fortune

/ˈfɔːtʃuːn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɔːrtʃən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfȯr-chən/ (ame, mw)

fortune — 名詞

  • fortunesingular
  • fortunesplural

1. Money or valuable property that adds up to a sum big enough to make someone rich

1.名詞B1
釋義

鉅額財富

大量的金錢或貴重財產

Money or valuable property that adds up to a sum big enough to make someone rich or to pay for an extremely costly purchase.

例句

After the company went public, Vikram made a fortune from his shares.

公司上市後，Vikram 靠股票賺了一大筆財富。

make a fortune — earn a large amount of money

The antique clock from my grandmother is worth a small fortune.

祖母留給我的古董鐘價值不菲，算是一小筆財富。

worth a small fortune — very valuable

同義詞
  • wealth

    broader and more neutral; describes a lasting state of riches rather than a specific large sum

  • riches

    more literary and concrete, often suggesting gold, jewellery, or treasure

  • prosperity

    focuses on the condition of doing well financially rather than a specific amount

反義詞
  • poverty

    the state of being very poor

文法句型

make a fortune

cost a fortune

worth a fortune

inherit a fortune

用法筆記

Unlike 'wealth', which describes a general state of having abundant resources, 'fortune' specifically refers to a single large sum or collection of assets, often life-changing in scale. Common in fixed expressions: 'make a fortune', 'cost a fortune', 'spend a fortune', 'inherit a fortune'.

常見錯誤

❌I spent a fortune on lunch today.
✅I spent a lot on lunch today.
💡'fortune' is too strong for small amounts; use 'a lot' or 'a ton' for ordinary expenses.

2. The force or principle that controls events in a person's life, especially when

2.名詞B2
釋義

運氣；命運

影響人生的機運與際遇

The force or principle that controls events in a person's life, especially when those events are considered good or bad and happen without being planned.

例句

By a stroke of good fortune, Apinya found her lost wallet on the train platform.

靠著一樁好運，Apinya 在火車月臺上找到了她遺失的錢包。

a stroke of good fortune — a lucky unexpected event

The fortune of the Watanabe family changed completely after the earthquake.

渡邊家的命運在地震之後徹底改變了。

fortune of — the overall life circumstances of

同義詞
  • luck

    more informal and everyday; usually refers to single events rather than long-term circumstances

  • fate

    stronger sense of inevitability and predetermined outcome; less about random chance

  • destiny

    suggests a grand, meaningful plan rather than neutral chance

文法句型

by fortune

good fortune / bad fortune

a stroke of fortune

fortune smiles on

用法筆記

Often appears in fixed phrases such as 'by fortune', 'good fortune', 'bad fortune', and 'a stroke of fortune'. Can be personified in literary contexts ('Fortune smiled on...'). Unlike 'fate', 'fortune' does not necessarily imply inevitability — it suggests random chance that can change over time.

3. A person's predicted future life events, especially those described by a fortune

3.名詞B2
釋義

算命結果

藉占卜得知的未來命運

A person's predicted future life events, especially those described by a fortune-teller after studying the palm of the hand, interpreting a deck of cards, or using other methods of divination.

例句

Lauren had her fortune told at the night market and left feeling both curious and uneasy.

Lauren 在夜市算了命，離開時感到既好奇又不安。

have your fortune told — ask a fortune-teller for predictions

The fortune-teller studied Min's palm and described a fortune involving travel across the sea.

算命師端詳 Min 的手掌，描述了一段涉及遠渡重洋的命運。

同義詞
  • prediction

    more general, used in any context (weather, sports, economics) without supernatural implications

  • prophecy

    more serious and religious in tone; suggests a divinely inspired message

文法句型

tell someone's fortune

read someone's fortune

have your fortune told

用法筆記

Almost always appears within the fixed expressions 'tell someone's fortune', 'read someone's fortune', or 'have your fortune told'. Rarely used as a standalone noun — you would not say 'my fortune is to move abroad' unless you were quoting a fortune-teller's exact prediction.

fortune — 動詞