leak
/liːk/ (bre, ipa) · /liːk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlēk/ (ame, mw)
leak — 動詞
1. When a container, pipe, roof, or similar object leaks, it has a small hole or cr
滲漏；漏出
液體或氣體從破洞中流出
When a container, pipe, roof, or similar object leaks, it has a small hole or crack that lets a liquid, gas, or light pass through it, either entering or escaping from where it should be contained.
Rodrigo noticed the pipe in the basement was leaking rusty water into the sink.
Rodrigo 發現地下室的管子正在漏水到水槽裡，水是鏽黃色的。
leak + substance (rusty water) + into + place
If the boat leaks too much, it will take on water and begin to sink.
如果船漏水太嚴重，就會進水然後開始下沉。
intransitive: boat (container) leaks
Yan's old bicycle tyre leaks air slowly, so she pumps it every morning before school.
Yan 的舊腳踏車輪胎會慢慢漏氣，所以她每天早上上學前都要打氣。
The gas alarm sounded because the stove leaked gas through a crack in the hose.
瓦斯警報器響了，因為爐子的瓦斯從水管上一條裂縫漏了出來。
文法句型
leak + substance (object)
leak + from/through/into + place
leak + out (intransitive phrasal verb)
常見錯誤
2. When secret, private, or confidential information leaks or is leaked, it becomes
洩漏
機密資訊未經許可而被公開
When secret, private, or confidential information leaks or is leaked, it becomes known to people who were not supposed to have access to it — often through an intentional disclosure or a careless mistake.
Bilal was dismissed after he leaked the company's financial report to a competitor.
Bilal 被開除了，因為他把公司的財務報告洩漏給競爭對手。
leak + report (object) + to + competitor (recipient)
Details of the new console were leaked online a week before the official announcement.
新款主機的詳細規格在正式發布前整整一週就被洩漏到網路上。
passive: details were leaked + adverb (online) + time phrase
Tamar's assistant accidentally leaked the names of the shortlisted candidates to the whole office.
Tamar 的助理不小心把入圍候選人的名單洩漏給了整個辦公室。
News of the merger leaked out before the board had finished discussing the terms.
合併的消息在董事會討論完條件之前就走漏了出去。
文法句型
leak + secret/information/details/documents (object)
leak + to + person/organisation/media
leak out (intransitive, information becomes known)
常見錯誤
leak — 名詞
1. A leak is a small hole, crack, or damaged area in a container, pipe, roof, or si
漏洞
容器或管線上的破洞或漏出物
A leak is a small hole, crack, or damaged area in a container, pipe, roof, or similar object that lets a liquid, gas, or light pass through it; the word can also refer to the substance that escapes through such an opening.
Aarav fixed a small leak in the bathroom pipe before it caused more damage.
Aarav 在浴室水管造成更大損害之前，修好了上面的一個小漏洞。
fix a leak (common verb + noun collocation)
A gas leak in the kitchen forced the family to open the windows and call the fire department.
廚房瓦斯漏氣迫使全家人打開窗戶，並打電話給消防隊。
gas leak (common noun + noun compound)
Zuri checked the roof for leaks after the heavy storm damaged several roof tiles.
Zuri 在暴風雨損壞了好幾片屋瓦之後，檢查屋頂有沒有漏洞。
The leak in the ceiling had been dripping for weeks and needed urgent repair.
天花板上的漏洞已經滴了好幾個星期，需要緊急修補。
常見錯誤
2. A leak is the occasion when secret or private information is made known to the p
洩密
機密外洩事件或消息來源
A leak is the occasion when secret or private information is made known to the public or to people who were not meant to have it; the word can also refer to the person who reveals such information.
The government launched an investigation to find the source of the security leak.
政府展開調查，要找出這起安全洩密事件的源頭。
security leak (noun + noun compound)
A leak to the press revealed that the factory would close at the end of the year.
一則向媒體洩漏的消息透露，該工廠將在年底關閉。
leak to the press (common collocation)
Erik refused to name his source, but the leak contained details of the department's budget cuts.
Erik 拒絕透露他的消息來源，但那份洩密內容包含了該部門預算削減的細節。
Internal documents from the leak caused serious embarrassment for the mayor and his senior advisors.
洩漏事件中的內部文件讓市長和他的資深顧問們非常難堪。
- disclosure
more neutral; can be authorised or unauthorised
- revelation
stresses the dramatic or surprising nature of the information
- whistleblowing
specific to exposing wrongdoing, often by an insider
- cover-up
an attempt to prevent something from becoming known
- suppression
the act of stopping information from being released
常見錯誤
3. This slang use of 'leak' describes the act of passing urine. It appears almost e
小便
小便（俗語，委婉說法）
This slang use of 'leak' describes the act of passing urine. It appears almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'take a leak'.
The little boy told his mother he needed to take a leak before the long car ride.
那個小男孩跟媽媽說，他在長途開車前需要去小便。
take a leak (fixed idiomatic phrase for urination)
After the long bus ride, several passengers got off to take a quick leak.
在長途巴士車程後，好幾位乘客下車去上了一下廁所。
take a quick leak (with adjective modifier)
During the interval, Christopher left the theatre to take a leak before the second act.
中場休息時，Christopher 離開劇院去上廁所，然後才開始第二幕。
Henry excused himself from the dinner table to take a quick leak before dessert.
Henry 在晚餐中途離席去上廁所，說他想在飯後甜點前先解決一下。
用法筆記
This sense of 'leak' is a slang term for urination, almost always used in the fixed expression 'take a leak'. It is informal, sometimes humorous, and suitable only in casual conversation among friends or family. Avoid it in formal, medical, or professional contexts, where 'urinate' or 'use the restroom' would be more appropriate.
常見錯誤
4. A leak is an instance or process of a liquid, gas, or other substance escaping f
外洩
液體或氣體從破洞漏出的過程
A leak is an instance or process of a liquid, gas, or other substance escaping from a container or confined space through a hole or crack — describing the event of leaking rather than the hole itself.
The oil leak from the damaged tanker spread across the sea, threatening local wildlife.
受損油輪的石油外洩蔓延到海面上，威脅到當地的野生動物。
oil leak (noun + noun compound describing the event)
A slow leak in the rear tyre meant the family stopped at a garage during their trip.
後輪胎慢慢漏氣，導致這一家人途中在修車廠停了一次。
slow leak (adjective + noun describing gradual process)
The chemical leak at the factory triggered the alarm and workers were evacuated within minutes.
工廠的化學物質外洩觸發了警報，工人們在幾分鐘內就被疏散了。
A leak of toxic waste into the river was discovered by a local environmental group.
有毒廢棄物外洩到河裡的事件，被當地環保團體發現了。
- containment
keeping a substance inside where it belongs
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (HOLE/CRACK): this sense describes the event or process of something leaking, not the physical opening itself. For example, 'an oil leak' refers to oil escaping, whereas 'a leak in the pipe' refers to the hole that lets the oil out.