liability
/ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌlī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē/ (ame, mw)
liability — 名詞
1. A legal duty making a person or organization answerable for harm, loss, or injur
法律責任
法律上須承擔的責任
A legal duty making a person or organization answerable for harm, loss, or injury caused to someone else.
The company accepted liability for the chemical spill that polluted the river.
該公司為污染河川的化學物質外洩事件承擔法律責任。
liability + for + [wrongdoing]
Under the new law, drivers have unlimited liability for injuries caused by their vehicles.
根據新法規，駕駛人對其車輛所造成的傷害負有無限法律責任。
uncountable noun with 'have' + 'for'
The court found that the hospital bore no liability for the patient's allergic reaction.
法院判定該醫院對病人的過敏反應不須負法律責任。
Darius's lawyer argued that his client's liability was limited by the contract clause.
Darius 的律師主張，合約條款限制了他的當事人應負的法律責任。
Insurance protects small businesses from financial liability when accidents happen on their property.
保險保障小型企業在營業場所發生意外時不必承擔財務上的法律責任。
- responsibility
broader term; can refer to moral or general duty, not just legal obligation
- accountability
focuses on being answerable for one's actions; often overlaps with liability in formal contexts
- obligation
broader still; may refer to any binding duty, not necessarily legal
- immunity
exemption from legal responsibility, often granted by law or contract
文法句型
liability + for + [damage/injury/debt]
accept/bear/admit/deny + liability
用法筆記
Commonly appears in legal and insurance contexts. The verb collocations 'accept liability', 'bear liability', 'admit liability', and 'deny liability' form fixed expressions in formal English.
常見錯誤
2. Money or financial obligations that a person, company, or organization owes to a
負債
公司或個人所欠的債務
Money or financial obligations that a person, company, or organization owes to another party.
The startup's liabilities exceeded its assets, forcing it to declare bankruptcy.
這家新創公司的負債超過資產，迫使它宣告破產。
plural 'liabilities' on a balance sheet
Minh's financial advisor helped her calculate her total liabilities before she applied for a mortgage.
Minh 的財務顧問幫她計算總負債，然後她才申請房貸。
The audit revealed that the company had hidden liabilities worth over two million dollars.
審計結果顯示該公司有超過兩百萬美元的隱藏負債。
When Nia bought the house, she took on the liability for its unpaid renovations.
Nia 買下這棟房子時，也承擔了它未支付的裝修債務。
A healthy business should keep its liabilities lower than its assets.
健康的企業應維持負債低於資產。
- debt
more general and everyday term; 'liability' is more formal and technical
- financial obligation
more explicit but less common in everyday speech
- asset
something of value that a person or company owns, the opposite of a debt
文法句型
liabilities + verb (plural)
total/current/long-term + liabilities
用法筆記
In financial accounting, 'liabilities' (plural) is the standard term for all debts listed on a balance sheet. The singular 'liability' refers to a single specific debt obligation.
常見錯誤
3. An individual or item that creates problems instead of providing the expected he
累贅；負擔
造成麻煩或阻礙的人事物
An individual or item that creates problems instead of providing the expected help or advantage.
Theo's complete lack of computer skills made him a liability to the IT team.
Theo 完全不懂電腦，這讓他成為 IT 團隊的累贅。
a liability to [group]
The old heating system was more of a liability than an asset, breaking down every winter.
老舊的暖氣系統與其說是資產，不如說是負擔，每年冬天都會故障。
Mira was a gifted designer, but missing deadlines made her a liability for the company.
Mira 雖然是才華洋溢的設計師，但經常錯過截稿日期，成了公司的負擔。
The team saw the old software as a liability when trying to win new clients.
團隊認為那套舊軟體在爭取新客戶時是一大障礙。
Ayesha realized the heavy camera was a liability on the hike, not a help.
Ayesha 意識到那台沉重的相機在健行時與其說是幫助，不如說是累贅。
- asset
a person or thing that is helpful and valuable, the direct opposite in this sense
文法句型
a liability + to + [person/group]
become / be / consider / see as + a liability
用法筆記
Frequently contrasted with 'asset' in the same sentence. Subject is typically a person, a piece of equipment, or a system that was expected to be useful. Often used in workplace or team contexts.