instruments

IPA/ˈɪn.strə.mənt/
KK[ˈɪnstrəmənts]IPA/ˈɪn.strə.mənt/

instruments — 名詞

  • instrumentssingular
  • instrumentsesplural

1. Something people use to make music, like a piano, violin, or a set of drums.

1.名詞A2
釋義

樂器

演奏音樂用的物品

Something people use to make music, like a piano, violin, or a set of drums.

例句

Dr. Chen bought a new instrument for her daughter, who wanted to learn the violin.

陳醫師買了一把新樂器給女兒，因為她想學小提琴。

learn + [instrument]: learning to play a musical instrument

The shop near the train station sells guitars, flutes, and other instruments.

火車站附近那家店賣吉他、長笛和其他樂器。

同義詞
  • musical instrument

    the full form; 'instrument' alone is shorter and more natural in context

  • device

    broader; includes non-musical tools, so less precise

文法句型

play + [instrument]

learn + [instrument]

instrument + of + [type]

常見錯誤

❌I play instrument piano.
✅I play the piano.
💡In English, use 'the' before a musical instrument when talking about playing it as a skill.

2. A hand-held piece of equipment that helps you do a specific job, usually without

2.名詞B1
釋義

器具；工具

手動操作的精細工具

A hand-held piece of equipment that helps you do a specific job, usually without needing electricity.

例句

Omar used a sharp instrument to cut the leather for his new belt.

Omar 用一把鋒利的器具切割皮革，為自己做一條新皮帶。

use + [instrument] + to + [verb]: describing the purpose of a tool

The dentist cleaned her instruments carefully after each patient left the room.

牙醫在每位病人離開後仔細清潔她的器具。

同義詞
  • tool

    more general and common in everyday speech; 'instrument' suggests greater precision

  • implement

    slightly more formal, often used for farming or writing tools

  • device

    often implies moving parts or electronics; broader than 'instrument'

文法句型

[instrument] + for + [purpose]

use + [instrument] + to + [verb]

用法筆記

This sense is close to 'tool', but 'instrument' often suggests greater precision or a more specialised function, especially in medical, scientific, or artistic work.

常見錯誤

❌Can you pass me that instrument?' (in a general workshop context).
✅Can you pass me that tool?
💡In everyday situations, 'tool' is more natural for simple hand tools like hammers or screwdrivers.

3. A display or gauge in a car, plane, or boat that shows information such as speed

3.名詞B2
釋義

儀表

車輛或飛機的測量裝置

A display or gauge in a car, plane, or boat that shows information such as speed, fuel level, or direction.

例句

The pilot checked her instruments before taking off into the cloudy sky.

飛行員在起飛前檢查了她的儀表，當時天空多雲。

check + instruments: common collocation for pilots and drivers

A red light on the instrument panel warned the driver that the engine was overheating.

儀表板上亮起紅燈，警告駕駛引擎過熱。

instrument panel: the dashboard containing the gauges

同義詞
  • gauge

    more specific; a gauge measures a particular quantity like pressure or fuel

  • dial

    refers to the round display face; part of the instrument

文法句型

instrument + panel

instrument + cluster

用法筆記

Often used in the compound 'instrument panel' or 'instrument cluster'. 'Instrument flight' means flying using only the dashboard gauges, without looking outside.

4. Something used to reach a goal or produce a result, especially when the method i

4.名詞B2
釋義

手段；方法

達成目標的非實體方法

Something used to reach a goal or produce a result, especially when the method is not a physical object.

例句

The United Nations sees education as an instrument of peace and social change.

聯合國將教育視為促進和平與社會變革的手段。

instrument of + [abstract noun]: describing a method for achieving an abstract goal

For the young writer, social media became a powerful instrument for reaching new readers.

對那位年輕作家而言，社群媒體成了接觸新讀者的有力手段。

同義詞
  • means

    similar in meaning; 'means' is more neutral and can be singular or plural

  • vehicle

    metaphorical like 'instrument'; 'vehicle for change' means something that carries or enables change

  • agent

    implies an active force or person that brings about a result

文法句型

instrument + of + [abstract noun]

instrument + for + [gerund]

用法筆記

This is a metaphorical extension of the 'tool' sense. Typical objects include laws, policies, organisations, or technologies that serve as means to an end. More formal than 'way' or 'method'.

常見錯誤

❌The knife was an instrument for cutting vegetables.
✅The knife was a tool for cutting vegetables.
💡Use the concrete 'tool' sense for physical objects; the figurative 'instrument' sense is for abstract methods.

5. A product traded on financial markets, such as stocks, bonds, or derivatives, th

5.名詞C1
釋義

金融工具

可在市場交易的投資產品

A product traded on financial markets, such as stocks, bonds, or derivatives, that represents an investment or a debt.

例句

The bank offers a range of financial instruments to help clients grow their savings.

這家銀行提供多種金融工具，協助客戶增加儲蓄。

financial + instrument: standard compound in finance

Bonds are considered safer instruments than stocks, though they usually earn lower returns.

債券被認為是比股票更安全的金融工具，雖然報酬率通常較低。

同義詞
  • security

    a more formal term for a tradable financial asset; narrower than 'instrument'

  • asset

    broader; any item of value, not necessarily tradable on a market

  • investment vehicle

    broader still; includes funds and accounts alongside individual instruments

文法句型

financial + instrument

[type] + instrument

用法筆記

Technical financial term. Common types include 'debt instruments' (bonds, loans), 'equity instruments' (stocks), and 'derivative instruments' (options, futures).

instruments — 動詞