going on
going on — 副詞
1. used when a number — such as someone's age, a point in time, or a sum of money —
將近；快到
接近某時間、數字或年齡
used when a number — such as someone's age, a point in time, or a sum of money — is close to but not quite at a round figure. The speaker says 'going on [number]' to indicate the quantity is nearly that number but has not yet reached it.
Grandma Lin is going on eighty but still walks to the market every morning.
林奶奶將近八十歲了，但每天早上仍然自己走去市場，不需要別人幫忙。
going on + age
It was going on three in the morning when the last guest left the party.
凌晨將近三點時，最後一位客人才終於離開派對。
going on + time of day
Theo checked his receipt — the total was going on six hundred dollars after taxes and fees.
Theo 檢查了收據——加上稅金和手續費後，總金額將近六百美元。
going on + monetary amount
Rin has been waiting for the bus for going on forty minutes in this rain.
Rin 在雨中已經等了將近四十分鐘的公車。
Darius glanced at the kitchen clock — it was going on seven, and the train was due any minute.
Darius 看了一眼廚房時鐘——將近七點了，火車隨時會到站。
clock as subject + going on + hour
Sirin noticed her watch was going on eleven — she had been studying for hours.
Sirin 注意到她的手錶已經快到十一點——她已經唸了好幾個小時的書。
It was going on two in the afternoon when the rain finally stopped and the sun broke through.
下午將近兩點時，雨終於停了，陽光透了出來。
impersonal 'it' + going on + hour in a narrative clause
"What time is it?" — "Going on midnight," the security guard said without looking up from his magazine.
「現在幾點了？」——「快午夜了。」警衛頭也沒抬地回答，繼續看著他的雜誌。
dialogue: question-answer with 'going on' in the response
- going on + age (going on 30, going on 50)
- going on + time of day (going on midnight, going on ten)
- going on + monetary amount (going on $200, going on a hundred dollars)
- clock/watch/it + going on + hour (the clock was going on nine)
- going on + duration (going on forty minutes, going on two hours)
- nearly
neutral and widely usable in formal and informal contexts; 'going on' adds a conversational, storytelling tone
- almost
more general than 'going on'; can modify any adjective or verb, whereas 'going on' is restricted to quantities
- close to
slightly more formal than 'going on', works in writing as well as speech
- approaching
more formal and precise; 'going on' is conversational and implies an informal setting
文法句型
[someone/something] + is + going on + [round number/age/amount]
[clock/watch/it] + is/was + going on + [hour]
用法筆記
Common in conversational English. The quantity after 'going on' is always a round number (ten, twenty, fifty) or a half-hour point. When talking about the time of day, the subject is often a clock, a watch, or the impersonal pronoun 'it' ('the clock was going on nine', 'it was going on seven'). Do not use 'going on' with precise figures — you would not say 'going on 37 years old' or 'going on 8:14'. Some dictionaries label the time-specific use with a clock subject as a phrasal verb, but in everyday usage it follows the same pattern as other quantity expressions.
常見錯誤
2. used to describe a child or young person whose interests, way of speaking, or ge
早熟；老成
形容小孩言行像大人
used to describe a child or young person whose interests, way of speaking, or general behaviour seem more like those of someone much older — for instance, a seven-year-old who reads newspapers and discusses politics might be called 'seven going on seventeen'.
Selim is eight going on eighteen — he asked the waiter for the wine list as a joke.
Selim 八歲卻像十八歲一樣老成——他開玩笑地跟服務生要了酒單。
fixed expression: [age] going on [older age]
Tanvi's daughter is twelve going on twenty-five — she manages her own schedule and family budget.
Tanvi 的女兒十二歲卻像二十五歲一樣成熟——她自己管理行程和家庭預算。
Gabriel is five going on fifteen — he complains about babyish clothes and asks for espresso.
Gabriel 五歲卻像十五歲——他嫌衣服太幼稚，還點名要喝濃縮咖啡。
Eshe is nine going on nineteen — she reads novels before bed and prefers jazz to pop music.
Eshe 九歲卻像十九歲——她睡前讀小說，聽爵士樂而不是流行樂。
- age + going on + older age (seven going on seventeen)
- always used with a number after 'going on'
- mature for one's age
more formal and descriptive; lacks the playful exaggeration of 'going on'
- wise beyond one's years
more complimentary and literary; implies wisdom rather than general adult-like behaviour
文法句型
[someone] + is + [number] + going on + [larger number]
用法筆記
The older age used after 'going on' is always a multiple of five (fifteen, eighteen, twenty-five, thirty) and is chosen to exaggerate the contrast with the child's real age. The expression is playful or affectionate, not critical.
常見錯誤
同根字
- go on片語動詞B1