of

/əv/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈʌv] /əv/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈʌv] /əv before consonants also ə; ˈəv ˈäv/ (ame, mw)

of — 介系詞

1. linking two nouns to show that the first one belongs to, is part of, or is assoc

1.介系詞A1
釋義

(所屬)…的

連接兩名詞,表所屬、來源或關聯

linking two nouns to show that the first one belongs to, is part of, or is associated with the second — typically a person, place, or organisation that owns or holds it, as in the friends of Maya, the streets of Taipei, or the windows of the old house.

例句

The diary of Anne Frank is read by students all over the world.

《安妮的日記》在世界各地都有學生在閱讀。

[thing] + of + [named person] for possession

Marcus is studying the history of Japan at university this year.

Marcus今年在大學裡研讀日本的歷史。

[topic] + of + [country] for relation

同義詞
  • 's (possessive)

    preferred for people: 'Maya's bag', not 'the bag of Maya'.

  • belonging to

    more formal and longer; usually used for emphasis.

文法句型

[noun] + of + [person/place/group]

用法筆記

Subject is usually a thing, role, or part; the noun after 'of' names the owner, place, or group it belongs to. With people, the possessive 's (Anne's diary) is more common in everyday speech than 'of'.

常見錯誤

My sister friend lives in Tainan.
A friend of my sister lives in Tainan.
💡when both nouns are people, link them with 'of' or with possessive 's, not nothing.
The Taipei streets are busy at night of the city.
The streets of Taipei are busy at night.
💡keep the [noun] + of + [place] block together.

2. placed after a measurement word, a number, or a quantifier to mark the substance

2.介系詞A1
釋義

(數量)…的

用在數量、單位後,連接所計量的東西

placed after a measurement word, a number, or a quantifier to mark the substance or set being measured, counted, or partitioned — answering 'how much' or 'how many' rather than 'whose' or 'what is inside'. Common with units like kilo, litre, cup, and with quantifiers like some, most, half, none.

例句

Carlos drank a tall glass of orange juice with his breakfast.

Carlos早餐配了一大杯柳橙汁。

[unit/container] + of + [substance]

Maya bought three kilos of apples at the market on Saturday.

Maya週六在市場買了三公斤的蘋果。

[number + unit] + of + [countable plural]

文法句型

[number/amount/unit] + of + [noun]

some/many/most/few + of + [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Use 'of the' (not bare 'of') with words like some, many, most, few, all, each, none when the noun has 'the', 'my', 'these', etc. — 'most of the cake', not 'most of cake'. Bare 'most cake' is fine for general statements.

常見錯誤

I ate most of cake.
I ate most of the cake.
💡after some/most/many/few, use 'of the' before a specific noun.
She bought two kilo apples.
She bought two kilos of apples.
💡units like kilo/cup/glass need 'of' to link to the food.

3. after a word naming a container, vessel, or organised group, to identify the spe

3.介系詞A1
釋義

裝有…的

說明容器或群體內所裝、所含之物

after a word naming a container, vessel, or organised group, to identify the specific contents or members inside — describing the kind of stuff that fills it, not how much there is. Examples: a box of toys (toys are inside), a basket of flowers, a team of doctors.

例句

Lina opened a small box of chocolates on her birthday morning.

Lina在生日早上打開了一小盒巧克力。

container + of + contents

The shelf held a thick book of old Taiwanese folk songs.

架上擺著一本厚厚的台灣老民謠歌本。

[item] + of + [content theme]

同義詞
  • containing

    more formal and explicit; 'a jar containing honey' vs 'a jar of honey'.

  • full of

    stresses that something is completely filled.

文法句型

[container/group noun] + of + [contents]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2 (AMOUNT): sense 3 emphasises what fills the container or group ('a box of toys' = box has toys inside); sense 2 measures quantity ('two boxes of toys' = counting). The line is fuzzy and contexts often allow either reading.

常見錯誤

She brought a box chocolates.
She brought a box of chocolates.
💡never drop the linking 'of' between the container and what it holds.

4. joining a direction word — such as north, south, left, right, or top — to a fixe

4.介系詞A2
釋義

…的方位

把方向詞與參照點連起來,標示位置

joining a direction word — such as north, south, left, right, or top — to a fixed point, so the listener knows where one place sits compared with another.

例句

Tainan lies south of Taichung along the western coast of Taiwan.

台南位於台中以南,沿著台灣的西岸。

[place] + south/north of + [place]

Marcus parked his bike to the left of the school gate.

Marcus把腳踏車停在學校大門的左側。

to the left/right of + [object]

文法句型

[direction word] + of + [reference point]

north/south/east/west/left/right/north-east + of + [place]

用法筆記

Common fixed phrases: 'on top of', 'in front of', 'at the back of', 'to the left/right of', 'north/south/east/west of'. The 'of' is required and cannot be dropped.

常見錯誤

The cat is on top the table.
The cat is on top of the table.
💡'on top' must be followed by 'of' before the object.

5. marking a behaviour, quality, or feature as something you usually expect from a

5.介系詞B2
釋義

典型的

表示某行為或特質是某人或某類常見的

marking a behaviour, quality, or feature as something you usually expect from a particular person, group, or thing — used after words like 'typical' or 'characteristic' to point to the source of that pattern.

例句

Forgetting his lunchbox at home is so typical of Marcus on busy mornings.

在忙碌的早上把便當盒忘在家裡,真是Marcus的典型作風。

typical of + [person] for usual behaviour

Such a long lunch break is typical of small towns in southern Taiwan.

這麼長的午休時間,在台灣南部小鎮很常見。

typical of + [group/place]

同義詞
反義詞
  • unlike

    'that's unlike Marcus' = not his usual behaviour.

文法句型

[quality/feature/behaviour] + typical/characteristic + of + [person/group/thing]

that's (so) typical + of + [person/group]

用法筆記

Restricted to 'typical of', 'characteristic of', and a few similar words ('representative of', 'symptomatic of'). Subject names a feature, action, or quality; the noun after 'of' names whose pattern it fits. Distinguish from sense 9, which uses the 'it + be + [adj] + of + [person] + to-infinitive' frame to judge a single action.

常見錯誤

That is typical for him.
That is typical of him.
💡'typical' takes 'of' when describing a person's usual behaviour.
Such weather is characteristic to October.
Such weather is characteristic of October.
💡'characteristic' pairs only with 'of', not 'to' or 'for'.

6. linking the day number to the month when you say or write a date — for example,

6.介系詞A1
釋義

…月…日

把日期數字與月份連起來,用在說或寫日期

linking the day number to the month when you say or write a date — for example, the third of June or the twenty-first of October.

例句

Maya was born on the fifth of April in a small village.

Maya出生於四月五日,地點是在一個小村莊。

on the [ordinal] of [month]

The wedding will be held on the twentieth of December this year.

婚禮將會在今年的十二月二十日舉行。

the [ordinal] of [month] [year]

文法句型

the [ordinal number] of [month]

the [ordinal number] of [month], [year]

用法筆記

British style; common in formal writing and speech. American style usually drops 'of' and reorders: 'June 5' or 'June 5th' instead of 'the fifth of June'. Both styles use 'on' before the date.

常見錯誤

on five of April
on the fifth of April
💡use the ordinal number (first, second, third, fifth) with 'the'.
the fifth April
the fifth of April
💡never drop 'of' between the day and month in this pattern.

7. used after a noun to name the material, substance, or parts that something is bu

7.介系詞A2
釋義

由⋯製成

用來說明物品的材料

used after a noun to name the material, substance, or parts that something is built or formed from.

例句

Maya's grandmother gave her a small box of carved wood.

瑪雅的奶奶送她一個用木頭雕刻而成的小盒子。

noun + of + material (wood)

The bridge in the old town is built of stone and iron.

舊城區的那座橋是用石頭和鐵建造的。

passive: built of [materials]

同義詞
  • from

    use 'from' when the source material has been changed (paper from trees); 'of' keeps the material recognisable.

  • in

    'a statue in marble' is more formal/artistic; 'a statue of marble' is plainer.

文法句型

noun + of + material noun

用法筆記

Subject noun is normally a concrete object; the noun after 'of' names the raw stuff. Often appears in the fixed pattern 'made of [material]', which keeps the material visible in the final product (compare 'made from', where the original material is changed).

常見錯誤

The cake is made of flour and eggs.
The cake is made from flour and eggs.
💡use 'from' when the materials are transformed and no longer visible; use 'of' when you can still see the material (a chair of wood, a wall of brick).
a wooden of table
a table of wood' or 'a wooden table
💡the material noun comes after 'of', not before.

8. required after a fixed list of adjectives (afraid, fond, proud, tired) and verbs

8.介系詞B2
釋義

對;想到

固定搭配詞後接的對象介系詞

required after a fixed list of adjectives (afraid, fond, proud, tired) and verbs (think, dream, speak, remind, accuse) to introduce the object of the feeling, mental act, or speech — the partner word demands 'of' as its only correct preposition.

例句

Lina is very fond of her little brother and reads to him every night.

莉娜非常疼愛她的小弟弟,每晚都念書給他聽。

adjective + of: fond of [person]

The villagers spoke of the storm with quiet fear.

村民們帶著一絲恐懼談論起那場暴風雨。

verb + of: speak of [topic]

同義詞
  • about

    many of these verbs accept 'about' too (think about, dream about); 'of' is often slightly more abstract or emotional.

文法句型

adjective + of + noun

verb + of + noun

用法筆記

These pairings are fixed by the verb or adjective and must be learned one by one. Common adjectives: afraid of, proud of, fond of, tired of, aware of, jealous of. Common verbs: think of, dream of, speak of, remind of, accuse of, approve of. Subject noun is usually a person or animate being.

常見錯誤

Lina is afraid from spiders.
Lina is afraid of spiders.
💡'afraid' takes 'of', not 'from'.
I dreamed about of going to Paris.
I dreamed of going to Paris.
💡choose either 'about' or 'of', never both.

9. appears in the pattern 'it is [adjective] of [person] to do something' to praise

9.介系詞B2
釋義

做某事真⋯

評斷某人行為的好壞

appears in the pattern 'it is [adjective] of [person] to do something' to praise or criticise the way someone has chosen to act.

例句

It was very kind of Mrs Tanaka to drive my mother home in the storm.

田中太太冒著暴風雨開車送我母親回家,真是太好心了。

it + be + adjective + of + person + to-infinitive

It was rude of Marcus to leave the dinner without saying goodbye.

馬可仕沒道別就離開晚餐,真是失禮。

praise/criticism of behaviour

文法句型

it + be + adjective + of + person + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 8: this sense judges the person's action ('It was kind of you to help' = you were kind because you helped). Compare 'It is important for you to help' — 'for' rates the situation, not the person. Common adjectives in this slot: kind, nice, good, sweet, generous, rude, mean, stupid, silly, brave, foolish, careless.

常見錯誤

It was kind for you to help me.
It was kind of you to help me.
💡judging a person's behaviour takes 'of', not 'for'.
You are kind of helping me.
It was kind of you to help me.
💡the pattern starts with the dummy 'it', not the person.

10. used after some nouns to introduce the topic that is being described, discussed,

10.介系詞C1
釋義

關於

說明所談論或描繪的主題

used after some nouns to introduce the topic that is being described, discussed, or shown.

例句

Dr Patel gave a clear account of the village fire to the local newspaper.

派特爾醫師向地方報紙清楚說明了那場村莊大火的經過。

account of [event]

The museum holds many photographs of the city before the war.

博物館收藏了許多戰前那座城市的照片。

photograph of [subject]

同義詞
  • about

    more conversational; 'a book about birds' feels lighter than 'a book of birds' (which can imply a collection).

  • concerning

    formal, mostly written; for documents and reports.

文法句型

noun + of + topic noun

用法筆記

Pairs naturally with information-bearing nouns: account, story, picture, photo, map, list, review, description, study, knowledge, idea. Often interchangeable with 'about' after these nouns, but 'of' sounds slightly more formal and tighter ('a story of love' vs 'a story about love').

常見錯誤

a picture for the mountain
a picture of the mountain
💡when introducing what is shown or described, use 'of'.
I have no idea of what to do.
I have no idea what to do.' (or 'I have no idea about what to do.')
💡after 'idea', drop 'of' before a wh-clause.

11. used between two nouns when the second one names or identifies what the first on

11.介系詞B2
釋義

稱為

用來指出名稱或身份

used between two nouns when the second one names or identifies what the first one is.

例句

The small village of Hualien sits between green mountains and the deep blue sea.

花蓮這個小村莊坐落在青山與深藍大海之間。

village of [name]

Marcus took the job of head chef at the new harbour restaurant.

馬可仕在新港口餐廳接下了主廚這份工作。

job of [role]

同義詞
  • called

    'a village called Hualien' is more conversational; 'the village of Hualien' is more written and standard on maps and signs.

  • named

    similar to 'called' but slightly more formal.

文法句型

noun + of + naming noun

用法筆記

The first noun is a category word (city, village, island, month, day, name, title, role, job, idea, problem); the noun after 'of' is the specific identity. Distinguish from sense 7 (MADE OF) by checking if the noun after 'of' names a thing (use this sense) or a material (use sense 7).

常見錯誤

the city Taipei
the city of Taipei
💡when joining a category word to a proper name, English needs 'of'.
in the month June
in the month of June
💡same rule with month + name.

12. used after a noun naming an action to introduce the person or thing that the act

12.介系詞B2
釋義

對⋯所做

動作名詞後接被施動的人或物

used after a noun naming an action to introduce the person or thing that the action is performed on.

例句

The repair of the old bridge took the workers nearly two months.

舊橋的修復工程花了工人們將近兩個月。

repair of [object acted on]

The murder of the merchant shocked everyone in the quiet little town.

那位商人遭到謀殺一事震驚了這個寧靜小鎮的所有人。

murder of [victim]

文法句型

action noun + of + receiver noun

用法筆記

The first noun is normally a deverbal noun (repair, murder, teaching, painting, building, destruction, treatment, examination); the noun after 'of' is what would be the direct object of the related verb. Compare with sense 1 (POSSESSION): 'the painting of Carlos' = a painting that shows Carlos (sense 12 reading) or a painting that Carlos owns (sense 1 reading) — context decides.

常見錯誤

the destruction for the forest
the destruction of the forest
💡action nouns take 'of' before the receiver, not 'for' or 'to'.
the murder to the merchant
the murder of the merchant
💡the victim of an action follows 'of'.

13. linking an emotion, quality, or trait to the person who feels or holds it.

13.介系詞B1
釋義

…所有的

把感受或特質連到感受它的人

linking an emotion, quality, or trait to the person who feels or holds it.

例句

The kindness of Mrs. Lee touched everyone at the school gate.

李太太那份善意,感動了校門口的每一個人。

[abstract noun] + of + [named person]

I admire the patience of doctors who work long night shifts.

我很佩服那些值長夜班的醫生所展現的耐心。

trait felt by a group

同義詞

文法句型

[noun for emotion/quality] + of + [person]

用法筆記

Frequently links abstract nouns (kindness, anger, fear, love) to a named experiencer. Distinguish from sense 1 (POSSESSION) by the abstract, emotional nature of the noun before 'of'.

常見錯誤

The happy of the children was clear.
The happiness of the children was clear.
💡use the noun form (happiness), not the adjective (happy), before 'of'.

14. naming the cause behind a death, illness, accusation, or strong feeling that fol

14.介系詞B1
釋義

因為;死於

說明造成的原因

naming the cause behind a death, illness, accusation, or strong feeling that follows from it.

例句

Marcus's grandfather died of a heart attack last winter.

Marcus的祖父去年冬天因心臟病過世。

die + of + [medical cause]

The young clerk was accused of stealing money from the office safe.

那位年輕的職員被指控從辦公室保險箱裡偷錢。

accuse + [person] + of + [wrongdoing]

同義詞
  • from

    interchangeable with 'die from'; both natural

  • due to

    more formal, used in writing or news

文法句型

die / be tired / smell + of + [cause]

convict / accuse / acquit + [person] + of + [crime]

用法筆記

Common with verbs of dying, weariness, accusation, and sensory cause ('smell/taste/reek of'). Distinguish from sense 12 (DONE TO): 'die of cancer' names the cause, while 'victim of cancer' names what was done to someone.

常見錯誤

He died from of a heart attack.
He died of a heart attack.
💡do not stack 'from' and 'of'; pick one.
Many soldiers suffered of fever.
Many soldiers suffered from fever.
💡'suffer' takes 'from', not 'of'.

15. marking the wider group from which one item is picked out as the best, worst, or

15.介系詞A2
釋義

之中最

從一群中挑出某個

marking the wider group from which one item is picked out as the best, worst, or most extreme.

例句

Lina was the tallest of the four sisters in the family photo.

在全家福照片裡,Lina 是四姊妹之中最高的。

superlative + of + [group]

Mount Jade is the highest of all the mountains in Taiwan.

玉山是台灣所有山之中最高的一座。

the [superlative] + of all

同義詞
  • among

    used with 'best/worst' but not after a superlative + 'the'

  • from

    less natural after a superlative; prefer 'of'

文法句型

[superlative/best/worst] + of + [group]

用法筆記

The noun after 'of' must be plural or a collective group. Distinguish from sense 1 (POSSESSION): 'the best of the team' = picked from the team; 'the captain of the team' = belonging to the team.

常見錯誤

She is the tallest of her sister.
She is the tallest of her sisters.
💡the group after 'of' must be plural.

16. stating how many minutes are still left before the next hour when telling the ti

16.介系詞B1
釋義

差幾分

離整點還差幾分

stating how many minutes are still left before the next hour when telling the time.

例句

The train to Boston leaves at a quarter of nine in the morning.

去波士頓的火車早上差一刻九點(八點四十五分)發車。

a quarter of + [hour]

Marcus called his mother at ten of six to say he was running late.

Marcus在差十分六點時打給媽媽,告訴她自己會晚到。

[minutes] + of + [hour]

同義詞
  • to

    British equivalent: 'a quarter to nine'

  • before

    occasionally used: 'ten before six'

反義詞
  • past

    minutes after the hour, not before

  • after

    American: 'ten after six' = 6:10

文法句型

[minutes] + of + [hour]

用法筆記

Mainly American English. British speakers say 'a quarter to nine' instead of 'a quarter of nine'. The number before 'of' is always the minutes remaining before the next hour.

常見錯誤

It is a quarter of past nine.
It is a quarter past nine.
💡never combine 'of' with 'past'.

17. after an explicit measurement of distance, range, or near-miss timing (ten miles

17.介系詞B2
釋義

距離

在時間或地點上的距離

after an explicit measurement of distance, range, or near-miss timing (ten miles, within an inch, within seconds) to mark the reference point being measured from — adding a quantified gap that sense 4 (POSITION) leaves vague.

例句

The small farm sits about ten miles north of the river.

那座小農場位於河流以北約十英里的地方。

[direction/distance] + of + [reference point]

Marcus came within an inch of falling off the wooden ladder.

Marcus 從那個木梯上差一吋就摔下來了。

within + [distance] + of

同義詞
  • from

    looser; 'ten miles from the river' is also natural

  • away from

    everyday speech, less specific direction

文法句型

within / north / south + of + [place or time]

用法筆記

Subject is usually a place, person, or event; the noun after 'of' is the reference point. Distinguish from sense 4 (POSITION) by the explicit measurement of distance, direction, or near-miss timing.

常見錯誤

The farm is ten miles of north the river.
The farm is ten miles north of the river.
💡the direction word (north) goes before 'of'.

18. marking the thing that is taken away, withheld, or lost when someone is harmed.

18.介系詞B2
釋義

剝奪

被搶走或奪走的東西

marking the thing that is taken away, withheld, or lost when someone is harmed.

例句

The thieves robbed the elderly couple of their wedding rings.

小偷搶走了那對老夫婦的結婚戒指。

rob + [person] + of + [thing]

The flood deprived the village of clean water for almost a week.

這場洪水讓村子整整一週都沒有乾淨的水可用。

deprive + [group] + of + [resource]

同義詞
  • from

    used after 'take' or 'steal', not after 'rob' or 'deprive'

文法句型

rob / deprive / cheat + [person] + of + [thing]

用法筆記

Object must be something valued (rights, money, freedom, sleep, voice). Often appears with verbs of loss: rob, deprive, cheat, strip, cure, rid. Frequently passive ('was robbed of').

常見錯誤

The thieves robbed their rings of the couple.
The thieves robbed the couple of their rings.
💡the person harmed comes first, then 'of' + the thing taken.

19. in the course of a stated period of time, often pointing to something that happe

19.介系詞B2
釋義

在……時

舊式用法,表示某段時間內習慣性地發生

in the course of a stated period of time, often pointing to something that happens regularly or habitually within it.

例句

Mr. Hughes often takes a long walk by the river of an evening.

休斯先生常在傍晚時沿著河邊散長長的步。

of + an evening = during evenings, habitually

Of a Sunday morning, the bakery on Maple Street fills with hungry families.

每到星期天早上,楓街那家麵包店就擠滿了肚子餓的家庭。

fronted: 'Of a Sunday morning' for habitual time

同義詞
  • during

    neutral, modern; works for both single and repeated events

  • in

    everyday equivalent: 'in the evening' rather than 'of an evening'

  • on

    for specific named days: 'on Sundays' instead of 'of a Sunday'

文法句型

of + a/an + time period (morning, evening, weekend)

用法筆記

Old-fashioned and chiefly literary. Almost always 'of a/an + time period' (of a morning, of an evening, of a Sunday) describing a habitual or repeated occurrence, not a single event. Distinguish from sense 6 (DAYS), which marks a specific calendar date with 'the', and sense 16 (TIME), which states clock time.

常見錯誤

I saw him of yesterday morning.
I saw him yesterday morning.
💡this 'of' pattern needs an indefinite article (a/an) and signals a habit, not a single past event.