limitations
limitations — 名詞
1. the action of putting a rule, boundary, or upper cap on something to control how
限制；上限
設定範圍或上限的行為
the action of putting a rule, boundary, or upper cap on something to control how much or how far it can go
The city council voted for a limitation on the number of new buildings in the historic district.
市議會投票通過了對歷史街區新建築數量的限制。
limitation on + noun phrase
Kavita's contract includes a limitation on how much her rent can increase each year.
Kavita 的合約中有一項限制，規定她的租金每年漲幅不得超過一定金額。
There is no legal limitation on the amount of cash you can bring into the country.
對於攜帶現金入境，法律上沒有數額限制。
The limitation of water usage during the summer helped the town avoid a serious shortage.
夏季限制用水，幫助該鎮避免了嚴重的缺水問題。
- restriction
more common in everyday speech; 'restriction' often feels stronger and more official
- curb
implies an active effort to hold something back; slightly more formal
- cap
specifically an upper limit on amount, common in financial and numerical contexts
- expansion
the opposite of restricting — allowing more rather than less
文法句型
limitation on/to [noun]
用法筆記
Frequently paired with the prepositions 'on' or 'to' to specify what is being restricted. This sense is countable — you can say 'a limitation' or 'limitations'.
常見錯誤
2. the uncountable state or condition of having natural or inbuilt boundaries that
侷限性
本身條件上的限制
the uncountable state or condition of having natural or inbuilt boundaries that prevent full performance — the general quality of being limited in ability, size, or capacity, rather than a specific rule or externally imposed factor
The limitation of the small kitchen became clear when Amara tried to cook for twelve guests.
當 Amara 試圖為十二位客人做飯時，小廚房的侷限性就顯露無遺。
the limitation of [noun] — inherent capacity limit
Deepak felt the limitation of his wheelchair when the museum had no ramp at the entrance.
博物館入口沒有無障礙坡道時，Deepak 感受到了輪椅的侷限。
The limitation of training on an old laptop became clear when Mei tried to edit high-resolution video files.
訓練時使用老舊筆電的侷限性，在 Mei 嘗試剪輯高解析度影片時就顯現出來了。
Living in a tiny apartment taught Sofia the limitation of having very little storage space.
住在小公寓裡讓 Sofia 體會到儲物空間極少的侷限。
The limitation of working with old machinery meant Yuki produced only half the usual number of parts per shift.
操作老舊機器的侷限性，意味著 Yuki 每班只能生產平時一半的零件數量。
- restrictedness
rare; mainly used in academic writing
- confinement
stronger, often physical; suggests being shut in
- freedom
the opposite of being limited — having full ability to act or grow
文法句型
the limitation of [noun/gerund]
用法筆記
Uncountable — 'the limitation of [something]' describes the general condition of being inherently restricted. Subject is typically a thing or capacity with natural constraints (a person's ability, a tool's design, a space's size). Distinguish from sense 3, which points to a specific countable rule or factor rather than an inherent state.
常見錯誤
3. a particular rule, requirement, or condition that creates a countable boundary —
限制因素；條件限制
具體的限制規則或條件
a particular rule, requirement, or condition that creates a countable boundary — a concrete factor that can be pointed to individually as something that limits what someone can do or what can happen
One major limitation of the study was that it only included fifty participants from one city.
這項研究的一大限制因素是僅納入了來自同一城市的五十名受試者。
one/major limitation of — specific countable factor
Budget limitations forced the school to cancel the after-school music programme.
預算限制迫使學校取消了課後的音樂課程。
The competition had a clear limitation that each entry could not exceed eight hundred words.
比賽有一項明確的限制：每件參賽作品不得超過八百字。
Time limitations meant that the team could only test three out of the five planned designs.
時間限制意味著團隊只能測試五個設計方案中的三個。
The main limitation of this camera is its battery, which dies after about two hours of recording.
這台相機的主要限制因素是電池，錄影約兩小時就會沒電。
The rental agreement included a limitation that prevented Wang from keeping pets in the apartment.
租賃合約中有一項限制，規定 Wang 不得在公寓內飼養寵物。
- drawback
more informal; focuses on the negative consequence rather than the boundary itself
- shortcoming
highlights a failure to meet a standard; often used about people's abilities
- weakness
broader; can refer to character, design, or performance
- constraint
more formal; suggests an external force that limits options
文法句型
a limitation / limitations (countable)
[subject] has/its limitation(s)
用法筆記
The most common and flexible sense. Almost always used when pointing out a specific thing that a person, system, or situation cannot do well or go beyond. The plural 'limitations' is especially common — 'the limitations of the system', 'his limitations as a leader'. Unlike sense 2, this sense names a concrete countable shortcoming or boundary rather than the general inherent state of being limited.
常見錯誤
4. a period fixed by law within which someone must begin a legal case or face losin
訴訟時效
法律規定的起訴期限
a period fixed by law within which someone must begin a legal case or face losing the right to sue
The lawyer told Emma that the statute of limitations for the accident had already expired.
律師告訴 Emma，這起事故的訴訟時效已經過了。
statute of limitations — fixed legal term
Different countries have different limitation periods for claiming unpaid wages.
不同國家對於追討欠薪有不同的訴訟時效期限。
Because the fraud was discovered late, the court extended the usual six-year limitation period.
由於詐騙案發現得晚，法院延長了通常為六年的訴訟時效期限。
The judge dismissed the case since the limitation for filing a property dispute had run out in March.
法官駁回了此案，因為提起財產糾紛訴訟的時效已在三月屆滿。
- prescription period
used in civil-law legal systems (e.g. France, Taiwan); equivalent concept
- time bar
informal legal term; 'the claim is time-barred' means the limitation period has run out
文法句型
statute of limitations
limitation period
用法筆記
Almost always appears in legal contexts. The most common fixed phrase is 'statute of limitations'. 'Limitation period' is used to name the specific duration allowed for a given type of case. This sense is distinct from senses 1-3 and is never used outside formal legal writing.