legal age

IPA/ˌliːɡl ˈeɪdʒ/
IPA/ˌliːɡl ˈeɪdʒ/

legal age — 名詞

1. the point in someone's life when the law starts to treat them as a grown-up, wit

1.名詞B2
釋義

法定成年年齡

法律上開始被當作成年人看待的年齡

the point in someone's life when the law starts to treat them as a grown-up, with all the rights and duties that come with being an adult

例句

In Taiwan, a person reaches legal age and can vote at eighteen.

在台灣，年滿十八歲就達到法定成年年齡，可以投票。

reach legal age at [number]

Tariq waited until he was of legal age before he signed the lease himself.

Tariq 一直等到自己達到法定成年年齡，才親自簽下租約。

be of legal age before doing something

同義詞
  • age of majority

    the formal legal term, common in contracts and statutes

  • adulthood

    broader and less legal; can mean maturity rather than a fixed birthday

  • voting age

    narrower; only the age allowed to vote, which often equals legal age

反義詞
  • minority

    the legal state of being under legal age

文法句型

reach legal age

be of legal age

用法筆記

Almost always used with 'the', or in the fixed phrases 'reach legal age' and 'be of legal age'. The exact number varies by country and is decided by law, not by physical maturity.

常見錯誤

❌She is in legal age now.
✅She is of legal age now.
💡the fixed phrase is 'of legal age', not 'in legal age'.
❌He arrived at the legal age last year.
✅He reached the legal age last year.
💡you 'reach' an age, you do not 'arrive at' it.

2. the youngest age the law allows for doing one particular thing, such as driving,

2.名詞B2
釋義

法定最低年齡

法律允許從事某項特定活動的最小年齡

the youngest age the law allows for doing one particular thing, such as driving, marrying, or buying alcohol

例句

In France, the legal age for buying alcohol is eighteen.

在法國，買酒的法定最低年齡是十八歲。

the legal age for [activity]

Christopher learned that the legal age to drive a car was sixteen in his state.

Christopher 得知在他所在的州，開車的法定最低年齡是十六歲。

the legal age to do something

同義詞
  • minimum age

    the everyday equivalent; less formal and not always set by law

  • age limit

    stresses the boundary itself, and can be an upper limit too

  • age requirement

    formal; common on forms and official rules

文法句型

the legal age for something

the legal age to do something

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is always tied to one specific activity (driving, drinking, marrying) and takes 'for' or 'to', whereas sense 1 names the single age of full adulthood.

常見錯誤

❌What is the legal age of drinking here?
✅What is the legal age for drinking here?
💡use 'for' before the activity noun.
❌She is over legal age for drive.
✅She is over the legal age to drive.
💡use 'to' before the verb.