mates
mates — 名詞
1. An individual animal that another animal has sex with so that the female can bec
配偶；交配對象
動物的性伴侶
An individual animal that another animal has sex with so that the female can become pregnant and have babies.
A female penguin may spend weeks searching for a suitable mate.
雌企鵝可能會花好幾個星期尋找合適的配偶。
collocation: search for a mate
During mating season, male deer fight each other to win a mate.
在交配季節，雄鹿互相打鬥以贏得交配對象。
collocation: mating season
Some birds perform an elaborate dance to attract a mate.
有些鳥類會跳複雜的舞蹈來吸引伴侶。
The zoo put the two pandas together in the hope they would become mates.
動物園把兩隻熊貓放在一起，希望牠們能成為配偶。
- partner
broader term for either animal or human
- breeding partner
more specific to reproduction context
用法筆記
Primarily used for non-human animals. For humans, 'partner' or 'spouse' is more common.
常見錯誤
2. A person whose company you enjoy and whom you trust, especially someone you spen
朋友；夥伴
經常相處的好友
A person whose company you enjoy and whom you trust, especially someone you spend time with regularly.
Mei and her mates from university meet for coffee every Sunday.
Mei 和她的大學朋友每個週日都會一起喝咖啡。
collocation: mates from [place]
Jack has been my best mate since we were five years old.
Jack 從我們五歲起就是我最好的朋友了。
A group of mates went camping in the mountains over the holiday.
一群朋友在假期間去山上露營。
Omar invited a few mates around to watch the football match.
Omar 邀了幾個朋友到家裡來看足球賽。
The two mates started a small business together after college.
那兩個朋友大學畢業後一起創立了一家小公司。
用法筆記
Very common in British and Australian English. In American English, 'buddy' or 'friend' is preferred.
常見錯誤
3. A friendly word used when speaking directly to a man whose name you do not know.
老兄
對男性的親切稱呼
A friendly word used when speaking directly to a man whose name you do not know.
Excuse me, mate, do you know what time the train leaves?
不好意思，老兄，你知道火車什麼時候開嗎？
opening form of address: excuse me, mate
Thanks for holding the door, mate! called the young man with a smile.
「謝謝你幫忙扶門，朋友！」年輕男子笑著喊道。
The taxi driver turned around and said, Where to, mate?
計程車司機轉過頭來問：「要去哪兒，老兄？」
No problem, mate, the shopkeeper said as he handed over the change.
「沒問題，老兄，」老闆一邊說一邊把零錢遞給他。
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively by men when talking to other men. Can sound odd or overly familiar if used by or to women in most varieties of English.
常見錯誤
4. A person who works beside a skilled professional and carries out the simpler tas
助手；學徒
協助技術工人的幫手
A person who works beside a skilled professional and carries out the simpler tasks the professional assigns.
The electrician arrived with his young mate carrying a bag of tools.
電氣師傅帶着他的年輕助手來了，助手背着一袋工具。
collocation: [skilled worker]'s mate
Lukas worked as a plumber's mate for two years before qualifying on his own.
Lukas 當了兩年的水電工助手，之後才取得資格獨立執業。
A carpenter's mate learns the trade by holding timber and passing tools.
木工的助手透過幫忙拿木頭和遞工具來學習這門手藝。
The builder asked his mate to fetch more bricks from the truck.
建築工叫他的助手去卡車上拿更多磚頭過來。
- assistant
more formal, used in any profession
- helper
less specific, broader range of tasks
- apprentice
implies formal training towards qualification
- master
the skilled worker the mate assists
5. An officer who works on a commercial ship and helps the captain run the vessel.
大副；船副
商船上的高級船員
An officer who works on a commercial ship and helps the captain run the vessel.
The first mate climbed to the bridge to check the radar screen.
大副爬上駕駛台去查看雷達螢幕。
compound: first mate
After ten years at sea, Diego was promoted to ship's mate on a cargo vessel.
在海上工作了十年後，Diego 被晉升為一艘貨船的船副。
The mate ordered the crew to lower the anchor as the ship entered the harbour.
大副命令船員在船隻進港時放下船錨。
Every morning the mate inspected the cargo holds for signs of leaks.
每天早上大副都會檢查貨艙是否有滲漏的跡象。
- first officer
more modern term on commercial ships
- deck officer
broader term for any officer on deck duty
用法筆記
Often used in compounds like 'first mate' or 'ship's mate'. Not used for military ships, where 'lieutenant' or 'ensign' are the standard terms.
6. A hot drink made by pouring hot water onto the dried leaves of a South American
馬黛茶
南美洲的草本茶飲
A hot drink made by pouring hot water onto the dried leaves of a South American plant, popular in countries such as Argentina and Paraguay.
In Argentina, families often share a gourd of mate during afternoon breaks.
在阿根廷，家人常常在下午休息時間一起分享一葫蘆馬黛茶。
collocation: share a gourd of mate
Amara tried mate for the first time at a cafe in Buenos Aires and loved the earthy taste.
Amara 在布宜諾斯艾利斯的一家咖啡館第一次嘗試馬黛茶，很喜歡那種泥土般的風味。
The hikers carried a flask of hot mate to keep warm on the mountain trail.
登山客帶了一壺熱馬黛茶，以便在山路上保暖。
A traditional mate cup is made from a hollowed-out gourd and drunk through a metal straw.
傳統的馬黛茶杯是用挖空的葫蘆製成的，並透過金屬吸管飲用。
- yerba mate
the name of the plant, also used for the drink
- mate
accented spelling preferred in Spanish-influenced contexts
- Paraguayan tea
descriptive name, less common
用法筆記
Also spelled 'mate' with an accent to distinguish it from other meanings of 'mate'. The plant it comes from is yerba mate.
mates — 動詞
1. When two animals come together to have sex so that the female can become pregnan
交配；配種
動物為繁殖而結合
When two animals come together to have sex so that the female can become pregnant and produce young; or when a person makes animals do this for a specific purpose.
Lions usually mate after the female signals that she is ready.
獅子通常在母獅發出準備好的信號後才交配。
intransitive: [animal] + mate
The farmer mated his best sheep with a prize ram from a neighbouring farm.
農夫讓他最好的母羊與鄰近農場的一隻得獎公羊配種。
transitive: farmer + mated + [animal] + with + [animal]
These rare butterflies only mate during a short window in early summer.
這些稀有蝴蝶只在初夏的短暫時段內交配。
The zookeepers decided to mate the two giant pandas to help increase the population.
動物管理員決定讓兩隻大貓熊配種，以幫助增加族群數量。
Bald eagles mate for life and return to the same nest year after year.
白頭海鵰終生只與同一個伴侶交配，每年都會回到同一個巢穴。
文法句型
mate + with + noun
用法筆記
Used for animals. For humans, 'have sex', 'make love', or formal 'copulate' are the usual terms. 'Mate' for humans sounds scientific or humorous.