normal
/ˈnɔːml/ (bre, ipa) · [nˈɔrməl] /ˈnɔːrml/ (ame, ipa) · [nˈɔrməl] /ˈnȯr-məl/ (ame, mw)
normal — 形容詞
- normalpositive
- more normalcomparative
- most normalsuperlative
1. matching what people usually expect, so it does not seem strange or surprising.
正常的
符合一般情況或預期
matching what people usually expect, so it does not seem strange or surprising.
After two weeks of rain, a sunny day finally felt normal again.
下了兩週的雨後，終於出了太陽，感覺又恢復正常了。
It is normal for babies to wake up several times at night.
嬰兒晚上醒來好幾次是很正常的。
it is normal for + person + to-infinitive
When the power came back, the office returned to its normal routine.
電力恢復後，辦公室也恢復了正常作息。
Jack gave a short laugh, as if the awkward silence were completely normal.
Jack 輕笑了一下，好像那段尷尬的沉默也算正常。
文法句型
be normal
it is normal for someone to do something
normal routine
用法筆記
Often used after 'be' to describe what people expect in a situation. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about what feels ordinary, not about health or body function.
常見錯誤
2. in good physical or mental condition, without illness, damage, or a worrying pro
健康的
身心狀況沒有異常
in good physical or mental condition, without illness, damage, or a worrying problem.
After a month of rest, Daniel's knee looked normal again and he could climb stairs.
休息一個月後，Daniel 的膝蓋看起來又恢復正常，他也能爬樓梯了。
The doctor said Ziad's heart sounds were normal during the checkup.
醫生說，Ziad 的心音在這次檢查中是正常的。
normal with medical test or examination results
Trang felt relieved when the blood test results came back normal.
當血液檢查結果顯示正常時，Trang 鬆了一口氣。
Samir's temperature was normal by morning, so he went to school.
到了早上，Samir 的體溫已經恢復正常，所以他去上學了。
文法句型
be normal
come back normal
return to normal
用法筆記
Common with nouns like 'temperature', 'heartbeat', 'breathing', and 'results'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense judges health or body function, not what feels usual in daily life.
常見錯誤
3. produced by nature rather than by human change, or happening in the way natural
自然的
由自然形成或合乎規律
produced by nature rather than by human change, or happening in the way natural laws predict.
The scientist explained that the shaking was a normal result of pressure below the ground.
那位科學家解釋說，這種震動是地下壓力造成的自然結果。
a normal result of for an effect produced by natural forces
Bright green skin is normal for this frog in the wild.
這種青蛙在野外本來就是亮綠色的。
Warm air rising after sunrise is a normal part of the daily weather cycle.
日出後暖空氣上升，是每日天氣循環中自然的一部分。
The guide said the cave smell was normal and not caused by pollution.
導覽員說，洞穴裡的氣味很自然，不是污染造成的。
- artificial
made or changed by human action
- man-made
everyday phrase for something created by people
文法句型
a normal result of
normal in the wild
normal part of
用法筆記
Used mainly in science or nature contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense explains what happens naturally, not what society or daily life expects.
4. close to the average, or inside the range treated as ordinary in a set of measur
平均的
接近統計上的一般值
close to the average, or inside the range treated as ordinary in a set of measurements.
Children in the study scored within the normal range for reading speed.
在這項研究中，孩子們的閱讀速度分數都落在正常範圍內。
within the normal range in statistics or measurement
The rainfall this month was normal for the coast, not unusually wet.
這個月的雨量對沿海地區來說屬於正常，並沒有特別潮濕。
Sales in April rose above normal after the music festival opened.
音樂節開始後，四月的銷售額升到高於一般水準。
The chart showed most values staying inside the normal range all week.
圖表顯示，大多數數值整週都維持在正常範圍內。
文法句型
within the normal range
above normal
normal for + group
用法筆記
Usually appears with data, scores, temperatures, rainfall, and other measured values. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about averages and ranges, not about whether a body is healthy.
常見錯誤
5. meeting another line, curve, or surface at a right angle.
垂直的
與另一線面成直角
meeting another line, curve, or surface at a right angle.
The mirror should be normal to the table so the light reflects straight up.
鏡子應該與桌面垂直，這樣光線才會直直往上反射。
be normal to for a ninety-degree relationship
Engineers checked whether the metal rod was normal to the surface.
工程師檢查那根金屬桿是否與表面垂直。
On the diagram, the short blue arrow is normal to the red line.
在圖上，那支短短的藍色箭頭與紅線垂直。
If the fence is normal to the path, the corner will look square.
如果圍欄與小路垂直，轉角看起來就會是方正的。
- perpendicular
the standard and more common mathematical word
- parallel
describes lines or surfaces that keep the same distance apart
文法句型
be normal to
normal to the surface
用法筆記
Mostly used in technical writing, especially with the pattern 'normal to'. Distinguish from noun sense 3, which names the line itself rather than describing its angle.
normal — 名詞
1. the condition or level that people treat as ordinary and acceptable.
常態
一般被視為正常的狀態
the condition or level that people treat as ordinary and acceptable.
After the storm, buses and shops were back to normal by Monday morning.
暴風雨過後，到了星期一早上，公車和商店都恢復常態了。
back to normal for returning to an ordinary state
Working from home has become the new normal for many offices.
對許多辦公室來說，在家工作已經成了新的常態。
the new normal for a changed usual situation
It took Ilan weeks to feel that family life was returning to normal.
Ilan 花了好幾週，才覺得家裡的生活慢慢回到常態。
For the team, late-night video meetings became the normal during the project.
對這個團隊來說，在專案期間深夜開視訊會議變成了常態。
文法句型
back to normal
return to normal
the new normal
用法筆記
Most often appears in the fixed phrases 'back to normal', 'return to normal', and 'the new normal'. When used after 'return to', no article is added before 'normal'.
常見錯誤
2. a person seen as ordinary and not strange, especially when compared with people
正常人
被視為普通不怪的人
a person seen as ordinary and not strange, especially when compared with people who stand out.
Obi said college students seemed like normals after his circus childhood.
Obi 說，在他那種馬戲團背景下，大學生看起來都像正常人。
normals for ordinary people contrasted with unusual ones
The film follows two teenagers who just want to look like normals at school.
這部電影講的是兩個青少年只想在學校看起來像正常人。
look like a normal for blending in socially
At the costume party, Justin was the only normal in jeans and a T-shirt.
在化裝舞會上，穿著牛仔褲和 T 恤的 Justin 是唯一一個正常人。
Nellie laughed that her artist friends think anyone with a desk job is a normal.
Nellie 笑說，她那些搞藝術的朋友覺得有辦公桌工作的人都是正常人。
- ordinary person
more neutral and much more common
- average person
focuses on being typical rather than fitting in socially
文法句型
a normal
look like a normal
用法筆記
Informal and often slightly humorous or dismissive. Distinguish from noun sense 1: this sense names a person, while sense 1 names an ordinary state or condition.
3. a line drawn at a right angle to a curve or surface at a chosen point.
法線
與曲線或表面成直角的線
a line drawn at a right angle to a curve or surface at a chosen point.
Draw the normal from point P to the curve before you measure the angle.
在量角度之前，先從 P 點向曲線畫出法線。
draw the normal to + curve in geometry
The teacher marked the normal in blue and the tangent in red.
老師用藍色標出法線，用紅色標出切線。
normal contrasted with tangent
Engineers measured the force along the normal to the metal surface.
工程師沿著金屬表面的法線方向測量那股力。
On this graph, each normal meets the curve at only one point.
在這張圖上，每一條法線都只在一個點與曲線相交。
- perpendicular
broader term; it can describe either a line or an angle relationship
- tangent
in geometry, a tangent touches a curve without crossing it at that point
文法句型
draw the normal
the normal to + curve or surface
用法筆記
A mathematics and physics term. It usually appears with 'to' or 'from' to show which curve or surface the line is related to.