matrix

/ˈmeɪtrɪks/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmeɪtrɪks/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmā-triks/ (ame, mw)

matrix — 名詞

  • matrixsingular
  • matricesplural

1. the set of social, political, or cultural conditions that surround and influence

1.名詞B2
釋義

環境；背景

事物形成或發展的條件體系

the set of social, political, or cultural conditions that surround and influence the way a person, group, or thing develops over time.

例句

The country's legal matrix made it difficult for small businesses to succeed.

該國的法律環境使得小型企業難以成功。

collocation: legal matrix / social matrix / cultural matrix

Élise grew up within a complex cultural matrix shaped by three different traditions.

Élise 在一個由三種不同傳統塑造的複雜文化環境中長大。

同義詞
  • context

    more general and less formal; can refer to any surrounding circumstances, not necessarily developmental

  • framework

    emphasises structure and organisation more than the surrounding conditions themselves

  • environment

    broader in meaning; can include physical surroundings as well as abstract conditions

  • setting

    more concrete; often refers to a specific place or time rather than abstract conditions

文法句型

matrix of [something]

用法筆記

Subject of the sentence is typically an abstract entity such as culture, politics, society, or law. This sense is most common in academic or formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌The social matrix of the community was very strong.
✅The social environment of the community was very strong.
💡Use 'social environment' instead of 'social matrix' when you mean a supportive community rather than a set of conditions for growth.

2. a rectangular grouping of numbers or symbols laid out in a grid pattern, used in

2.名詞B1
釋義

矩陣

數字或符號排列成的矩形陣列

a rectangular grouping of numbers or symbols laid out in a grid pattern, used in mathematics for calculations that involve several values at once.

例句

The data scientist arranged the survey results into a matrix to look for patterns.

資料科學家將調查結果排列成一個矩陣，以尋找其中的模式。

In class, Andrés learned how to multiply two matrices together using a formula.

在課堂上，Andrés 學會如何用公式將兩個矩陣相乘。

plural: matrices (standard); not matrixes

同義詞
  • array

    often used in computing and programming to mean a similar rectangular structure, though arrays can have more than two dimensions

  • grid

    less formal; refers to any criss-cross arrangement and does not carry the same mathematical operations

文法句型

[number] × [number] matrix

matrix of [numbers / symbols]

用法筆記

The most common plural form is 'matrices' (pronounced /ˈmeɪtrɪsiːz/), following the Latin plural. 'Matrixes' is accepted but much less common. This sense appears frequently in secondary-school and university-level mathematics.

常見錯誤

❌I drew a matrix with a graph.
✅I drew a matrix with rows and columns.
💡A matrix is an array of values, not a graph or chart.

3. a natural or manufactured material that surrounds, holds, or contains other item

3.名詞B2
釋義

基質；母岩

包埋或容納其他物質的材料

a natural or manufactured material that surrounds, holds, or contains other items, such as minerals, fossils, crystals, or biological cells.

例句

The fossil was buried inside a matrix of fine-grained limestone for millions of years.

這塊化石被埋藏在細粒石灰岩的基質中長達數百萬年。

collocation: rock matrix / limestone matrix

In connective tissue, cells are spread through a matrix of collagen fibres.

在結締組織中，細胞散布在膠原纖維形成的基質之間。

domain: biology — extracellular matrix

同義詞
  • substrate

    more specific to biology and geology; implies a surface or layer that lies underneath

  • medium

    can mean the same but is broader; used in art, biology, and communications

  • groundmass

    a specialised geology term for the fine-grained part of a rock containing larger crystals

文法句型

matrix of [substance]

用法筆記

In biology, 'extracellular matrix' is a fixed term referring to the web of proteins and other molecules outside animal cells. In geology, 'matrix' refers to the fine-grained rock material that surrounds larger crystals, fossils, or gemstones.