parenthesis

/pəˈrenθəsɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /pəˈrenθəsɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /pə-ˈren(t)-thə-səs/ (ame, mw)

parenthesis — 名詞

  • parenthesissingular
  • parenthesesplural

1. one of the two curved punctuation marks ( ), used in pairs to enclose extra info

1.名詞B2
釋義

圓括號

成對使用的彎形標點符號（ ）

one of the two curved punctuation marks ( ), used in pairs to enclose extra information, page numbers, or a section inside a maths problem; the British English term is 'round bracket'.

例句

Carlos wrote his phone number in parentheses next to his name on the form.

Carlos 在表格上自己名字旁邊用括號寫上電話號碼。

in parentheses (the marks)

The teacher told the class to solve what is inside the parentheses first.

老師要全班先算括號裡面的部分。

maths: solve inside parentheses first

同義詞
  • round brackets

    British English equivalent

  • brackets

    British informal; in American English 'brackets' usually means [ ]

文法句型

in parentheses

put something in parentheses

用法筆記

Almost always plural ('parentheses') because the marks come in pairs. Singular 'parenthesis' refers to one mark only — usually 'left parenthesis' or 'right parenthesis'. American writers say 'parentheses'; British writers more often say 'round brackets' or just 'brackets'.

常見錯誤

❌Write your name in parenthesis.
✅Write your name in parentheses.
💡the marks come in pairs, so use the plural.

2. a word, phrase, or short sentence that a writer slips into a longer sentence to

2.名詞C1
釋義

插入語

句中插入用來補充說明的字詞或短句

a word, phrase, or short sentence that a writer slips into a longer sentence to add explanation or extra detail, usually marked off with commas, dashes, or round brackets so the reader can see it is a side comment.

例句

Maya marked the date of the wedding, May 4th, as a parenthesis between two commas.

Maya 把婚禮日期「5 月 4 日」當作插入語，用兩個逗號隔開。

set off by paired commas

The editor told Marcus to drop the long parenthesis about his uncle from the opening paragraph.

編輯叫 Marcus 把開頭那段關於他叔叔的長插入語刪掉。

drop / cut a parenthesis

同義詞
  • aside

    more conversational; often spoken, not written

  • interjection

    shorter and more emotional; not always grammatical

  • insertion

    neutral; emphasises the act of adding text

文法句型

a parenthesis (in/within something)

用法筆記

Refers to the inserted text itself, not the brackets around it. Distinguish from sense 1 ('round brackets'): a parenthesis in this sense can be set off by commas or dashes, with no brackets at all.

常見錯誤

❌She put a parenthesis around the word.
✅She put parentheses around the word.
💡the marks themselves are sense 1 and almost always plural; this sense (the inserted phrase) is what goes inside the marks.

3. an extra remark or short story that a speaker slips in while talking, briefly st

3.名詞C2
釋義

離題；旁白

說話時暫時離題的補充或小插曲

an extra remark or short story that a speaker slips in while talking, briefly stepping away from the main topic before returning to it.

例句

Dr. Tanaka allowed himself a brief parenthesis about his student days before returning to the lecture.

Dr. Tanaka 容許自己短暫離題，講了一下學生時代的事，再回到講課內容。

allow oneself a brief parenthesis

The mayor added, in parenthesis, that the new bus rule had quietly changed last spring.

市長順帶提到，新的公車規定已在去年春天悄悄改過。

phrase: in parenthesis

同義詞
  • digression

    more common; emphasises moving away from the topic

  • aside

    neutral; often whispered or off the record

  • tangent

    informal; suggests a longer side topic

反義詞
  • main point

    what the speaker returns to after the parenthesis

文法句型

in parenthesis

as a parenthesis

用法筆記

Often appears in the fixed phrase 'in parenthesis' meaning 'as a side comment'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is usually about spoken digressions in a talk or lecture, not written inserts in a sentence.

常見錯誤

❌He spoke in parentheses about his trip.
✅He spoke, in parenthesis, about his trip.
💡the fixed phrase keeps the noun singular.