final
/ˈfaɪnl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfaɪnl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfī-nᵊl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈfaɪ.nəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfaɪ.nəl/ (ame, ipa)
final — 形容詞
- finalpositive
- more finalcomparative
- most finalsuperlative
1. coming after everything else in a sequence, with no further items following
最後的
發生在一系列事件末尾的
coming after everything else in a sequence, with no further items following
Wei added a few sentences to the final chapter of his novel before mailing it.
Wei 在他的長篇小說最後一章多加了一些句子，然後把稿子寄出去。
attributive use before noun: final + chapter
Tuan felt nervous before his final chemistry exam — it would decide if he passed.
Tuan 在化學期末考前感到很緊張，因為成績將決定他是否能及格。
final + exam — common academic collocation
The home team scored the winning goal in the final minute of the match.
主隊在比賽的最後一分鐘踢進了致勝的一球。
After six months of treatment, the doctor gave Aarav his final health report.
經過六個月的治療，醫生交給了 Aarav 他的最終健康報告。
The final scene of the movie left everyone in the theatre completely silent.
那部電影的最後一幕讓戲院裡的每個人完全安靜下來。
文法句型
final + noun
用法筆記
Attributive only — this sense never appears after a linking verb. You cannot say 'The chapter was final' to mean it was the last one.
常見錯誤
2. being the most important, basic, or true when everything else has been taken int
最終的
考慮一切後最根本或重要的
being the most important, basic, or true when everything else has been taken into account
The final decision about the budget rests with the board of directors.
關於預算的最終決定權在董事會手上。
final + decision — collocation for authority
The department manager has the final say on which candidates receive a job offer.
部門主管對於哪些求職者可以獲得錄取有最終決定權。
final say — fixed phrase for ultimate authority
The final cost of the kitchen renovation was nearly double what they had planned.
廚房翻修的最終費用幾乎是他們原先規劃的兩倍。
Élise reminded her family that their happiness together was the final goal of the reunion.
Élise 提醒家人，彼此相聚的幸福才是這次團聚的最終目標。
- ultimate
stronger emphasis on being the highest or furthest point in a process
- conclusive
focuses on evidence or proof that settles a question
- definitive
suggests something is authoritative and completely reliable
- preliminary
happening before the main action or decision
文法句型
final + noun (abstract)
用法筆記
Like sense 1, this is attributive only. Frequently appears in fixed phrases such as 'final decision', 'final say', and 'final word'.
常見錯誤
3. certain and not possible to change or argue about, because the person in charge
確定的
表示已決定、不容更改的
certain and not possible to change or argue about, because the person in charge has made up their mind
I am not going to lend you any more money, and that is final.
我不會再借錢給你了，就這樣，不必再說了。
predictive: 'and that is final' — firm closure of a discussion
The judge announced that her ruling was final and no further appeals would be accepted.
法官宣布她的裁決是最終的，不會再受理任何上訴。
Hamza made his intention final by signing the purchase agreement without a single change.
Hamza 在購買協議上簽了字，一處也沒改，讓自己的決定定案。
After three warnings the teacher gave Jack one final chance to behave properly.
在收到三次警告之後，老師給了 Jack 最後一次好好表現的機會。
- definitive
more formal and often used for written statements or rules
- absolute
stronger; suggests no limits or exceptions at all
- irreversible
emphasises that the decision cannot be undone
- tentative
not certain or fixed; may be changed
- provisional
agreed for now but possibly changed later
文法句型
that's final
final + noun
用法筆記
This is the only adjective sense that works both before a noun and after a linking verb ('Your answer is final'). The predicative use ('and that's final') is a very common spoken pattern for ending an argument.
常見錯誤
final — 名詞
- finalsingular
- finalsplural
1. the last match or race in a sports competition, in which the overall winner is d
決賽
決定冠軍的最後一場比賽
the last match or race in a sports competition, in which the overall winner is decided
The women's tennis final was watched by millions of fans around the world.
那場女子網球決賽有全球數百萬名球迷觀看。
the + [sport] + final
Lakan trained every day for six months to prepare for the one-hundred-metre final.
Lakan 為了備戰一百公尺決賽，連續六個月每天訓練。
Brazil has reached the World Cup final seven times and won five of those matches.
巴西曾七度晉級世界盃決賽，其中五次奪冠。
Tickets for the basketball final sold out within two hours of going on sale.
那場籃球決賽的門票在開賣後兩小時內就銷售一空。
- championship match
more formal and explicit; emphasises the title at stake
- decider
informal British term for the game that settles a tied series
- title match
focuses on the championship prize rather than the position in the sequence
- preliminary
an early round that narrows the field before the final
- qualifier
a match played to earn the right to enter the main competition
文法句型
the + final
final + of + [competition]
用法筆記
When used alone ('the final'), the specific competition is understood from context. For team sports, the final is a single match that crowns the champion.
常見錯誤
2. the last several matches or events in a multi-stage competition, taken as a grou
決賽階段
多階段比賽的最後數場賽事
the last several matches or events in a multi-stage competition, taken as a group
The World Cup finals are held every four years in a different host country.
世界盃決賽階段每四年在不同主辦國舉行。
finals (plural) — the final stage as a whole
Only eight teams from the continent reached the finals of the European championship.
全洲只有八支隊伍晉級到了歐洲錦標賽的決賽階段。
Ryan watched the swimming finals late into the night from his hotel room.
Ryan 在飯店房間裡熬夜觀看游泳比賽的決賽階段。
The national chess finals will take place at a convention centre in Taipei.
全國西洋棋錦標賽的決賽階段將在台北的一處會議中心舉行。
- final stage
descriptive rather than a direct synonym; names the phase rather than the event
- final round
can be singular or plural, emphasises the last phase of elimination
- qualifying rounds
the early phase where competitors are narrowed down
- group stage
the initial phase of many tournaments before elimination
文法句型
the + finals
finals + of + [competition]
用法筆記
The plural 'finals' refers to the entire final stage of a tournament (often several rounds or matches), whereas the singular 'final' (sense 1) is a single deciding match. This plural usage is especially common in British English for major tournaments.
常見錯誤
3. the full batch of tests that a university student sits to complete a course or t
期末考
大學學期結束時的系列考試
the full batch of tests that a university student sits to complete a course or term
Yael stayed up late every night for two weeks studying for her law finals.
Yael 為了準備法學期末考，連續兩週每晚都熬夜唸書。
finals — the exam period as a whole
The university library was completely full every day during finals week.
期末考週期間，大學圖書館每天座無虛席。
Élise felt a huge sense of relief when her history finals were finally over.
Élise 的歷史期末考終於結束時，她感到如釋重負。
Amani's finals count for sixty percent of her total grade this academic year.
Amani 的期末考成績佔了她本學年總成績的百分之六十。
- end-of-year exams
more transparent for lower-level learners
- final examinations
the full formal term
文法句型
finals
finals + in + [subject]
用法筆記
In university contexts, 'finals' (plural only in this sense) refers to the entire exam period, not a single test. For a single-subject exam, use 'final' (sense 4) or 'final exam'.
常見錯誤
4. a single-subject test that students take when a school term or year finishes
期末測驗
單一科目在學年末的考試
a single-subject test that students take when a school term or year finishes
Ada passed her maths final with a grade of ninety-two percent.
Ada 的數學期末測驗拿到了九十二分。
possessive + subject + final — common school pattern
The English final includes a short writing section and a reading comprehension part.
英文期末測驗包含一篇短文寫作和閱讀理解兩個部分。
Joaquín worried about his biology final because he had missed two weeks of class.
Joaquín 很擔心他的生物期末測驗，因為他已經缺課兩週了。
Students must bring their own pencils and erasers to the science final.
學生必須自備鉛筆和橡皮擦來參加自然科期末測驗。
- final exam
the full form; equally common in both British and American English
- end-of-term test
descriptive; used especially in British school contexts
- midterm
an exam given halfway through the term rather than at the end
文法句型
[subject] + final
用法筆記
Unlike sense 3 (which covers all exams in a university term as a set), this sense is a single test in one subject and can be used for any school level, including high school and middle school.
常見錯誤
final — 動詞
- finalpresent simple I / you / we / they
- finals3rd person singular
- finaling-ing form
- finaledpast simple
1. to succeed in reaching the last, deciding stage of a competition, especially aft
進入決賽
晉級到比賽的最後階段
to succeed in reaching the last, deciding stage of a competition, especially after progressing through earlier rounds
The Nigerian relay team finaled in the Olympics for the first time since 2016.
奈及利亞接力隊自 2016 年以來首次在奧運會進入決賽。
final + in + [competition]
Only three players have finaled in all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments in one year.
歷來只有三位選手在單一年度內於全部四大網球公開賽進入決賽。
The high school debate team from Seoul finaled at the national championship last spring.
這支來自首爾的高中辯論隊去年春天在全國錦標賽中進入決賽。
The young swimmer from Taiwan finaled in the two-hundred-metre event at the Asian Games.
那位來自台灣的年輕泳將在亞運會兩百公尺項目中進入決賽。
Several underdog teams finaled in the tournament, surprising the sports commentators.
幾支不被看好的隊伍在該錦標賽中進入決賽，令體育評論員感到驚訝。
- reach the final
the much more common noun-based alternative; suits all registers
- qualify for the final
suggests earning a place through a qualifying process
- be eliminated
to be removed from the competition before the final
文法句型
final + in + [competition]
final + at + [event]
用法筆記
This is a rare verb, used almost exclusively in sports journalism. It is far more common to use the noun phrase 'reach the final' or 'make it to the final'. The past form is 'finaled' (not 'finalled').