flake
/fleɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /fleɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈflāk/ (ame, mw)
flake — 名詞
- flakesingular
- flakesplural
1. a very small, thin piece of a material that has broken loose from a larger objec
薄片；碎片
從較大物體脫落的小薄片
a very small, thin piece of a material that has broken loose from a larger object or surface
A single snowflake landed on Fatima's nose and melted instantly.
一片雪花落在Fatima的鼻子上，立刻就融化了。
collocation: snowflake
The old ceiling had flakes of paint falling onto the dining table.
舊天花板的油漆碎片不斷掉落在餐桌上。
collocation: flakes of paint
The doctor placed a skin flake from the patient's arm under the microscope.
醫生將病人手臂上的一片皮屑放在顯微鏡下觀察。
Crushed eggshell can be added as flakes to potting soil for extra calcium.
碎蛋殼可以當作薄片加入盆栽土壤中，以增加鈣質。
文法句型
a flake of [material]
用法筆記
Often followed by "of" to specify the material — e.g. a flake of paint, a flake of chocolate, flakes of dried skin.
常見錯誤
2. a person who cannot be trusted to keep promises, remember plans, or act in a dep
不靠譜的人
不守承諾、不可信任的人
a person who cannot be trusted to keep promises, remember plans, or act in a dependable way
Javier was supposed to help me move the sofa, but he's such a flake — he never showed up.
Javier 本來要幫我搬沙發的，但他超不靠譜——根本沒出現。
phrase: be such a flake
Stop being a flake and tell us whether you are coming to the party or not.
別再當放鴿子的人了，告訴我們你到底要不要來派對。
direct address: being a flake
The project manager described Keiko as a total flake after she missed three deadlines in a row.
Keiko 連續錯過三次期限後，專案經理說她是個完全不靠譜的人。
- flaky person
the adjective form used attributively, e.g. 'a flaky friend'
- no-show
someone who simply does not arrive, without the broader connotation of strangeness
- flighty person
someone who is unreliable because they change interests or moods quickly
- rock
someone who is extremely dependable and steady
用法筆記
Strongly informal. Use carefully in professional contexts; 'unreliable' or 'undependable' are safer alternatives in formal writing.
常見錯誤
flake — 動詞
- flakepresent simple I / you / we / they
- flakes3rd person singular
- flaking-ing form
- flakedpast simple
1. to fall or break away from a surface in very small, thin pieces
剝落；脫落
以小薄片形態從表面掉落
to fall or break away from a surface in very small, thin pieces
The blue paint on the garden bench is starting to flake after the long winter rains.
花園長椅上的藍色油漆經過漫長冬季的雨水後開始剝落。
subject: paint — common collocation
After the sunburn healed, Soo-jin's shoulders began to flake in small dry pieces.
曬傷痊癒後，Soo-jin 的肩膀開始脫落小片的乾燥皮膚。
The old plaster flaked off the wall when Amara touched it gently.
Amara 輕輕一碰，牆上的舊灰泥就剝落了下來。
Rust had started to flake from the bottom of the metal gate.
鐵門底部已經開始剝落鐵鏽。
文法句型
flake off [surface]
flake from [source]
用法筆記
Often used with "off" to indicate separation from a surface. The subject is typically paint, plaster, skin, rust, or another material that naturally forms layers.
常見錯誤
2. to fail to do something that you had agreed, promised, or were expected to do
爽約；放鴿子
沒有履行承諾或約定
to fail to do something that you had agreed, promised, or were expected to do
Luca flaked on us again — he said he would bring snacks but never came.
Luca 又放我們鴿子了——他說要帶零食來，結果根本沒出現。
phrase: flake on [someone]
I was supposed to meet the new intern for coffee, but she flaked at the last minute.
我本來要和那位新來的實習生喝咖啡，結果她在最後一刻爽約了。
phrase: flake at the last minute
Don't flake on your study group; everyone is counting on you to explain the assignment.
別對你的讀書小組放鴿子，大家都指望你來講解作業。
- bail on
similar informal phrase meaning to cancel or leave a plan
- stand someone up
specifically failing to meet someone for a date or appointment
- back out
to withdraw from a commitment, slightly more formal
- show up
to arrive as promised or expected
- follow through
to complete what you agreed to do
文法句型
flake on [someone]
flake out
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the phrasal forms 'flake on someone' (to cancel or not show up to an arrangement with them) and 'flake out' (to fail to participate or to drop out of something). Both are informal.
常見錯誤
3. to cover or scatter a surface with small thin pieces of something, especially fo
撒上薄片
用薄片覆蓋表面
to cover or scatter a surface with small thin pieces of something, especially for decoration or as part of a process
The pastry chef flaked toasted almonds over the top of the cake.
糕點師傅在蛋糕頂上撒了一層烤過的杏仁薄片。
cooking context
A light frost had flaked the car windscreens across the car park.
一層薄霜覆蓋了停車場裡所有的汽車擋風玻璃。
weather/passive: be flaked with
- clear
to remove material from a surface
文法句型
flake [something] with [material]
flake [material] over [something]
用法筆記
The least common of the verb senses. Most learners will encounter it in recipes ('flake almonds over...') or descriptions of frost and ice.