heroines

IPA/ˈhɪə.rəʊ/
KK[hˈɛrˌoənz]IPA/ˈhɪr.oʊ/

heroines — 名詞

  • heroinessingular
  • heroinesesplural

1. a woman whose courage, outstanding achievements, or admirable personal qualities

1.名詞B2
釋義

女英雄；楷模

因勇敢、成就或個人特質受敬佩的女性

a woman whose courage, outstanding achievements, or admirable personal qualities earn her widespread respect and recognition — for example, a soldier who saves lives in battle, a scientist whose work changes the world, or a teacher who inspires generations of students.

例句

When the flood hit the village, Talia was hailed as a heroine for rescuing three children from the rising water.

洪水襲擊村莊時，Talia 因為從上漲的水中救出三名兒童而被譽為女英雄。

passive: hailed as a heroine for [reason]

Quan's great-aunt was celebrated as a wartime heroine for smuggling food to families trapped behind enemy lines.

Quan 的姑婆因偷運食物給困在敵後的難民家庭，而被譽為戰時女英雄。

passive: celebrated as a wartime heroine

同義詞
  • champion

    suggests fighting for a cause over time rather than a single brave act or achievement

  • role model

    focuses on being a positive example to follow, not necessarily involving bravery

  • idol

    stronger admiration but often for public figures; can feel less personal than 'heroine'

  • inspiration

    focuses on the motivating effect someone has, rather than the person herself

反義詞
  • villain

    a person who does harmful or evil things

  • coward

    a person who lacks the courage to act bravely

文法句型

a + heroine

hailed/called/celebrated as + a heroine

[possessive] + heroine

用法筆記

This sense covers both (a) admiration for a specific courageous act or outstanding achievement, and (b) longer-term personal admiration for someone's qualities or life's work. The possessive pattern ('my / our / her heroine') typically signals meaning (b) — the person you look up to personally, not necessarily someone who performed a single brave deed.

常見錯誤

❌She was a heroine for finishing her homework on time.
✅She was a heroine for pulling her neighbour out of a burning car.
💡'heroine' requires genuinely brave or significant actions, not everyday tasks.
❌He called her a heroine for making dinner.
✅He called the nurses heroines for working through the night during the crisis.
💡using 'heroine' for minor efforts sounds exaggerated.
❌She is my heroine because she has expensive clothes.
✅She is my heroine because she volunteers at the hospital every weekend.
💡'heroine' requires genuine admiration for meaningful qualities, not superficial ones.

2. the central woman or girl that a play, novel, movie, or TV series revolves aroun

2.名詞B1
釋義

女主角

故事、電影中的主要女性角色

the central woman or girl that a play, novel, movie, or TV series revolves around — the one viewers or readers are meant to cheer for throughout the story.

例句

Yasmin loved the novel because its heroine was a detective solving mysteries in 1920s Cairo.

Yasmin 很喜歡那本小說，因為女主角是在1920年代開羅辦案的偵探。

its heroine was [role/occupation]

Piotr said his favourite fictional heroine is Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Piotr 說他最喜歡的虛構女主角是珍·奧斯汀《傲慢與偏見》中的 Elizabeth Bennet。

possessive + favourite fictional heroine + is [character]

同義詞
  • protagonist

    gender-neutral term for the main character in any story

  • lead

    shorter, used mainly in film and theatre contexts

  • star

    emphasises fame and central role rather than moral goodness

反義詞
  • villain

    the evil or opposing character in a story

  • antagonist

    the character who actively opposes the heroine, not necessarily evil

文法句型

the + heroine + of + [work]

possessive + favourite/heroine

用法筆記

Distinguish from 'hero', which can refer to a main character of either gender; 'heroine' is specifically female. In modern writing, 'protagonist' is sometimes preferred as a gender-neutral alternative.

常見錯誤

❌I am the heroine of my own life story.' (said about real life)
✅Elizabeth Bennet is the heroine of Pride and Prejudice.
💡'heroine' for main character is used in fiction, not real-life narratives.
❌Batman is my favourite heroine.
✅Batman is my favourite hero.
💡use 'hero' for male characters; 'heroine' is for female characters.

3. a long bread roll that is cut open and filled with cold meats, cheese, and salad

3.名詞C1
釋義

長三明治

夾有冷肉、起司的長條麵包

a long bread roll that is cut open and filled with cold meats, cheese, and salad ingredients, similar to a submarine sandwich or hoagie; used mainly in the northeastern United States.

例句

Iris ordered a turkey-and-cheese heroine from the deli on Elm Street for lunch.

Iris 在 Elm 街的熟食店點了一份火雞起司長三明治當午餐。

a [filling] heroine from the deli — colloquial US food term

Joaquín packed three heroines filled with roast beef, lettuce, and tomato for the hike.

Joaquín 為健行打包了三份夾有烤牛肉、生菜和番茄的長三明治。

同義詞
  • sub

    short for submarine sandwich, widely used across the US

  • hoagie

    common in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and surrounding areas

  • grinder

    common in New England, often served toasted

文法句型

a + [filling] + heroine

[number] + heroines + filled with + [ingredients]

用法筆記

This meaning is informal and regionally limited to the northeastern United States, especially New York and New England. The same sandwich is called a 'sub', 'hoagie', 'grinder', or 'hero' in other parts of the country. Always a countable noun.

常見錯誤

❌I ate a heroine for breakfast.' (unclear which meaning)
✅I ordered a heroine sandwich for lunch.
💡adding 'sandwich' after 'heroine' helps listeners or readers know you mean the food.
❌Could you pass me a heroine?' (at a dinner table, UK or Australia)
✅Could you pass me a hero sandwich?
💡outside the northeastern US, use 'sub', 'hero', or 'sandwich' instead.