on and off

on and off — 慣用語

1. describes actions or situations that happen repeatedly with pauses, rather than

1.慣用語B1
釋義

斷斷續續

時作時輟，不持續地

describes actions or situations that happen repeatedly with pauses, rather than happening all at once without a break.

例句

Mei-Lin and her ex-boyfriend have been getting back together on and off for years.

Mei-Lin 和她前男友多年來一直斷斷續續地複合。

present perfect continuous + on and off for describing ongoing intermittent situation

It rained on and off throughout the afternoon, so the picnic was a bit of a washout.

整個下午雨斷斷續續地下，所以野餐有點掃興。

on and off + throughout to mark the time span

常見搭配
  • rain on and off
  • work on and off
  • date / see someone on and off
  • study / learn something on and off
  • run / work on and off (of machines)
同義詞
  • intermittently

    more formal; commonly used in writing and academic contexts

  • sporadically

    suggests irregular, unpredictable timing with longer gaps

  • off and on

    identical meaning and usage; the alternative word order

  • from time to time

    less precise about the repeated stopping and starting; suggests occasional occurrence rather than active alternation

反義詞

文法句型

on and off + [clause describing repeated action]

用法筆記

The variant form "off and on" is equally common and interchangeable in all contexts. The phrase is typically placed after the verb or at the beginning or end of a clause.

常見錯誤

The music played on and on all night.' (when meaning intermittently).
The music played on and off all night.
'on and on' means continuously without stopping, which is the opposite of 'on and off'.