heterosexuality
heterosexuality — 名詞
1. the situation in which a person feels romantic or physical desire toward people
異性戀
對不同性別者產生性吸引或浪漫情感的狀態
the situation in which a person feels romantic or physical desire toward people whose sex is different from their own
Mei-Lin never questioned her heterosexuality; she had always had crushes on boys in her class.
Mei-Lin 從未質疑過自己的異性戀傾向；她在班上向來只對男生心動。
uncountable noun as subject of 'questioned'
A 2022 study in Brazil examined how schools treat heterosexuality as the unspoken norm in sex education classes.
2022 年巴西的一項研究探討了學校如何在性教育課程中將異性戀視為不言自明的常態。
passive: heterosexuality is treated as [the norm]
Diego's family accepted his heterosexuality without surprise, since he had always dated women.
Diego 的家人對他的異性戀傾向毫不意外，因為他一直都和女性約會。
A national survey in Kenya asked young adults whether they identified as heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
肯亞的一項全國性調查詢問年輕受訪者認為自己是異性戀、同性戀還是雙性戀。
Ananya traced the history of the term heterosexuality back to an 1869 German pamphlet for her college paper.
Ananya 在大學報告中追溯了「異性戀」一詞源自 1869 年一份德文小冊子的歷史。
- straightness
very informal; used in relaxed conversations, not in formal or academic writing
- heterosexual orientation
more explicit about orientation as a category, common in psychology and sociology
- homosexuality
the condition of being attracted to the same sex; the most common antonym in both formal and informal contexts
用法筆記
Frequently contrasted with homosexuality and bisexuality in discussions of sexual orientation. The adjective heterosexual describes a person; the noun heterosexuality describes the orientation itself.
常見錯誤
heterosexuality — 形容詞
1. describing someone who feels romantic or physical desire toward people of a sex
異性戀的
形容對不同性別的人產生性吸引或愛情
describing someone who feels romantic or physical desire toward people of a sex that is different from their own
Liam is heterosexual and has been married to his wife Rosa for twelve years.
Liam 是異性戀，和妻子 Rosa 結婚已經十二年。
predicative adjective: [subject] is heterosexual
A high school in Manchester teaches students about both heterosexual and same-sex relationships in health class.
曼徹斯特的一所高中在健康教育課上同時教導學生關於異性戀與同性戀關係的知識。
attributive adjective: heterosexual relationships
Omar's parents are both heterosexual, so they asked their gay son many questions about his life.
Omar 的父母都是異性戀，所以他們問了身為同志的兒子很多關於他生活的問題。
Yuki joined a club for LGBTQ+ allies even though she herself is heterosexual.
Yuki 雖然自己是異性戀，但還是加入了 LGBTQ+ 友善社團。
In many Korean workplaces, new employees are assumed to be heterosexual unless they state otherwise.
在韓國許多職場，新進員工都被預設為異性戀，除非他們表明自己並非如此。
- straight
informal equivalent; very common in everyday speech and informal writing
- homosexual
describing someone attracted to the same sex; the formal antonym
- gay
informal antonym, though gay more often refers to homosexual men in particular
用法筆記
Can be used both before a noun (attributive: 'a heterosexual couple') and after a linking verb (predicative: 'He is heterosexual').
常見錯誤
2. relating to physical sexual acts that involve two people of different sexes
異性性行為的
涉及男女之間性行為的
relating to physical sexual acts that involve two people of different sexes
Chapter seven of the biology textbook covered heterosexual reproduction in chimpanzees and gorillas.
生物教科書第七章介紹了黑猩猩和大猩猩的異性繁殖。
attributive adjective in scientific context
Emma learned about heterosexual intercourse during her high school health education class.
Emma 在高中健康教育課上學到了異性性行為的相關知識。
Vikram read a medical article about the heterosexual transmission of the infection.
Vikram 讀到一篇關於透過異性性行為傳播某種感染的醫學文章。
A 2023 hospital study compared pregnancy rates among heterosexual couples with those using IVF treatments.
2023 年一項醫院的臨床研究比較了異性伴侶與接受試管嬰兒療程夫妻的懷孕率。
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (ROMANTIC ATTRACTION): this sense focuses specifically on physical sexual activity rather than romantic feelings or orientation. It is most common in medical, biological, and public-health writing.
3. relating to classification into male and female categories for biological or org
兩性的
與兩種性別分類有關的
relating to classification into male and female categories for biological or organizational purposes, not to romantic orientation
In biology class, Deepa learned that some plant species have a heterosexual reproductive system, with male flowers and female flowers on separate plants.
在生物課上，Deepa 學到有些植物物種具有兩性的繁殖系統，雄花和雌花生長在不同的植株上。
attributive adjective in biology context
The botanical guide describes willows as a heterosexual species, with male catkins and female catkins growing on separate trees.
這本植物指南將柳樹描述為一種兩性物種，其雄花和雌花分別長在不同的樹上。
attributive adjective: heterosexual species (biology context)
Hassan compared the body sizes of male and female fish in heterosexual species for his project.
Hassan 為了他的計畫，比較了兩性物種中雄魚和雌魚的體型大小。
Lucia noted that traditional ballroom waltz lessons require a heterosexual pairing of one man and one woman dancing together.
Lucia 提到傳統的社交舞華爾滋課程規定必須由一男一女組成異性搭配來跳舞。
- unisexual
referring to a single sex; used in biology
用法筆記
This sense is mostly limited to technical or formal contexts — biology (species with separate sexes) or formal descriptions of sex-segregated activities. In everyday language about people, sense 1 (ROMANTIC ATTRACTION) is far more common.