mortal
mortal — 形容詞
- mortalpositive
- more mortalcomparative
- most mortalsuperlative
1. describes any living creature, especially a person, that has a limited lifespan
必死的
無法永遠存活；終將死亡的
describes any living creature, especially a person, that has a limited lifespan and will eventually die — the opposite of immortal.
Tía Rosa accepted she was mortal as she sorted old photos on her ninety-third birthday.
Tía Rosa 在九十三歲生日那天整理舊照片時，接受了自己終將死亡的事實。
predicative: be + mortal
Grandma Mei-Lin often said that accepting we are mortal helps us cherish each day with family.
Mei-Lin 奶奶常說，接受我們終將死亡的事實，反而能讓我們更珍惜與家人相處的每一天。
predicative: we are mortal
The ancient Greeks believed that even heroes like Achilles were mortal, unlike the gods on Olympus.
古希臘人相信，即使是 Achilles 這樣的英雄也終有一死，不像奧林帕斯山上的眾神。
When Chidi's hamster died, his mother told him all creatures are mortal and death is a natural part of life.
Chidi 的倉鼠死了之後，媽媽告訴他所有生物都會死亡，死亡是生命自然的一部分。
- immortal
not subject to death; used of gods, mythological beings, or concepts that last forever
文法句型
mortal + noun
be + mortal
常見錯誤
2. relating to a wound, injury, illness, or attack that directly causes death.
致命的
導致死亡的；足以致命的
relating to a wound, injury, illness, or attack that directly causes death.
The knight received a mortal wound during the battle and died before the sun set that evening.
那名騎士在戰鬥中受了致命傷，在日落前便去世了。
collocation: mortal wound
Dr. Okafor told Amara's family that the tumour had dealt a mortal blow to her liver function.
Dr. Okafor 告訴 Amara 的家人，腫瘤對她的肝功能造成了致命打擊。
collocation: mortal blow
A snakebite can deliver a mortal dose of venom if the victim does not receive antivenom quickly.
如果傷者未能及時注射血清，蛇咬傷可能注入致命劑量的毒液。
When Dr. Fatima Chen saw internal bleeding on the CT scan, she knew the patient had a mortal injury.
當 Dr. Fatima Chen 在 CT 掃描影像上看到內出血時，她知道這名病人受了致命傷。
- non-fatal
does not cause death; used especially in medical and statistical contexts
文法句型
mortal + noun (wound, blow, injury, danger)
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns that describe injuries or attacks: 'mortal wound', 'mortal blow', 'mortal injury'. In modern medical prose, 'fatal' or 'lethal' is more common than 'mortal'.
常見錯誤
3. so intense that it feels overwhelming — used only with nouns that describe negat
極度的
極其強烈的（專指恐懼、焦慮）
so intense that it feels overwhelming — used only with nouns that describe negative emotions such as fear, terror, or dread.
The hiker felt mortal terror when he heard the bear growling just a few metres away in the trees.
那名健行者聽到幾公尺外的樹叢裡傳來熊的低吼聲，心中湧起極度的恐懼。
collocation: mortal terror
Diego has a mortal fear of flying, so he always takes the train when he travels for work.
Diego對搭飛機有極度的恐懼，所以出遠門時都搭火車。
collocation: mortal fear of + gerund/noun
The villagers lived in mortal dread of the warlord who controlled their valley for twenty years.
村民們二十年來都活在對那個軍閥的極度恐懼之中。
As the walls of the tunnel collapsed around them, the trapped workers experienced a moment of mortal horror.
隧道牆壁在他們周圍崩塌時，被困的工人經歷了極度的驚恐。
- extreme
broader; can describe a wide range of emotions, situations, and measurements
- intense
focuses on the sheer strength of the feeling
- overwhelming
suggests the feeling is too powerful to control or resist
- mild
weak in strength; the opposite of extreme or intense
文法句型
mortal + noun (fear, terror, dread, anxiety)
用法筆記
Only pairs with nouns describing negative emotions — fear, terror, dread, horror, anxiety. You cannot say 'mortal happiness' or 'mortal excitement'.
常見錯誤
4. describes an enemy, opponent, or danger that is so deeply hostile and relentless
極其危險的；不共戴天
極危險且不可和解的（敵人、威脅）
describes an enemy, opponent, or danger that is so deeply hostile and relentless that no compromise or reconciliation is possible.
The Montagues and Capulets were mortal enemies in Shakespeare's tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
在莎士比亞的悲劇《羅密歐與茱麗葉》中，蒙特鳩與卡普萊特兩家是不共戴天的敵人。
collocation: mortal enemy
Crossing the frozen river in early spring put the expedition team in mortal danger.
在早春時節橫渡結冰的河流，使探險隊陷入了極其危險的境地。
collocation: mortal danger
After the rival gang killed his younger brother, Mateo swore the Salazar family would be his mortal enemies for life.
敵對幫派殺害了他的弟弟之後，Mateo 發誓 Salazar 家族終生都是他不共戴天的敵人。
The spreading wildfire posed a mortal threat to every home in the valley below the ridge.
迅速蔓延的野火對山脊下方谷地裡的每一戶人家構成極其危險的威脅。
- deadly
overlaps with sense 2; implies the threat could actually kill
- implacable
cannot be appeased or reconciled; stronger but much more formal
- sworn
used almost exclusively with 'enemy'; suggests a formal or solemn declaration of hostility
- friendly
showing kindness and goodwill; the opposite of hostile
文法句型
mortal + noun (enemy, foe, danger, threat)
用法筆記
Nearly always used with a small set of nouns: 'enemy', 'foe', 'danger', 'threat'. 'Mortal enemy' is the most frequent and implies a lasting, deeply personal hostility that cannot be resolved.
常見錯誤
mortal — 副詞
1. in a way that causes death — used with past participles such as 'wounded' or 'in
致命地；極度
以導致死亡的方式；極其
in a way that causes death — used with past participles such as 'wounded' or 'injured'; also, to an extreme degree — used with adjectives of negative feeling such as 'afraid' or 'offended'.
The soldier was mortally wounded during the night ambush and died before his comrades could reach him.
那名士兵在夜間伏擊中受了致命傷，在戰友趕到他身邊之前就斷氣了。
mortally + past participle (wounded)
Ananya was mortally afraid of public speaking, but she delivered her presentation to the entire board anyway.
Ananya 極度害怕公開演講，但她還是對整個董事會做了簡報。
mortally + adjective (afraid)
The general was mortally offended when his own government accused him of betraying the nation.
當自己的政府指控他叛國時，將軍感到極度地受辱。
Four passengers were mortally injured when the train derailed near the mountain pass outside Kyoto.
列車在京都郊外的山口附近出軌，四名乘客受到致命重傷。
文法句型
mortally + past participle
mortally + adjective
用法筆記
Commonly modifies past-participle verbs ('mortally wounded', 'mortally injured') and adjectives of negative feeling ('mortally afraid', 'mortally offended'). Rare with positive adjectives.
常見錯誤
mortal — 名詞
- mortalsingular
- mortalsplural
1. a regular human being — especially when contrasted with a god, a supernatural be
凡人
普通人，相對於神或有特殊地位者
a regular human being — especially when contrasted with a god, a supernatural being, or someone of extraordinary status or power.
In Greek mythology, the gods often interfered in the lives of mortals purely for their own amusement.
在希臘神話中，眾神常常純粹為了自己的樂趣而干預凡人的生活。
plural: mortals contrasted with gods
Even a mere mortal like Soo-jin managed to beat the chess champion after practising for six months.
就連Soo-jin這樣的平凡人，在練習六個月之後，也打敗了那位西洋棋冠軍。
collocation: mere mortal
The billionaire's private island seemed like a paradise that no ordinary mortal could ever visit.
那位億萬富翁的私人島嶼就像是沒有任何凡人能夠踏足的天堂。
In the film, the superhero struggles to build genuine friendships with the mortals she is sworn to protect.
在電影中，那位超級英雄努力想和她發誓要保護的凡人們建立真摯的友誼。
- human being
more neutral; does not imply a contrast with gods or superhuman beings
- person
everyday word; lacks the philosophical or mythological contrast
文法句型
a/the + mortal
adjective + mortal
mere mortal
用法筆記
Often used with 'mere' for emphasis ('a mere mortal'). Also appears in contrasts: 'gods and mortals'. When no contrast is intended, 'human' or 'person' is more neutral.