offspring

IPA/ˈɒfsprɪŋ/
KK[ˈɔfsprˌɪŋ]IPA/ˈɔːfsprɪŋ/

offspring — 名詞

  • offspringsingular
  • offspringsplural

1. the babies or younger generation born to a particular animal — for example, lion

1.名詞C2
釋義

幼仔；幼獸

動物所生的下一代

the babies or younger generation born to a particular animal — for example, lion cubs, deer fawns, or the chicks that hatch from a bird's eggs.

例句

The female panda fiercely protects her offspring from any danger in the bamboo forest.

母貓熊會奮力保護自己的幼仔，不讓竹林裡的任何危險靠近。

possessive + offspring as direct object

Salmon swim back to the same river where they were born to produce their offspring.

鮭魚會游回出生的那條河，產下牠們的幼仔。

produce + offspring collocation

常見搭配
  • produce offspring
  • raise offspring
  • protect its offspring
  • abandon her offspring
  • feed their offspring
同義詞
  • young

    everyday word for the same idea; 'the young of the species' is standard biology phrasing

  • progeny

    very formal, often academic or legal; covers people too

  • brood

    specifically a group of young animals born or hatched at one time, especially birds

反義詞
  • parent

    the adult that produces the offspring

文法句型

the offspring of [animal]

[animal]'s offspring

用法筆記

Plural form is identical to singular: 'one offspring' and 'four offspring' are both correct; 'offsprings' is non-standard. Subject of the possessive is normally an animal, plant, or named species.

常見錯誤

The cat had three offsprings last spring.
The cat had three offspring last spring.
'offspring' has the same form for singular and plural; never add -s.
Whale offspring is born underwater.
Whale offspring are born underwater.
when 'offspring' refers to more than one, use plural agreement.

2. the son or daughter, or sons and daughters together, that a person has — used in

2.名詞C2
釋義

子女；後代

正式或半開玩笑指某人的孩子

the son or daughter, or sons and daughters together, that a person has — used in formal writing, in legal contexts, or sometimes in a joking way to refer to one's own children.

例句

The wealthy couple left most of their fortune to their three offspring.

這對富有的夫妻把大部分的財產都留給了三名子女。

formal register: legal or financial context

Mrs. Davies likes to introduce her offspring as future doctors and lawyers.

戴維斯太太喜歡向人介紹自己的子女，說他們以後會當醫生和律師。

humorous use among parents

常見搭配
  • have offspring
  • her only offspring
  • their adult offspring
  • raise one's offspring
  • bear offspring
同義詞
  • children

    the neutral everyday word; 'offspring' is the formal alternative

  • descendants

    covers grandchildren and later generations too, not just direct sons and daughters

  • issue

    very formal, mainly legal — as in 'died without issue'

反義詞
  • parents

    the mother and father from whom the offspring come

  • ancestors

    the earlier generations one is descended from

文法句型

someone's offspring

the offspring of [person/couple]

用法筆記

More formal than 'children'; common in newspapers, legal documents, and academic prose. Distinguish from sense 1 by the parent: when the parent is a human or named couple, this sense applies, even if the writing tone is humorous.

常見錯誤

My offspring is going to kindergarten next week.
My child is starting kindergarten next week.
'offspring' sounds odd in casual everyday speech about your own kid; use 'child' or 'son/daughter'.
They have two offsprings.
They have two offspring.
no plural -s, even when referring to several children.

3. something that has come out of an earlier idea, project, or situation, treated a

3.名詞C2
釋義

產物；衍生物

由某想法或事物所衍生的成果

something that has come out of an earlier idea, project, or situation, treated as if it were the 'child' of that source — for example, a new app born out of a research lab, or a band that grew out of an older one.

例句

This noodle shop is the offspring of a small kitchen experiment Mei started during the pandemic.

這家麵店是美玲在疫情期間，從一場小小的廚房實驗中誕生的產物。

X is the offspring of Y pattern (figurative)

Modern jazz can be seen as the direct offspring of African rhythms and European harmony.

現代爵士可以看作是非洲節奏與歐洲和聲直接交融出的產物。

offspring of two combined sources

常見搭配
  • the direct offspring of
  • an unlikely offspring of
  • the offspring of an idea
  • the offspring of two cultures
  • a natural offspring of
同義詞
  • product

    neutral and very common; lacks the family-tree image

  • result

    broader and plainer; emphasises outcome rather than birth from a source

  • spin-off

    specifically something that grows out of a bigger project, often in business or TV

反義詞
  • source

    the original idea or project that the offspring grew out of

  • origin

    the starting point, opposite of what comes after

文法句型

[X] is the offspring of [Y]

the offspring of [process/idea]

用法筆記

Always figurative; the 'parent' is an idea, project, era, or earlier work. Distinguish from senses 1 and 2 by the type of parent: if the source is not a living being, this sense applies. Often used to highlight a clear cause-and-effect link between something new and its origin.

常見錯誤

The website is the offspring from our last project.
The website is the offspring of our last project.
the figurative pattern uses 'offspring of', not 'offspring from'.
The film is an offspring to the original novel.
The film is an offspring of the original novel.
preposition is always 'of' in this figurative use.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

  • offspring of a couple
  • offspring of an animal
  • offspring of an idea
  • offspring of a project

常用片語

  • produce offspring
  • raise offspring
  • her only offspring
  • their adult offspring
  • the direct offspring of
  • an unlikely offspring of

介系詞搭配

  • offspring of
  • offspring from (rare)