occasion

/əˈkeɪʒn/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈkeɪʒn/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈkā-zhən/ (ame, mw) · /əˈkeɪ.ʒən/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈkeɪ.ʒən/ (ame, ipa)

occasion — 名詞

1. one specific moment in the past or future at which a particular event takes plac

1.名詞B2
釋義

場合；時刻

某事發生的特定時間或次數

one specific moment in the past or future at which a particular event takes place, often used to count how many times something has happened.

例句

Mr. Patel has visited the temple on three separate occasions this year.

帕特爾先生今年已分三個不同場合造訪那座寺廟。

on + number + occasions for counting events

On one occasion, Lina forgot her passport at the airport gate.

有一次，琳娜把護照忘在機場登機門口。

on one occasion as a sentence opener

同義詞
  • time

    more general; 'three times' is the everyday equivalent of 'on three occasions'

  • instance

    slightly more formal; emphasises a single example of a wider pattern

  • moment

    stresses the brief duration; less suited to counting

文法句型

on + (number/adjective) + occasion(s)

occasion + when-clause

用法筆記

Almost always paired with 'on' as the preposition, not 'in' or 'at'. Frequently quantified ('on three occasions', 'on every occasion') to count distinct instances of an event.

常見錯誤

❌I met him in two occasions.
✅I met him on two occasions.
💡the fixed preposition is 'on', not 'in' or 'at'.
❌At this occasion he was late.
✅On this occasion he was late.
💡single instances also take 'on'.

2. an important social event such as a wedding, anniversary, or ceremony, where peo

2.名詞B1
釋義

盛事；典禮

婚禮、紀念日等重要的社交場合

an important social event such as a wedding, anniversary, or ceremony, where people gather to mark something meaningful and often dress or act differently from a normal day.

例句

Grandma kept her pearl necklace for special occasions like weddings and graduations.

奶奶把那串珍珠項鍊留到婚禮、畢業典禮等重要場合才戴。

collocation: special occasions + examples

The chef prepared a five-course menu just for the occasion.

主廚特別為這場盛事準備了五道菜的菜單。

for the occasion as adverbial

同義詞
  • event

    broader; an event need not be social or celebratory

  • celebration

    stresses joy; an occasion may also be solemn (a memorial)

  • ceremony

    formal ritual element; an occasion may be informal

文法句型

a + (special/big/formal) + occasion

for the occasion

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the gathering itself (the wedding, the ceremony), while sense 1 names a point in time at which something happens. If you can replace it with 'event' or 'celebration', it is sense 2.

常見錯誤

❌She wore the dress in special occasions.
✅She wore the dress on special occasions.
💡keep the preposition 'on'.
❌My birthday is an occasion of fun.
✅My birthday is a fun occasion.
💡modify with an adjective, not an 'of' phrase.

3. a moment that gives you a fair chance or a good reason to do something, used whe

3.名詞B2
釋義

時機；理由

做某事的合適機會或正當理由

a moment that gives you a fair chance or a good reason to do something, used when the right circumstances finally appear.

例句

The graduation ceremony gave Maya her first occasion to thank her parents in public.

畢業典禮讓瑪雅第一次有機會公開向父母道謝。

occasion + to-infinitive

His resignation provided the perfect occasion for the team to discuss new leadership.

他的辭職正好給了團隊討論新領導人選的好時機。

occasion + for + noun + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • opportunity

    everyday synonym; less formal than 'occasion'

  • chance

    more informal; stresses possibility rather than suitability

  • reason

    matches the 'cause' nuance, especially in negative sentences

文法句型

occasion + to-infinitive

occasion + for + noun

用法筆記

Often appears in negated form ('there is no occasion to / for…') meaning 'there is no good reason'. Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on suitability or reason, not on counting time-points.

常見錯誤

❌I had no occasion of complaining.
✅I had no occasion to complain.
💡follow with a to-infinitive, not 'of + -ing'.
❌This is the occasion for to celebrate.
✅This is the occasion to celebrate.' / 'This is the occasion for celebration.
💡pick one structure, not both prepositions.

4. in the fixed adverb phrase 'on occasion', meaning that something happens from ti

4.名詞C2
釋義

偶爾；有時

片語on occasion，偶爾發生

in the fixed adverb phrase 'on occasion', meaning that something happens from time to time but is not a regular habit.

例句

Professor Lin enjoys a glass of red wine on occasion, but never during lectures.

林教授偶爾會喝杯紅酒，但從不在上課時喝。

fixed phrase: on occasion as adverbial

The old church bell still rings on occasion, mostly for funerals in the village.

村裡的老教堂鐘偶爾還會響，多半是為喪禮敲的。

on occasion + frequency follow-up

同義詞
反義詞
  • never

    absolute opposite; total absence of occurrence

  • always

    opposite end of the frequency scale

文法句型

on occasion (as adverbial)

用法筆記

Only meaningful as a complete adverb phrase 'on occasion' — do not modify it with adjectives ('on rare occasion' is wrong; use 'on rare occasions' as a different sense-1 pattern). More formal than 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'.

常見錯誤

❌We eat out at occasion.
✅We eat out on occasion.
💡the fixed preposition is 'on'.
❌He shouts on occasions.
✅He shouts on occasion.
💡keep 'occasion' singular in this fixed phrase; the plural belongs to sense 1.

occasion — 動詞