graduations
graduations — 名詞
1. the completion of a course of study, or the public event where that achievement
畢業；畢典
完成學業或正式畢業儀式
the completion of a course of study, or the public event where that achievement is formally marked.
Their graduations from the nursing program came after months of overnight hospital training.
他們護理課程的畢業，是在好幾個月夜間醫院實習後才完成的。
graduations from + program for completion
Three graduations filled the city hall theater over one busy weekend.
一個忙碌的週末裡，三場畢典擠滿了市政廳劇場。
plural event count: multiple graduation ceremonies
After years of night classes, both sisters celebrated their graduations together in May.
上了多年夜間課後，兩姊妹在五月一起慶祝她們的畢業。
The school livestreamed the graduations for grandparents watching from Seoul and Toronto.
學校直播了這些畢典，讓首爾和多倫多的祖父母也能觀看。
Budget cuts forced several small colleges to combine their graduations this summer.
預算刪減迫使幾所小型學院在今年夏天合辦畢典。
- commencements
mainly North American; more formal and strongly tied to the ceremony
- degree ceremonies
focuses on the formal event rather than the personal achievement
- completions
broader and less ceremonial; can fit courses outside university life
- dropouts
people or cases where the course ends before completion
文法句型
attend graduations
celebrate graduations
graduations from + institution or program
用法筆記
Usually plural when several ceremonies or several students' finishing moments are discussed together. For one person's event or milestone, singular graduation is much more common.
常見錯誤
2. the short lines or marks on a tool or container that show measured amounts or po
刻度線
器具上表示容量或尺寸的線
the short lines or marks on a tool or container that show measured amounts or positions.
The nurse checked the bottle's graduations before pouring exactly twenty milliliters.
護士在倒入整整二十毫升之前，先檢查了瓶身的刻度線。
read graduations before measuring liquid
Steam had faded the cup's graduations, so Mina guessed the water level.
蒸氣把杯子的刻度線弄淡了，所以 Mina 只能猜水位。
faded graduations on a measuring cup
Clear black graduations on the ruler helped Omar cut the wood evenly.
尺上的清楚黑色刻度線，幫助 Omar 把木頭切得很平均。
The lab assistant wiped the cylinder gently to keep the graduations readable.
實驗助理輕輕擦拭量筒，好讓刻度線保持清楚可讀。
- measurement marks
plain everyday wording for the same lines
- scale lines
common when the marks belong to a printed or engraved scale
- calibration marks
slightly more technical; emphasizes precision
文法句型
graduations on + instrument
read the graduations
faded graduations on + container
用法筆記
Common on rulers, gauges, bottles, and laboratory glass. The singular graduation can name one individual line, but the plural usually refers to the whole set of marks.
常見錯誤
3. small step-by-step differences that create a scale of color, sound, rank, or som
層次；級差
依程度或等級排出的差異
small step-by-step differences that create a scale of color, sound, rank, or some other ordered range.
The designer used soft graduations of blue across the hospital wall mural.
那位設計師在醫院壁畫上用了柔和的藍色層次。
graduations of color across a surface
Only an expert could hear the small graduations in volume between the violin phrases.
只有專家聽得出那些小提琴樂句之間音量的細微級差。
graduations in volume between sounds
The report shows graduations of responsibility from junior staff to directors.
那份報告顯示了從初階員工到主管之間責任的層次。
Good language classes teach graduations of meaning, not just one-word translations.
好的語言課不只教單字翻譯，也會教意義上的層次。
The choreographer planned the dance in clear graduations of speed and force.
那位編舞者把整支舞安排成速度與力道的清楚級差。
- gradations
very close in meaning and more common in modern formal English
- levels
broader and less formal; can describe larger jumps
- shades
best when the differences are in color or meaning
- uniformity
no meaningful difference across the range
文法句型
graduations of + color or sound
graduations in + rank or responsibility
用法筆記
This is a formal choice, often used when someone wants to stress fine differences rather than one sharp contrast. In everyday speech, many people would say levels, shades, or steps instead.