nerves
nerves — 名詞
1. the thin, thread-like parts of the body that carry electrical signals between th
神經
傳遞腦部與身體訊號的纖維束
the thin, thread-like parts of the body that carry electrical signals between the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body, allowing you to feel sensations, move your muscles, and control your organs
The surgeon carefully repaired the damaged nerve in Diego's wrist after the motorcycle accident.
Diego 車禍後，外科醫生仔細修復了他手腕上受損的神經。
A pinched nerve in her lower back caused Nia sharp pain whenever she bent down.
Nia 下背部一條神經受到壓迫，每次彎腰都感到劇痛。
common collocations: pinched nerve, damaged nerve
Each nerve in the body contains bundles of axons wrapped in protective tissue.
人體內的每一條神經都由成束的軸突構成，外面包覆著保護性組織層。
The dentist injected a numbing agent near the nerve so Beatriz would not feel pain.
牙醫在 Beatriz 的神經附近注射了麻醉藥，讓她整個療程都不會感到疼痛。
- neuron
a single nerve cell; more technical and specific than 'nerve', which refers to the whole fiber bundle
用法筆記
The anatomical sense is usually countable ("one nerve", "several nerves") and appears in medical or scientific contexts. The figurative senses below are uncountable or fixed phrases.
常見錯誤
2. a feeling of worry, fear, or unease that you experience before or during a stres
緊張；焦慮
重要事件前的擔憂或不安
a feeling of worry, fear, or unease that you experience before or during a stressful event, such as an exam, a performance, or an important meeting
The night before her piano recital, Ava could not fall asleep because of nerves.
Ava 在鋼琴演奏會的前一晚緊張得睡不著覺。
Rania took three deep breaths, and her nerves gradually began to settle.
Rania 做了三次深呼吸，緊張的心情才漸漸平復下來。
collocation: calm / settle one's nerves
Examiners know that candidates often suffer from nerves during driving tests and make allowances.
考官都知道考生在路考時常會緊張，因此會給予一些寬容。
Lukas's nerves got the better of him, and he forgot his prepared speech.
Lukas 因為太緊張，結果忘了原本準備好要說的話。
A warm cup of tea helped calm Esme's nerves before her big presentation.
Esme 喝了一杯熱茶安撫緊張的情緒，準備迎接重要簡報。
- nervousness
more formal; describes the feeling itself rather than the state of having it
- anxiety
broader and more clinical; can refer to long-term worry, not just pre-event jitters
- butterflies
informal; describes the fluttering feeling in the stomach rather than the general state
- calm
the opposite emotional state — peace and relaxation
用法筆記
Always plural in form when referring to anxiety ("my nerves were bad"), but takes a plural verb ("his nerves were frayed"). Used in fixed expressions: "suffer from nerves", "a case of nerves", "calm / steady one's nerves".
常見錯誤
3. the ability to keep a calm state of mind and not panic when facing danger, inten
沉著；鎮定
壓力下保持冷靜的能力
the ability to keep a calm state of mind and not panic when facing danger, intense pressure, or a difficult situation — shown especially in the fixed phrase "nerves of steel"
The firefighter kept her nerves steady as she carried the child down the burning ladder.
那位消防員保持鎮定，沿著燃燒的梯子把受傷的孩子抱了下來。
Omar has nerves of steel; he stayed completely calm when the plane hit turbulence.
Omar 有鋼鐵般的沉著，飛機遭遇亂流時他始終保持冷靜。
fixed phrase: nerves of steel
It takes strong nerves to work as an emergency doctor and make life-or-death decisions.
當急診醫生需要強大的沉著力，每個輪班都得做出生死攸關的決定。
The chess grandmaster's nerves never wavered, even when she was two pawns behind.
那位西洋棋特級大師始終沉著冷靜，即使落後兩顆兵也沒有動搖。
- panic
a sudden loss of control opposite to steady nerves
用法筆記
This sense refers to stamina and emotional resilience rather than fear. The phrase "nerves of steel" is the most common expression. Unlike sense 2 (anxiety), this sense describes a positive quality — the ability to stay composed under pressure.
常見錯誤
4. rude or shocking confidence; the willingness to say or do something that most pe
膽量；厚臉皮
敢於做出冒犯他人之事的自信
rude or shocking confidence; the willingness to say or do something that most people would find annoying, disrespectful, or unreasonable
Kwame had the nerve to say his boss's new policy was a waste of time.
Kwame 竟敢對經理說新政策完全是浪費時間。
pattern: have the nerve + to-infinitive (criticising)
Mira had the nerve to show up at the party after insulting the host.
Mira 侮辱了主人之後還有臉出現在派對上，真令人不敢相信。
The customer had the nerve to demand a refund on a dress worn twice.
那位顧客竟敢要求把一件穿過兩次的洋裝全額退款。
You have a lot of nerve, criticising my cooking when you cannot cook yourself.
你批評我做的菜，卻連一顆蛋都沒煮過，你的臉皮還真厚。
- timidity
lack of confidence or courage — the opposite of boldness
文法句型
have the nerve + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Almost always used in the construction "have the nerve (to do something)" or "have a lot of nerve". Strongly negative or disapproving — the speaker is expressing annoyance at the person's boldness. Not used in positive contexts ("good nerve" is wrong for this sense).
常見錯誤
5. a subject or topic that causes a strong emotional reaction, such as anger, embar
痛處；罩門
會引起強烈情緒反應的主題
a subject or topic that causes a strong emotional reaction, such as anger, embarrassment, pain, or defensiveness, especially when it reminds someone of something unpleasant
The comedian's joke about local politics clearly struck a nerve with the audience.
那位喜劇演員拿當地政治開玩笑，顯然戳到了觀眾的痛處。
fixed phrase: strike a nerve
When David mentioned the layoffs, he hit a nerve with colleagues who were still worried.
David 提起近期的裁員，觸到了同事們還在擔憂的敏感神經。
fixed phrase: hit a nerve
Asking about her divorce touched a raw nerve, so Elena quickly changed the subject.
Elena 一被問到離婚的事就觸到了痛處，她趕緊轉移話題。
The article about rising rents struck a nerve among long-time residents of the neighbourhood.
那篇關於租金上漲的文章，深深觸動了社區老住戶的敏感神經。
- sore point
a topic someone finds embarrassing or painful to discuss
- sensitive topic
neutral description; a subject that requires careful handling
- safe topic
a subject that does not cause any emotional reaction
文法句型
hit / strike / touch a nerve
用法筆記
Most commonly appears in the verb phrases "hit a nerve", "strike a nerve", or "touch a nerve". The variation "touch a raw nerve" implies the person is already sensitive about the topic. The subject of the verb is typically a comment, joke, question, or article — something someone says or writes.