mercury

/ˈmɜː.kjə.ri/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɚkjɚi] /ˈmɝː.kjə.ri/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɚkjɚi] /ˈmər-kyə-rē -k(ə-)rē/ (ame, mw)

mercury — 名詞

1. a poisonous silver metal that stays liquid at room temperature and was once used

1.名詞B1
釋義

汞；水銀

常溫下呈液態的銀色毒金屬

a poisonous silver metal that stays liquid at room temperature and was once used in thermometers, switches, and some batteries.

例句

The broken thermometer leaked mercury onto the bathroom floor.

壞掉的溫度計把水銀漏到了浴室地板上。

common context: mercury inside a thermometer

Workers wore thick gloves while moving the old jar of mercury.

工人搬動那罐舊水銀時，都戴著厚手套。

handle mercury carefully because it is dangerous

同義詞
  • quicksilver

    an older or more literary name for the same metal

文法句型

contain mercury

mercury in [object]

mercury thermometer

用法筆記

Usually uncountable when it means the substance itself. In modern everyday use, people most often meet the word in safety warnings, science classes, and names such as mercury thermometer.

常見錯誤

❌The old thermometer contains a mercury.
✅The old thermometer contains mercury.
💡When you mean the substance, mercury is normally uncountable.

2. the smallest planet in our solar system and the one that travels nearest to the

2.名詞A2
釋義

水星

最靠近太陽的行星

the smallest planet in our solar system and the one that travels nearest to the Sun.

例句

Bao read that Mercury goes around the Sun in only eighty-eight days.

Bao 讀到，水星繞太陽一圈只要八十八天。

Mercury goes around the Sun very quickly

Before sunrise, Christopher saw Mercury low in the eastern sky.

日出前，Christopher 看見水星低低地掛在東方天空。

Mercury appears low in the sky before sunrise

文法句型

Mercury + verb (third person singular)

on Mercury

surface of Mercury

用法筆記

Usually written with a capital M when it names the planet. In school science, Mercury is grouped with the rocky inner planets rather than the gas giants.

常見錯誤

❌Mercury is the closest star to the Sun.
✅Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
💡Mercury is a planet, not a star.

3. according to ancient Roman stories, the god Mercury carried messages for the oth

3.名詞B1
釋義

墨丘利

羅馬神話中的商旅與傳信之神

according to ancient Roman stories, the god Mercury carried messages for the other gods and was linked with trade, travel, and clever theft.

例句

In the painting, Mercury is shown with winged sandals and a staff.

在那幅畫裡，墨丘利被畫成穿著有翅膀的涼鞋，手裡拿著一根杖。

common image: Mercury with winged sandals

Traders prayed to Mercury before starting the journey home.

商人出發回家前，會先向墨丘利祈禱。

pray to Mercury before a trip

同義詞
  • Hermes

    the Greek god who most closely matches Mercury

文法句型

Mercury + verb (third person singular)

pray to Mercury

statue of Mercury

用法筆記

Usually capitalized and mostly used in discussions of Roman mythology, art, or literature. The closest Greek equivalent is Hermes.

常見錯誤

❌Mercury is a Greek god.
✅Mercury is a Roman god.
💡The similar Greek god is Hermes.