king

/kɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈɪŋ] /kɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈɪŋ] /ˈkiŋ/ (ame, mw)

king — 名詞

  • kingsingular
  • kingsplural

1. a man who rules a country because he was born into its royal family

1.名詞A2
釋義

國王

世襲統治國家的男性君主

a man who rules a country because he was born into its royal family

例句

King Felipe spoke to the nation after the summer floods.

國王 Felipe 在夏季洪災後向全國發表談話。

title: King + name

After the old king died, his eldest son became king.

老國王去世後，他的長子成了新國王。

同義詞
  • monarch

    gender-neutral and more formal; can mean a king or a queen

  • sovereign

    formal word that stresses legal authority

  • ruler

    broader word for any person who governs

反義詞
  • subject

    a person who lives under a king's rule rather than holding it

文法句型

King + name

the king of + country

用法筆記

Used both before a ruler's name and as a common noun. Compare sense 2, which is figurative and does not describe an actual royal ruler.

常見錯誤

❌He is the king from Spain.
✅He is the king of Spain.
💡Use 'of' to name the country a king rules.

2. the person, animal, or thing seen as the strongest, most famous, or most success

2.名詞B2
釋義

霸主

某類中最強或最受推崇者

the person, animal, or thing seen as the strongest, most famous, or most successful in its group

例句

For many runners, Kipchoge remains the king of the marathon.

對許多跑者來說，Kipchoge 仍是馬拉松界的霸主。

pattern: the king of + activity

Tomás became the king of sourdough after winning three city prizes.

Tomás 贏下三個城市獎項後，成了酸種麵包界的霸主。

同義詞
  • champion

    focuses on winning competitions rather than overall status

  • leader

    broader and less dramatic than 'king'

  • top dog

    informal and often used for the person with most power

反義詞
  • underdog

    someone expected to lose rather than dominate

文法句型

the king of + field/group

用法筆記

Usually appears in praise such as 'the king of jazz' or 'king of the hill'. Unlike sense 1, this sense is metaphorical and does not involve royal government.

常見錯誤

❌He is a king in tennis.
✅He is the king of tennis.
💡This figurative pattern is usually 'the king of + field'.

3. the chess piece you must keep safe, which moves one square at a time in any dire

3.名詞B1
釋義

王

西洋棋中必須保護的棋子

the chess piece you must keep safe, which moves one square at a time in any direction

例句

Felix moved his king one square to escape the rook.

Felix 把他的王移動一格，躲開了城堡的攻擊。

move + king + one square

If your king stays in check, you lose the game.

如果你的王一直被將軍，你就會輸掉這盤棋。

game rule: king in check

文法句型

move the king

put the king in check

用法筆記

Each player starts the game with one king. Compare sense 5, where a checkers piece becomes a king later in the game.

常見錯誤

❌The king moved three squares.
✅The king moved one square.
💡This piece normally moves only one square at a time.

4. a card in a pack that shows a king's picture

4.名詞B1
釋義

K牌

撲克牌中印有國王圖案的牌

a card in a pack that shows a king's picture

例句

Tyler won the hand with the king of spades.

Tyler 靠黑桃 K 贏了那一局。

pattern: king of + suit

Constanza turned over a king and smiled at her luck.

Constanza 翻出一張 K 牌後，立刻笑了起來。

文法句型

king of + suit

用法筆記

Often named with its suit, such as 'king of hearts' or 'king of clubs'. Distinguish from sense 3, where king is a chess piece rather than a card.

5. a checkers piece that has reached the far side and can then move forward or back

5.名詞C1
釋義

王棋

西洋跳棋中可前後走的升級棋

a checkers piece that has reached the far side and can then move forward or backward

例句

Christopher turned his checker into a king on the back row.

Christopher 在底線把他的棋子升成了王棋。

turn a checker into a king

Once the piece became a king, it could move both ways.

那枚棋子一成為王棋，就能前後移動。

game change: become a king

文法句型

become a king

make a checker a king

用法筆記

This sense belongs to checkers, where an ordinary piece is promoted after reaching the far side. Unlike sense 3, it is not a piece you begin the game with.

常見錯誤

❌My king started on the board.
✅My checker became a king.
💡In checkers, a king is created later by promotion.

king — 形容詞