halcyon
halcyon — 名詞
1. a past time that was very happy, successful, and free from problems, often remem
全盛時期
過去幸福繁榮的時期
a past time that was very happy, successful, and free from problems, often remembered with fondness
The librarian often spoke of the halcyon days when the town library was full of readers every afternoon.
那位圖書館員常提起過去的全盛時期，那時候鎮上的圖書館每天下午都擠滿了讀者。
halcyon days — most common collocation
In her memoir, Amelia described the halcyon period before the war, when the family gathered for long summer dinners.
Amelia 在她的回憶錄中描述了戰前那段美好時光，當時全家人會聚在一起享用漫長的夏日晚餐。
Old photos captured a halcyon era of the village, with children playing in the sunlit streets.
那些老照片展示了村莊的全盛時期，孩子們在陽光灑落的街道上玩耍。
Putri's grandparents told her stories of their halcyon youth on the island, before the resort hotels were built.
Putri 的祖父母跟她講述他們在島上那段黃金般年輕歲月的故事，那時度假飯店還沒蓋起來。
halcyon + youth / halcyon + time period
Looking back, Stefan remembers those years as a halcyon time of friendship and discovery.
回顧過往，Stefan 記得那些年是充滿友誼與探索的美好時光。
- halcyon days
- halcyon years
- halcyon period
- halcyon era
- halcyon time
- halcyon youth
- golden age
more general; can refer to any historical or personal period of peak achievement
- heyday
more informal; refers to the best period of someone's life or a thing's popularity
- prime
focuses on the peak of ability or condition, not necessarily happiness
- hard times
a period of difficulty or suffering, the opposite of a happy past
文法句型
halcyon + noun (days/period/years/era/time)
the halcyon days of + noun
用法筆記
Almost always found with a time-related noun such as 'days', 'years', 'era', or 'period'. The noun phrase usually refers to a past time that the speaker looks back on with nostalgia.
常見錯誤
2. a mythical bird in ancient stories, usually pictured as a kingfisher, that was b
神翠鳥
傳說中能平息海浪的鳥
a mythical bird in ancient stories, usually pictured as a kingfisher, that was believed to nest atop the ocean waters and keep the waves still while its eggs developed
According to the ancient story, the halcyon built its floating nest during the calm days of winter.
根據古老的傳說，神翠鳥在冬季風平浪靜的日子裡築起漂浮的巢。
mythological subject — the halcyon + verb of nesting
The Greek poet wrote about the halcyon, a sacred bird that brought peace to the rough winter sea.
那位希臘詩人寫到了神翠鳥，這種神聖的鳥能讓冬季波濤洶湧的大海恢復平靜。
Old paintings sometimes show a halcyon resting on a nest of waves as sailors watch in wonder.
古老的畫作有時會描繪神翠鳥棲息在波浪巢穴上，而水手們驚奇地觀看著。
visual depiction — show + a halcyon + verb-ing
The myth of the halcyon explains why those seven calm days in January are called halcyon days.
神翠鳥的神話說明了為什麼一月裡那七個風平浪靜的日子被稱為「翠鳥日」（halcyon days）。
In Ovid's poem, the halcyon is a symbol of love because the bird cared so deeply for its young.
在奧維德的詩中，神翠鳥是愛情的象徵，因為這種鳥對自己的後代極為關愛。
- the halcyon
- myth of the halcyon
- legend of the halcyon
- kingfisher
the real bird species that is associated with the halcyon myth
- alcyon
alternative spelling from the Greek original
文法句型
the halcyon
a/the halcyon + verb
用法筆記
This is the original mythological meaning from which the modern sense of 'peaceful' or 'happy' developed. The phrase 'halcyon days' (sense noun/1) originally referred to the seven days of calm weather around the winter solstice when the halcyon was said to nest.
常見錯誤
halcyon — 形容詞
- halcyonpositive
- more halcyoncomparative
- most halcyonsuperlative
1. very calm, peaceful, and happy, without any trouble, noise, or disturbance — use
寧靜安詳
平靜安詳、沒有紛擾的
very calm, peaceful, and happy, without any trouble, noise, or disturbance — used especially about a time, place, or atmosphere
The lake was halcyon at sunset, with no wind and only the sound of birds.
日落時分湖面一片寧靜安詳，沒有風，只聽見鳥鳴聲。
predicative use: be + halcyon
Ignacio sat in the garden enjoying the halcyon quiet of the early morning before the city woke up.
Ignacio 坐在花園裡，享受城市甦醒前清晨那份寧靜安詳。
attributive: halcyon + noun (quiet)
The couple found a halcyon spot by the river where they could read in peace.
那對情侶在河邊找到了一處寧靜安詳的地方，可以安心閱讀。
After the children left for school, the house felt halcyon for a few hours.
孩子們去上學後，屋子裡寧靜安詳了好幾個小時。
The painting captured a halcyon summer scene of cows resting under a tree.
這幅畫捕捉了夏日寧靜安詳的景象，牛群在樹下休息。
halcyon + noun (scene) — describing a visual artwork's mood
- halcyon scene
- halcyon quiet
- halcyon weather
- halcyon days
- halcyon atmosphere
文法句型
halcyon + noun
be + halcyon
用法筆記
Distinguish from adjective/2 (PROSPEROUS): this sense focuses on tranquillity and peace, not wealth or success. A place or moment can be halcyon (calm) without being rich or prosperous.
常見錯誤
2. very successful, wealthy, and flourishing — used especially to describe a period
繁榮的
繁榮成功的（用於描述時期）
very successful, wealthy, and flourishing — used especially to describe a period or era marked by economic growth, cultural achievement, and general well-being
The 1920s are often described as a halcyon era of economic growth and cultural change.
1920 年代常被形容為經濟成長與文化變革的繁榮時期。
halcyon + era — describing a historical period
Bilal's family enjoyed halcyon years in the import business before the market changed.
Bilal 一家在市場改變之前，從事進口生意度過了幾年的繁榮時光。
The company's halcyon days ended when the founder retired and sales began to fall.
這家公司的全盛時期在創辦人退休、銷售額開始下滑後就結束了。
halcyon days — referring to a business's peak
Many older residents look back at the 1990s as a halcyon time for the neighbourhood.
許多老居民回顧 1990 年代，認為那是社區最繁榮的時期。
The museum exhibit showed photographs from the halcyon age of the silk trade.
博物館展覽展示了絲綢貿易繁榮時期的照片。
- halcyon era
- halcyon years
- halcyon days
- halcyon period
- halcyon age
- halcyon time
- prosperous
more common; focuses squarely on financial success
- flourishing
emphasises growth and vitality
- golden
similarly literary; 'golden age' is a close synonym for 'halcyon era'
- affluent
more concrete; focuses on material wealth
- lean
describes a period of scarcity or reduced success
文法句型
halcyon + noun (era/period/years/time)
用法筆記
Distinguish from adjective/1 (CALM & PEACEFUL): this sense emphasises prosperity, success, and wealth — not tranquillity. A period can be halcyon in the PROSPEROUS sense even if it was politically turbulent, as long as it was economically successful.
常見錯誤
常見搭配
名詞搭配
- days
- years
- era
- period
- time
- age
- youth
- scene
- quiet
- atmosphere
常用片語
- halcyon days
- the halcyon days of
- a halcyon period