menfolk
/ˈmenfəʊk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmenfəʊk/ (ame, ipa)
menfolk — 名詞
1. The adult male members of a single household or family — such as fathers, sons,
家中男性
特定家庭中的成年男子
The adult male members of a single household or family — such as fathers, sons, and brothers living together — considered specifically as the male side of that home.
The menfolk in the Minho family mow the lawn and trim the hedges every Saturday.
Minho 一家中的男性每週六負責修剪草坪和整理樹籬。
collocation: menfolk in [family name] family
Jenna's grandmother said the menfolk of their clan caught enough salmon to feed the village.
Jenna 的祖母說他們家族的男性捕到的鮭魚足以養活整個村子。
possessive: menfolk of [group]
At the family reunion, the menfolk grilled the meat while the children set the tables.
在家族團聚時，家中男性負責烤肉，孩子們則擺放桌椅。
Ravindra's father said the menfolk eat dinner together at the round table every night.
Ravindra 的父親說家中的男性每晚都在圓桌旁共進晚餐。
- male relatives
more general; includes all male family members by blood or marriage
- men
simpler and more neutral; menfolk adds a slightly old-fashioned, collective nuance
- womenfolk
parallel term for the female members of a family or community
文法句型
used as a plural noun
用法筆記
Often used alongside womenfolk to contrast the male and female members of a family or community. Can sound old-fashioned in some contexts.
常見錯誤
2. Men considered broadly as a whole group, without reference to a specific family
男人們
泛指所有男性群體
Men considered broadly as a whole group, without reference to a specific family or community.
In many old tales, the menfolk go out to hunt while the women stay home.
在許多古老的故事中，男人們外出打獵，而女人則待在家裡。
The documentary showed menfolk in rural Japan moving from farms to factory work by 2020.
這部紀錄片呈現了日本鄉村的男性在2020年前如何從務農轉為工廠工作。
collocation: menfolk in [region]; historical timeframe
In the frontier settlement, the menfolk chopped firewood, ploughed fields, and stood guard at night.
在邊境聚落，男性負責劈柴、犁田，並在夜間站崗。
Lien borrowed a book about Egyptian menfolk who worked as scribes and pyramid builders.
Lien 借了一本關於埃及男性擔任書記官和金字塔建造者的書。
- womenfolk
parallel term for women as a broad group
文法句型
used as a plural noun
用法筆記
Tends to appear in discussions of traditional gender roles or historical contexts. Less common in everyday modern speech.
3. The adult male members of a wider community, village, or social circle — rather
社群男子
特定社群或團體的成年男性
The adult male members of a wider community, village, or social circle — rather than a single household — emphasising their role in the life of the broader group.
The menfolk of the Patel community meet every Sunday to talk about local issues.
Patel 社群的男性每個星期天都會聚在一起討論地方事務。
collocation: menfolk of [community]
When the storm hit, the menfolk from nearby farms came to fix the school roof.
暴風雨來襲時，附近農場的男性都來修理學校的屋頂。
Jabari's uncle said the menfolk hauled river stones to build the first bridge by hand.
Jabari 的叔叔說，鎮上的男性搬運河邊石頭，徒手建造了第一座橋。
The menfolk of the fishing village set out to sea before sunrise.
漁村的男性在日出前就出海了。
- men of the community
more formal and explicit about the social group
- male members
more neutral; lacks the slightly old-fashioned feel of menfolk
- womenfolk
parallel term for the female members of a community
文法句型
used as a plural noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense emphasises belonging to a community or social group rather than solely a household.