neat
/niːt/ (bre, ipa) · [nˈit] /niːt/ (ame, ipa) · [nˈit] /ˈnēt/ (ame, mw)
neat — 形容詞
- neatpositive
- neatercomparative
- neatestsuperlative
1. clean and well arranged, with things where they should be.
整潔的
地方或物品乾淨有條理
clean and well arranged, with things where they should be.
Yumi's bedroom stayed neat even during the busy week before exams.
考試前忙了一整週，Yumi 的臥室還是很整潔。
be + neat for a room or space
Theo stacked the lunch boxes in neat rows on the kitchen shelf.
Theo 把午餐盒整齊地疊成幾排，放在廚房架上。
neat + rows
After the cleaner left, the office looked neat and ready for Monday morning.
清潔人員離開後，辦公室看起來整潔，也準備好迎接週一早晨。
Jessica kept her notes neat by writing one idea on each line.
Jessica 每行只寫一個重點，讓筆記保持整潔。
文法句型
neat + noun
be + neat
keep + noun + neat
用法筆記
Common for rooms, desks, handwriting, and similar things that look orderly. Distinguish from sense 2, which describes a person's habit rather than the state of an object or place.
常見錯誤
2. liking to keep yourself and the space around you carefully arranged and clean.
愛整潔的
形容人習慣把自己和周圍整理好
liking to keep yourself and the space around you carefully arranged and clean.
Padma is so neat that she folds every shopping bag before storing it.
Padma 很愛整潔，連購物袋收起來前都會先折好。
be + neat for a person's habit
Brian stayed neat on the camping trip and washed his cup after every meal.
Brian 去露營時仍然很愛整潔，每餐後都會把杯子洗乾淨。
Amelia was a neat child who lined her pencils up by colour.
Amelia 小時候就很愛整潔，會按顏色把鉛筆排好。
Walid looks neat at work because he checks his shirt and shoes each morning.
Walid 上班時看起來總是很整潔，因為他每天早上都會檢查襯衫和鞋子。
- tidy
common everyday word for a person who likes order
- orderly
a little more formal; suggests consistent habits
- fastidious
formal; stresses being very careful about details and cleanliness
文法句型
be + neat
a neat + person/child
stay + neat
用法筆記
Focuses on a regular personal habit, not just one clean result. Distinguish from sense 1: a desk can be neat even if the person is not usually neat.
常見錯誤
3. good or pleasing in a way that makes you react positively.
很棒的
口語中表示很好、令人喜歡
good or pleasing in a way that makes you react positively.
That is a neat idea for keeping wet shoes by the back door.
這是個很棒的點子，可以把濕鞋子放在後門邊。
a neat + idea
Nora showed us a neat trick for opening jars with a rubber band.
Nora 教了我們一個很棒的小技巧，用橡皮筋就能打開罐子。
a neat + trick
The museum's new app is neat and easy to use on the bus.
那個博物館的新 app 很棒，在公車上也很好用。
The science show was neat, especially when the paper rocket flew across the hall.
那場科學秀真棒，尤其是紙火箭飛過大廳的時候。
文法句型
be + neat
a neat + idea/trick
用法筆記
Mainly conversational and often used to show friendly approval. Distinguish from sense 5, where 'neat' praises how cleverly something is done rather than simply saying you like it.
常見錯誤
4. served or drunk with nothing else added, especially no water, ice, or another dr
純飲的
酒不加水、冰或其他飲料
served or drunk with nothing else added, especially no water, ice, or another drink.
Rafael drinks his whisky neat after dinner instead of adding ice.
Rafael 晚餐後喝威士忌時都喝純飲，不加冰。
drink + alcohol + neat
The bartender served the brandy neat in a small glass beside the fire.
酒保在火爐旁用小杯端上純飲的白蘭地。
serve + alcohol + neat
Chiara ordered tequila neat because she wanted to taste the full flavour.
Chiara 點了純飲的龍舌蘭，因為她想喝出完整風味。
At the tasting class, each guest tried the rum neat before mixing a cocktail.
在品酒課上，每位客人都先把蘭姆酒純飲，再調雞尾酒。
文法句型
drink + [alcohol] + neat
serve + [alcohol] + neat
order + [alcohol] + neat
用法筆記
Used almost only with strong alcoholic drinks. Distinguish from adverb 2: this sense describes the drink itself, while adverb 2 describes the way someone drinks it.
常見錯誤
5. showing skill through a simple, effective idea, action, or result.
巧妙的
做法簡單卻顯得聰明有效
showing skill through a simple, effective idea, action, or result.
Christopher came up with a neat way to stop the drawer from sliding open.
Christopher 想出一個巧妙的方法，讓抽屜不再自己滑開。
a neat way to + verb
Layla's neat summary turned three pages of notes into one clear chart.
Layla 那份巧妙的摘要，把三頁筆記整理成一張清楚的圖表。
a neat + summary
The engineer made a neat repair using only tape and a short wire.
工程師只用膠帶和一小段電線，就做了巧妙的修理。
Eli found a neat solution, since one hook held both coats and umbrellas.
Eli 找到一個巧妙的解法，一個掛鉤就能同時掛外套和雨傘。
文法句型
a neat + solution/idea
be + neat
用法筆記
Often praises how efficiently something is done with very little effort or material. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 is a broad reaction of approval, while this sense specifically highlights smart execution.
常見錯誤
6. small and pleasing in shape or style, with a simple attractive look.
小巧的
體積不大，外形簡潔好看
small and pleasing in shape or style, with a simple attractive look.
Joshua and Lisa rented a neat cottage with blue shutters near the harbour.
Joshua 和 Lisa 租了一間小巧的村舍，藍色百葉窗就在港口附近。
a neat + cottage
Evelyn wore a neat silver watch that matched her school uniform.
Evelyn 戴著一只小巧的銀錶，和她的制服很相配。
a neat + object
The baker tied the box with a neat bow before handing it to Amelia.
麵包師把盒子綁上一個小巧的蝴蝶結，才交給 Amelia。
From the hill, we could see a neat village beside the river.
從山坡上看下去，我們能看見河邊一座小巧的村落。
文法句型
a neat + little + noun
a neat + noun
用法筆記
Often appears before small physical objects, buildings, or details that look pleasing without being showy. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about attractive shape or style, not tidiness.
常見錯誤
neat — 副詞
1. in an orderly and tidy way.
整齊地
以整潔有條理的方式
in an orderly and tidy way.
Please stack the chairs neat against the wall before the parents arrive.
家長來之前，請把椅子整齊地靠牆疊好。
stack + noun + neat
Mauricio folded the tablecloth neat and placed it back in the drawer.
Mauricio 把桌布整齊地折好，再放回抽屜裡。
fold + noun + neat
The shop assistant lined the scarves up neat by colour and size.
店員把圍巾依顏色和尺寸整齊地排好。
Before noon, the porter laid the folded towels neat on each bed.
中午前，服務員把摺好的毛巾整齊地放在每張床上。
文法句型
verb + neat
line/fold/stack + noun + neat
用法筆記
This use is marked and less common than 'neatly' in modern standard English. It survives mainly in speech after verbs like 'stack', 'fold', or 'line up'.
常見錯誤
2. with no water, ice, or other drink added.
純飲
喝烈酒時不加水、冰或其他飲料
with no water, ice, or other drink added.
Stefan always takes his gin neat when he wants to judge the flavour.
Stefan 想判斷風味時，總是把琴酒純飲。
take + alcohol + neat
At home, Darius drinks bourbon neat while he listens to old jazz records.
Darius 在家聽老爵士樂時，會把波本威士忌純飲。
drink + alcohol + neat
The guide advised us to taste the local plum brandy neat first.
導遊建議我們先把當地的梅子白蘭地純飲一口。
Lisa never orders rum neat at lunch because the taste is too strong.
Lisa 午餐時從不把蘭姆酒純飲，因為味道太烈。
文法句型
drink + [alcohol] + neat
take + [alcohol] + neat
用法筆記
Most often follows verbs like 'drink', 'take', 'order', or 'taste'. Distinguish from adjective 4, which describes the drink as a thing rather than the way a person has it.
常見錯誤
neat — 名詞
1. cattle considered as farm animals, especially in old or historical language.
牛隻
古用法，指家養的牛群或牛隻
cattle considered as farm animals, especially in old or historical language.
The farmer moved his neat to higher ground before the river flooded.
河水快漲上來前，農夫先把牛隻趕到較高的地方。
move + neat
Old tax records listed thirty neat and twelve sheep on the estate.
舊稅務紀錄列出這座莊園有三十頭牛隻和十二隻羊。
count/list + neat
In the village market, traders sold neat beside pigs and goats.
在村裡的市集上，商人把牛隻和豬羊一起出售。
The law once counted horses, sheep, and neat as separate property.
那條舊法規把馬、羊和牛隻分開計算為不同財產。
- cattle
the normal modern word
- bovine stock
technical farming phrase, not everyday language
文法句型
count/list + neat
move/sell + neat
用法筆記
This sense is old-fashioned and mainly appears in historical writing, law, or farming records. Modern everyday English normally uses 'cattle' instead.