limits
limits — 名詞
1. The highest amount, level, or degree of something that is possible, allowed, or
極限；限度
可能或允許的最大程度
The highest amount, level, or degree of something that is possible, allowed, or physically achievable.
Diego pushed his body to the limits of exhaustion during the final race of the season.
Diego 在賽季最後一場比賽中將自己的身體推向疲憊的極限。
the limits of + noun phrase showing the boundary reached
There are limits to how much patience a teacher can have with students who refuse to listen.
一名老師對於不肯聽話的學生的耐心是有限度的。
there are limits to + how much/many
The human mind has limits when it comes to multitasking under pressure.
在壓力下同時處理多項工作時，人腦有其極限。
Amira knew her limits and stopped hiking before the steep climb became dangerous.
Amira 知道自己的極限，在陡峭的路段變得危險前就停下了。
Every machine has limits beyond which it cannot operate safely.
每部機器都有其安全運作的極限。
- minimum
the smallest amount, opposite end of the scale
文法句型
the limits of something
limits to something
用法筆記
Often used in the plural form limits when referring to the outer edge of what is possible. The singular limit is more common for a single specific number or point.
常見錯誤
2. Rules, conditions, or factors that control what someone can do or how much of so
限制；管制
控制行為或數量的規定
Rules, conditions, or factors that control what someone can do or how much of something is allowed.
The new environmental law places strict limits on how much waste factories can dump into the river.
新的環保法嚴格限制了工廠可以排放到河裡的廢棄物量。
place strict limits on + noun phrase
Age limits prevented Kwame from applying for the driving job because he was only nineteen.
年齡限制讓 Kwame 無法申請司機的工作，因為他才十九歲。
age limits — common compound noun
During the drought, the government imposed limits on the amount of water each household could use.
乾旱期間，政府對每戶家庭可用水量實施了限制。
The bank set a limit on how much cash Luisa could withdraw from the ATM in one day.
銀行對 Luisa 每天從提款機提領的金額設定了上限。
Airport security limits on liquids mean passengers cannot carry bottles larger than one hundred millilitres.
機場對液體的限制意味著乘客不能攜帶超過一百毫升的瓶子。
- restriction
more formal; often used in legal or official contexts
- constraint
suggests an external force that limits freedom more strongly
- cap
informal; refers to an upper limit on spending or quantity
- freedom
absence of restrictions or limits
文法句型
limits on something
impose/place/set limits
用法筆記
Frequently used with prepositions on (what is controlled) and to (the controlling range). Common in official and regulatory contexts.
常見錯誤
3. The official border or outer edge of a place such as a city, park, or country, o
界線；範圍
地理區域的官方邊界
The official border or outer edge of a place such as a city, park, or country, or the area that lies inside that border.
The river marks the northern limits of the national park on the map.
這條河在地圖上標示了國家公園的北界。
marks the limits of — verb + limits collocation for boundaries
Building a house more than three storeys tall is not allowed within the city limits.
在市區範圍內，住宅建築不得超過三層樓。
within the city limits — fixed phrase
Hunting is prohibited outside the limits of the designated forest area.
在指定森林區域範圍外禁止狩獵。
Yumi lives just inside the town limits, so her postal address still uses the rural route number.
Yumi 住在市區範圍內，所以她的郵寄地址仍然使用鄉村路線號。
The ancient wall once defined the limits of the Roman settlement for traders and soldiers.
古老的城牆曾經劃定了羅馬聚落的邊界。
文法句型
the limits of [area]
within/outside the limits of
用法筆記
Almost always plural in this sense. Common with city, town, park, and property. The phrase 'within city limits' is a fixed expression meaning inside the official urban area.
常見錯誤
4. The largest or smallest amount, number, or level of something that is officially
上限；限額
法律或規定允許的最大值
The largest or smallest amount, number, or level of something that is officially allowed by law or regulation.
The speed limit on most highways in the area is sixty-five miles per hour.
該地區大部分高速公路的速限是每小時六十五英里。
speed limit — most common compound noun in this sense
The fishing regulations set a daily catch limit of three salmon per person.
釣魚法規規定每人每天最多只能捕獲三條鮭魚。
catch limit — domain-specific collocation
Arjun checked the baggage weight limit before heading to the airport for his flight.
Arjun 在出發去機場前確認了行李的重量上限。
The casino imposed a betting limit of two hundred dollars per round at the poker table.
賭場在撲克桌上設定每輪最多下注兩百美元。
Many countries have an age limit of eighteen for buying alcohol in shops.
許多國家規定在商店購買酒精飲料的年齡下限為十八歲。
- minimum
the smallest allowed amount
文法句型
a limit on something
speed limit
age limit
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (conceptual maximum), this sense refers to a specific numerical or quantifiable figure set by an authority. Often compounded: speed limit, age limit, weight limit.
常見錯誤
5. In mathematics, the value that a function or number sequence gets closer and clo
極限值
函數趨近的數學值
In mathematics, the value that a function or number sequence gets closer and closer to as the input approaches a particular point or infinity.
In calculus class, Sophie learned how to calculate the limit of a function as x approaches zero.
在微積分課上，Sophie 學會了計算當 x 趨近於零時函數的極限值。
the limit of [function] as [variable] approaches [value] — standard mathematical pattern
The limit of the sequence one over n as n goes to infinity is zero.
當 n 趨於無限大時，數列 n 分之一 的極限值為零。
Kwame struggled with the concept of a limit until his tutor drew a graph showing how the curve levels off.
Kwame 一直很難理解極限的概念，直到他的家教畫了一張圖顯示曲線如何趨於平緩。
- convergence point
describes the value a sequence converges toward
文法句型
the limit of [function] as [variable] approaches [value]
用法筆記
A technical mathematical term. Outside of mathematics classes or academic contexts, this sense is rarely used.
常見錯誤
limits — 動詞
1. To keep something within a particular size, amount, or area; to prevent somethin
限定；節制
控制在特定數量或範圍內
To keep something within a particular size, amount, or area; to prevent something from growing or increasing beyond a desired point.
The doctor told Kenji to limit his salt intake to no more than five grams per day.
醫生告訴 Kenji 將每天的鹽攝取量限定在五公克以內。
limit + noun + to + amount
Nora limited her screen time to just one hour in the evening so she could focus on homework.
Nora 將自己每天看螢幕的時間限制在一小時，以便專心做功課。
The conference room can only hold thirty people, so the organiser limited the guest list to key staff members.
會議室只能容納三十人，所以主辦單位將賓客名單限制為主要工作人員。
Oliver limited his spending on takeaway food to save money for a new bicycle.
Oliver 限制自己在外食上的花費，以存錢買一輛新腳踏車。
The teacher limited each student's presentation to five minutes so everyone would have time to speak.
老師將每位學生的報告限制在五分鐘內，以便每個人都有時間發言。
文法句型
limit something
limit something to something
limit someone to something
用法筆記
Frequently followed by to to specify the boundary: limit something to a number, amount, or group. The passive form (be limited to) is very common in formal and official contexts.
常見錯誤
2. To clearly state or fix the outer boundaries, scope, or responsibilities of some
界定；限定
明確規定權力或責任的邊界
To clearly state or fix the outer boundaries, scope, or responsibilities of something, often in a legal or official document.
The employment contract clearly limits each employee's duties to the tasks listed in their job description.
僱傭合約明確將每位員工的職責限定於工作說明書中所列的任務。
limits + someone's duties + to — formal/legal pattern
The new law limits the power of the committee to make decisions without consulting the full board.
新法限制了委員會在未諮詢全體董事會的情況下自行決策的權力。
The will limits the inheritance to direct descendants only, excluding cousins and other relatives.
遺囑將繼承權界定為僅限直系後代，不包括表親及其他親屬。
- unrestrict
to remove limits from; less common than 'free' or 'release'
文法句型
be limited by something
limit something (to someone)
用法筆記
This sense is more formal than sense 1. It emphasises defining or prescribing the boundaries of authority, responsibility, or rights, rather than merely reducing quantity. Common in legal, contractual, and constitutional contexts.