gargoyle

IPA/ˈɡɑːɡɔɪl/
KK[ɡˈɑrɡˌɔɪl]IPA/ˈɡɑːrɡɔɪl/

gargoyle — 名詞

  • gargoylesingular
  • gargoylesplural

1. A stone carving of an ugly or strange human or animal shape, fixed to the roof o

1.名詞C1
釋義

滴水獸

建築屋頂的排水石雕

A stone carving of an ugly or strange human or animal shape, fixed to the roof or wall of an old building such as a church. It has a hollow channel inside so that rainwater flows through its open mouth and away from the walls.

例句

Bilal pointed at the stone gargoyle on the cathedral and asked how rainwater flowed from its mouth.

Bilal 指著教堂屋頂的石製滴水獸，問雨水是如何從牠嘴裡流出來的。

gargoyle + on + [building] — location pattern

The old gargoyle's mouth was blocked by leaves, so water poured straight down the wall.

那座老舊滴水獸的嘴被樹葉堵住了，水便直接沿著牆壁流下來。

blocked gargoyle mouth — water damage consequence

同義詞
  • waterspout

    Describes the drainage function without the carved figure; more technical and less common in general language.

  • grotesque

    Technically refers to a decorative carving with no water-spout function; often used interchangeably with gargoyle in casual speech.

文法句型

gargoyle + on + [building]

gargoyle + of + [animal/creature]

用法筆記

The word gargoyle technically applies only to figures that carry rainwater away. Non-functional decorative carvings are called grotesques, though the distinction is often blurred in everyday use.

常見錯誤

❌The gargoyle is a type of dinosaur from the Jurassic period.
✅A gargoyle is a stone carving on a building.
💡Gargoyles are architectural features, not prehistoric animals.
❌The gargoyle scared away evil spirits from the village.
✅The gargoyle directs rainwater away from the church walls.
💡The main purpose of a gargoyle is drainage, not spiritual protection.

2. A strange or ugly stone shape of a human or animal, put on a building as a decor

2.名詞C1
釋義

怪獸石雕

裝飾用的怪異人獸雕刻

A strange or ugly stone shape of a human or animal, put on a building as a decoration and not used for draining water.

例句

Dewi bought a stone gargoyle from the museum shop for her desk.

Dewi 在博物館商店買了一座石雕怪獸，放在她的書桌上。

The garden wall had grinning gargoyle heads with no water spout behind them.

花園牆上有咧嘴笑的怪獸石雕頭像，但後面沒有排水管。

decorative gargoyle vs functional waterspout

同義詞
  • grotesque

    The preferred architectural term for a decorative carved figure that has no water-spout function. Used to distinguish from true gargoyles.

  • chimera

    A specific type of grotesque that combines body parts from different animals; famous examples sit on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

文法句型

gargoyle + of + [creature]

gargoyle + on + [building]

用法筆記

In everyday speech, gargoyle is often used for any grotesque stone carving on a building, even when it does not channel rainwater. Architects and art historians prefer the term grotesque for non-functional figures.

常見錯誤

❌All gargoyles drain water from the roof.
✅Only some gargoyles drain water; others are purely decorative.
💡The defining feature of a true gargoyle is its water-spout function, but the word is often used loosely for any carved monster on a building.