lips
lips — 名詞
1. one of the two soft, movable parts of flesh that form the upper and lower edges
嘴脣
嘴巴上下兩片軟組織
one of the two soft, movable parts of flesh that form the upper and lower edges of the mouth and are used for speaking, eating, and showing emotions.
Yuki pressed her lips together and said nothing when the teacher asked who had broken the window.
Yuki 緊抿著嘴脣，一句話也沒說，因為老師問是誰打破了窗戶。
collocation: press one's lips together (to show anger or restraint)
The cold wind made Kwame's lips dry and cracked during his morning run through the park.
冷風讓 Kwame 在公園晨跑時嘴脣變得乾裂。
collocation: dry / cracked lips
Mateo kissed his grandmother on the cheek, and her lips curved into a warm smile.
Mateo 親了奶奶的臉頰，奶奶的嘴角彎起溫暖的笑容。
The doctor asked Orla to part her lips so he could look at her sore throat.
醫生請 Orla 微微張開嘴脣，好讓他檢查她的喉嚨痛。
Nasrin bit her lower lip nervously while waiting for the exam results to be posted online.
Nasrin 緊張地咬著下脣，等待考試成績公布。
文法句型
possessive + lips
lips + verb
adjective + lips
用法筆記
When describing lip shape or expression, use adjectives like full, thin, dry, chapped, or cracked. Frequently used in possessive constructions (his lips, her lips).
常見錯誤
2. the shaped edge or short spout of a container, such as a jug, cup, or teapot, th
壺嘴；邊緣
容器上便於倒液的突出邊緣
the shaped edge or short spout of a container, such as a jug, cup, or teapot, that helps liquid pour out smoothly without spilling.
Hugo carefully poured the hot soup from the lip of the pot into the bowl without spilling a single drop.
Hugo 小心地從鍋子的壺嘴把熱湯倒進碗裡，一滴也沒有濺出來。
pattern: the lip of + [container]
The lip of the old ceramic teapot was chipped, so Zainab had to pour the tea very slowly.
那把老陶瓷茶壺的壺嘴缺了一角，所以 Zainab 倒茶時得非常小心。
Xiaoming wiped the lip of the milk jug before putting it back into the refrigerator.
Xiaoming 擦乾牛奶壺的壺嘴後才放回冰箱。
Water dripped down the lip of the flower vase and left a ring on the polished wooden table.
水滴順著花瓶的邊緣流下，在亮面木桌上留下了一個水漬圈。
文法句型
the lip of + [container noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun/1: this sense is always singular and refers specifically to containers. The object must be a hollow vessel used for holding liquids.
常見錯誤
3. talk that is rude, disrespectful, or argumentative, especially when a younger or
頂撞；無禮的話
對長輩或上司不禮貌的回嘴
talk that is rude, disrespectful, or argumentative, especially when a younger or less powerful person speaks back to someone in authority.
"I don't want any more of your lip, young man," said the coach after Tamar argued about the training drill.
「我不想再聽到你頂嘴了，年輕人，」教練在 Tamar 爭論訓練項目時說道。
fixed expression: 'don't want any of your lip'
The manager warned the new employee that he would lose his job if he kept giving lip to customers.
經理警告新員工，如果他繼續對客戶出言不遜，就會被開除。
collocation: give lip to someone
Nandini's mother sent her to her room for the lip she gave during dinner when asked to finish her vegetables.
Nandini 的母親因為她在晚餐時被要求吃完蔬菜而頂嘴，罰她回房間面壁。
- respect
polite and considerate speech or behaviour toward authority
文法句型
give someone lip
don't give me any lip
用法筆記
Almost always used in fixed expressions like 'give lip' or 'don't give me any lip.' The person receiving the lip is usually a parent, teacher, boss, or other authority figure. Not used in formal writing.
常見錯誤
lips — 形容詞
1. said or done without genuine feeling, commitment, or belief — used especially wh
虛假的
口頭上說說但沒有真心
said or done without genuine feeling, commitment, or belief — used especially when someone claims to support something but does nothing real to back it up.
The company's lip service to environmental issues did not match its actual spending on reducing pollution.
那家公司對環保議題的口惠，與其在減少汙染上的實際支出並不相符。
fixed phrase: lip service (insincere verbal support)
Politicians often pay lip service to education reform during elections but fail to fund new programs afterward.
政治人物常在選舉時口頭承諾教育改革，但事後卻沒有撥款推動新的計畫。
collocation: pay lip service to [something]
Dariush saw through his colleague's lip service and knew that she did not mean a single word of it.
Dariush 看穿了同事的口惠，知道她一句真心話也沒有。
文法句型
lip + [abstract noun, e.g., service, praise, support]
用法筆記
Almost always appears as part of the fixed expressions 'lip service' or 'pay lip service to [something].' The word 'lip' cannot be used alone as an adjective meaning 'insincere' — it must be followed by a noun like 'service,' 'praise,' or 'support.'
常見錯誤
2. in phonetics, describing a speech sound that is produced by bringing one or both
脣音的
發音時需要用到嘴脣的
in phonetics, describing a speech sound that is produced by bringing one or both lips into contact or close proximity with another part of the mouth.
At story time, Hana watched Mr. Adebayo's lips press together for the "b" in "bear" and copied the same lip sound.
在說故事時間，Hana 看著 Mr. Adebayo 的嘴脣為了唸出「bear」的「b」音而閉合，她也跟著模仿那樣的脣音。
domain label: phonetics — lip consonants (bilabial sounds)
The speech therapist asked Kwame to practice the lip sound "m" while holding a small mirror in front of his face.
語言治療師要 Kwame 拿著一面小鏡子練習發「m」這個脣音。
At a phonetics workshop, Wei-Chieh pressed a finger to his lips and said "baby" to show his classmate the lip sound for "b."
在一個語音學工作坊上，Wei-Chieh 把手指放在嘴脣上說「baby」，向同學示範「b」的脣音。
文法句型
lip + [sound/consonant/articulation noun]
用法筆記
This is a technical term used in phonetics and language teaching. In everyday speech, most people say 'labial sound' or 'lip sound' rather than using 'lip' as a standalone adjective. The more common academic term is 'bilabial.'
常見錯誤
lips — 動詞
1. to touch something gently with the lips as a soft, brief gesture, often before d
輕觸；輕碰
用嘴脣輕柔地碰觸
to touch something gently with the lips as a soft, brief gesture, often before drinking or as a light sign of affection.
The old man lipped the rim of his wine glass gently before taking the smallest possible sip.
老先生輕輕碰了碰酒杯邊緣，然後才啜飲了一小口。
literary register: used in descriptive or narrative writing
Before leaving for work, Yuki lipped her sleeping baby's forehead with the softest touch.
上班前，Yuki 用嘴脣最輕柔地碰了碰熟睡寶寶的額頭。
文法句型
lip + [object: glass/forehead/cheek]
用法筆記
A rare literary usage. In everyday English, 'kiss' or 'touch with the lips' is far more common. This sense appears mainly in older novels or poetic descriptions.
常見錯誤
2. to speak or pronounce words in a quiet or barely audible voice, often by moving
無聲說出
動嘴脣但不出聲地說
to speak or pronounce words in a quiet or barely audible voice, often by moving the lips with little or no sound.
The singer lipped the words silently during the recording to practice the rhythm without disturbing the microphone.
那位歌手在錄音時無聲地動著嘴脣練習歌詞，以免干擾麥克風。
pattern: lip + [word/phrase] — silently mouthing words
From across the crowded party, Orla lipped the words "call me later" to her friend near the door.
在擁擠的派對會場另一端，Orla 對著門邊的朋友無聲地說「晚點打給我」。
文法句型
lip + [words/a phrase]
用法筆記
Used when someone forms words with the lips but produces little or no sound, either because they do not want to be heard or because they cannot produce sound.
常見錯誤
3. to flow gently against a surface — used of waves, water, or other liquids moving
輕拍；輕撫
（水波）輕柔地拍打岸邊
to flow gently against a surface — used of waves, water, or other liquids moving softly along a shoreline, bank, or structure.
The small waves lipped the sandy shore as the sun set over the calm ocean horizon.
輕柔的海浪拍打著沙岸，夕陽在平靜的海平面上緩緩落下。
literary: waves + lip + shore (gentle water movement)
Water from the rising tide lipped against the wooden posts of the old pier near the harbour.
漲潮的海水輕輕拍打著老舊碼頭的木樁。
文法句型
waves/water + lip + [shore/bank/posts]
water lips at/against + [surface]
用法筆記
A poetic or literary alternative to more common verbs like 'lap,' 'wash,' or 'ripple against.' Only used for gentle, soft contact — not for violent waves.
常見錯誤
4. in golf, to hit a putt so that the ball rolls along the edge of the cup but does
擦洞而過
高爾夫球碰到洞口邊緣但未進
in golf, to hit a putt so that the ball rolls along the edge of the cup but does not fall in, staying just outside the hole.
Mateo's putt from twelve feet lipped the cup and rolled two painful inches past the hole.
Mateo 從十二呎外的推桿擦過洞口，滾到了洞旁兩吋的位置，令人扼腕。
domain label: golf — lip + the cup (ball hits the edge but does not drop)
The golf ball lipped the edge of the hole and stopped right on the rim, leaving the crowd groaning.
高爾夫球擦過洞口邊緣後停在洞口邊上，讓圍觀的群眾發出一片嘆息聲。
- rim out
a more common alternative phrase meaning the same thing in golf
- burn the edge
idiomatic golf expression for a putt that comes very close to dropping
- sink
to successfully make the ball fall into the hole
文法句型
lip + [the cup/hole]
the ball/the putt + lips + out/around
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in golf commentary and conversation. The ball 'lips out' when it should have gone in by any reasonable guess. Frustration is the typical emotional context.