kitty

/ˈkɪti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɪti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈki-tē/ (ame, mw)

kitty — 名詞

  • kittysingular
  • kittiesplural

1. money collected from everyone in a group, kept together to pay for something the

1.名詞B1
釋義

公基金

一群人共同湊出的錢

money collected from everyone in a group, kept together to pay for something they all want or need

例句

The four roommates each put NT$500 into the kitty to buy a new microwave.

四位室友每人將 500 元放進公基金，用來買一台新微波爐。

put money into the kitty

The office kitty had grown enough by December to pay for the year-end dinner.

到了十二月，辦公室公基金的金額已經足夠支付年終聚餐的費用。

office kitty — workplace shared fund

同義詞
  • pool

    more neutral, less affectionate; 'a car pool'

  • fund

    more formal; used for larger or official sums of money

  • pot

    gambling-specific; used for bets in poker or card games

用法筆記

Often used with verbs like put, add, contribute, or manage. The kitty is typically cash held by one trusted member of the group, not a bank account.

常見錯誤

❌We each put $10 into the kit to buy pizza.
✅We each put $10 into the kitty to buy pizza.
💡A 'kit' is a set of tools or equipment; 'kitty' is the shared fund.

2. an informal word for a cat, especially one that you feel fond of or want to call

2.名詞A2
釋義

貓咪

對貓的暱稱或招呼用語

an informal word for a cat, especially one that you feel fond of or want to call gently

例句

Nora knelt down and called softly, 'Here, kitty, kitty!' and a small grey cat crept out from under the car.

Nora 蹲下來輕聲喊：「貓咪，貓咪，過來呀！」一隻灰色的小貓就從車子底下鑽了出來。

calling a cat: 'Here, kitty, kitty!'

Charlotte's white kitty likes to lie on the windowsill every morning and watch the birds.

Charlotte 的白色貓咪每天早上都喜歡躺在窗台上看鳥。

possessive: someone's kitty

同義詞
  • cat

    the neutral, everyday word; suitable for all contexts

  • kitten

    specifically a young cat, usually under one year old

  • feline

    formal or scientific; used in biology or medicine

用法筆記

Use 'kitty' when talking to or about a cat in a friendly, warm way. Avoid it in formal writing or in serious contexts such as veterinary reports, where 'cat' is the correct word.

常見錯誤

❌The vet examined the kitty and gave it a shot.' (in a formal report)
✅The vet examined the cat and gave it a shot.
💡Use 'cat' for formal or professional contexts.