gold-plated
/ˌɡəʊld ˈpleɪtɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɡəʊld ˈpleɪtɪd/ (ame, ipa)
gold-plated — 形容詞
1. having a fine outer layer of gold bonded onto a cheaper metal underneath, so the
鍍金的
表面鍍上一層薄金的物品
having a fine outer layer of gold bonded onto a cheaper metal underneath, so the object looks like solid gold without costing nearly as much.
Devika's birthday watch had a gold-plated case and a leather strap.
Devika 的生日手錶有鍍金錶殼和皮革錶帶。
attributive: gold-plated + [object noun]
The trophy on Owen's shelf is gold-plated, not solid gold.
Owen 架上的獎盃是鍍金的，不是純金的。
predicative: be gold-plated, contrasted with solid gold
Noa bought a pair of gold-plated earrings from a small market in Lisbon.
Noa 在里斯本的小市場買了一對鍍金耳環。
The hotel lobby was full of gold-plated taps and mirror frames.
飯店大廳裡到處都是鍍金的水龍頭和鏡框。
After years of use, the gold-plated ring on Heloísa's finger started to show silver underneath.
用了幾年之後，Heloísa 手指上的鍍金戒指開始露出底下的銀色。
- gilded
more literary / decorative; often suggests an older or ornate object
- gold-coated
more technical; common in industrial or scientific contexts
- solid gold
the object is gold throughout, not just on the surface
文法句型
gold-plated + noun
be gold-plated
用法筆記
Always describes a manufactured object (jewellery, taps, trophies, electronics connectors); never used of living things or natural surfaces.
常見錯誤
2. describes a deal, pension, contract, or guarantee that is so secure and generous
優渥保障的
形容福利或合約極為優厚穩固
describes a deal, pension, contract, or guarantee that is so secure and generous that the person holding it is almost certain to keep the benefit for a long time.
Lakan retired early because his bank job came with a gold-plated pension.
Lakan 提早退休，因為他的銀行工作附帶優渥保障的退休金。
collocation: gold-plated pension (the prototypical use)
The new staff get short contracts, while the older managers still enjoy gold-plated benefits.
新員工拿到的是短期合約，年資較深的主管則仍享有優渥保障的福利。
contrast pattern: gold-plated vs ordinary terms
Élise turned down the start-up offer and stayed at the bank for the gold-plated salary package.
Élise 拒絕了新創公司的邀約，留在銀行領那份優渥保障的薪酬。
Only the founding partners had a gold-plated guarantee that their shares would never lose value.
只有創始合夥人擁有優渥保障的承諾，確保自己的股份永遠不會貶值。
Critics said the bailout offered the banks a gold-plated safety net while small firms got nothing.
評論人士說，這筆紓困給了銀行一張優渥保障的安全網，小公司卻什麼都拿不到。
- cast-iron
guarantees / promises that cannot be broken; less about generosity, more about certainty
- rock-solid
secure and reliable; neutral tone, no envy implied
- precarious
easily lost; the opposite of secure
文法句型
gold-plated + abstract noun (pension, contract, guarantee)
用法筆記
Almost always modifies financial or contractual nouns (pension, contract, deal, salary, guarantee, benefits). Often carries a critical or envious tone — the speaker thinks the deal is unfairly generous.
常見錯誤
3. used to describe a reputation, career, or set of credentials that is so impressi
金字招牌的
形容名聲或資歷響亮亮眼
used to describe a reputation, career, or set of credentials that is so impressive other people instantly trust or admire it.
Nkechi joined the team with a gold-plated reputation in cancer research.
Nkechi 加入團隊時，在癌症研究領域已有金字招牌的名聲。
collocation: gold-plated reputation
After winning two Olympic medals, Yara had a gold-plated career ahead of her.
拿下兩面奧運獎牌後，Yara 前方有著金字招牌的職涯。
collocation: gold-plated career
Quan's degree from Oxford gave him gold-plated credentials when he applied for the job.
Quan 的牛津學歷讓他在求職時擁有金字招牌的資歷。
The law firm only hired lawyers with gold-plated CVs from the top universities.
那家律師事務所只聘用來自頂尖大學、有金字招牌履歷的律師。
Felipe arrived with a gold-plated recommendation from the head of the orchestra.
Felipe 帶著樂團團長給的金字招牌推薦信前來。
- blue-chip
highly reputable, especially in business and finance contexts
- first-class
broader; can describe almost anything excellent, not just reputation
- second-rate
of poor or mediocre quality
文法句型
gold-plated + reputation/career/credentials
用法筆記
Modifies abstract nouns that describe how a person is perceived (reputation, credentials, CV, career, recommendation). Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 is about financial security, sense 3 is about prestige and others' trust.