朝南，所以客廳整個冬天都很溫暖。

southern/northern/eastern/western exposure

Plants that need lots of sunlight do best in a window with a western exposure.

需要大量陽光的植物，最適合放在面西的窗戶旁。

同義詞
  • orientation

    more general; can refer to any kind of positioning, not just sunlight

  • aspect

    formal term used in architecture for the direction a building faces

文法句型

[direction] + exposure

have a [direction] exposure

用法筆記

Almost always used with a compass direction: 'southern exposure', 'northern exposure', etc. Common in real-estate listings and interior design discussions. Does not apply to portable objects — only buildings or permanent structures.

常見錯誤

❌The car has a southern exposure.
✅The house has a southern exposure.
💡This sense only applies to buildings, rooms, and windows, not vehicles or furniture.

7. The amount of money that a person, company, or investment fund could lose becaus

7.名詞C1
釋義

曝險

投資或放款中可能承受的虧損風險

The amount of money that a person, company, or investment fund could lose because of changes in the value of stocks, currencies, loans, or other financial products.

例句

The bank reduced its exposure to risky loans after the economic crisis began.

經濟危機發生後，這家銀行降低了高風險貸款的曝險部位。

reduce exposure to + [financial risk]

Investors worried about their exposure to the technology sector during the market downturn.

在市場低迷期間，投資人擔心自己對科技業的曝險過高。

同義詞
  • risk

    broader term; 'exposure' specifies the amount at risk

  • liability

    legal or financial obligation; slightly different in scope

反義詞
  • hedge

    a strategy used to reduce financial risk or exposure

文法句型

exposure + to + [financial product/market]

have + exposure

用法筆記

Common in banking, insurance, and investment contexts. Frequently used with verbs like 'reduce', 'limit', 'increase', 'manage'. The preposition 'to' introduces the type of risk (e.g., 'exposure to the housing market', 'exposure to foreign debt'). Can be countable ('a large exposure') or uncountable.

常見錯誤

❌My exposure to spicy food gives me heartburn.
✅My financial exposure to the stock market worries me.
💡This sense is strictly financial; do not use it for physical or sensory experiences.