idiomatically

/ˌɪdiəˈmætɪkli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪdiəˈmætɪkli/ (ame, ipa)

idiomatically — 副詞

1. using the wording and combinations that a fluent speaker of the language would a

1.副詞C1
釋義

道地地

用母語人士會說的方式

using the wording and combinations that a fluent speaker of the language would actually pick — so the result sounds native rather than translated or forced.

例句

After three years in Lisbon, Shanti could finally speak Portuguese idiomatically with her colleagues.

在里斯本住了三年後，Shanti 終於能跟同事道地地說葡萄牙語。

speak [language] idiomatically

The subtitles tried to render every joke idiomatically, replacing puns with local equivalents.

字幕組試著把每個笑點都翻得道地，把雙關語換成在地版本。

render X idiomatically

同義詞
  • naturally

    broader; covers tone and delivery as well as wording

  • fluently

    focuses on ease and speed of the speaker, not whether the wording sounds native

  • natively

    informal; emphasises the same effect from a learner's perspective

反義詞
  • stiltedly

    in a forced or old-fashioned way

  • literally

    word-for-word, often producing translation-style English

文法句型

speak/write/translate idiomatically

sound idiomatically [adjective]

用法筆記

Modifies verbs of producing language (speak, write, translate, render, phrase). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense praises native-sounding phrasing; sense 2 simply says a chunk of language uses a fixed idiom.

常見錯誤

❌Andrés is idiomatically Spanish.
✅Andrés speaks Spanish idiomatically.
💡modifies the action of using language, not a person's identity.
❌The book is written idiomatic English.
✅The book is written idiomatically in English.
💡the adverb form goes with the verb 'written'.

2. drawing on a fixed expression whose overall meaning cannot be worked out from it

2.副詞C2
釋義

作慣用語用

以固定片語、非字面方式使用

drawing on a fixed expression whose overall meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words — for example, saying 'kick the bucket' to mean 'die'.

例句

Dahlia explained that 'spill the beans' is used idiomatically and has nothing to do with beans.

Dahlia 解釋說，spill the beans 是作慣用語用的，跟豆子一點關係也沒有。

be used idiomatically

The verb 'get' often functions idiomatically in English, making it hard for learners to predict its meaning.

英文裡的動詞 get 常常作慣用語用，讓學習者很難猜出它的意思。

function idiomatically

同義詞
  • figuratively

    broader; covers metaphor and other non-literal language

  • non-literally

    technical; emphasises that the words do not add up to the meaning

反義詞
  • literally

    each word contributes its ordinary meaning

文法句型

used idiomatically

X is used idiomatically to mean Y

用法筆記

Modifies verbs like 'use', 'mean', 'take', 'function'. Object phrase is a fixed expression whose surface words do not add up to the actual meaning. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 says language sounds native; this sense flags a phrase as a frozen idiom.

常見錯誤

❌The verb run has many idiomatically meanings.
✅The verb run is often used idiomatically.
💡the adverb modifies a verb like 'used', not a noun like 'meanings'.