paw
/pɔː/ (bre, ipa) · /pɔː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpȯ/ (ame, mw) · /pɑː/ (ame, ipa)
paw — 名詞
1. the soft padded foot of cats, dogs, bears, and similar creatures, with claws at
爪子
貓狗等動物長有爪子、帶肉墊的腳
the soft padded foot of cats, dogs, bears, and similar creatures, with claws at the tip of each toe
Nila's puppy left tiny paw prints across the freshly washed floor.
Nila 的小狗在剛拖好的地板上留下一串小小的爪子印。
collocation: paw prints
The cat lifted a muddy paw and tapped the window until it opened.
那隻貓抬起沾滿泥土的爪子，拍了拍窗戶，直到窗戶被打開。
A large bear paw had left deep marks in the soft ground near the river.
河邊鬆軟的泥土上，有一隻大熊的爪子留下的深深印記。
Christopher gently dried his dog's wet paws with an old towel after the walk.
散步回來後，Christopher 用舊毛巾輕輕擦乾狗狗濕漉漉的爪子。
The lioness licked her cub's paw until the thorn came out of the skin.
母獅子舔著幼獅的爪子，直到那根刺從皮肉裡掉了出來。
- hoof
the hard foot of horses, cows, and deer — opposite in texture and structure
文法句型
[animal]'s paw
paw + print / mark
常見錯誤
2. an informal and disapproving or humorous word for a person's hand, used when it
粗手；髒手
帶貶義或幽默地指人的大手或髒手
an informal and disapproving or humorous word for a person's hand, used when it is too big, dirty, or is being used in a rough way
Yan laughed and told his little sister to keep her paws off his new bicycle.
Yan 笑著叫妹妹別用她的髒手碰他的新腳踏車。
informal: 'paws' for hands
Take your grimy paws off my laptop, Harper shouted at her younger brother.
Harper 對著弟弟大喊：「把你的髒手從我筆電上拿開！」
The old builder's hands were so rough and calloused they looked like paws.
那位老建築工人的雙手又粗又長滿厚繭，看起來像動物的爪子一樣。
Eli wiped his paws on his jeans before shaking hands with the teacher.
Eli 在牛仔褲上擦了擦他的大手，才跟老師握手。
文法句型
[possessive] + paws
keep/take/get your paws off [something/someone]
用法筆記
Only use this sense in informal situations with people you know well. In neutral or formal contexts, always use 'hand' instead — using 'paws' for human hands can sound rude.
常見錯誤
paw — 動詞
1. if an animal paws something or paws at it, it touches, rubs, or hits it repeated
用爪抓；扒
動物用前腳掌反覆拍打或抓撓物體
if an animal paws something or paws at it, it touches, rubs, or hits it repeatedly with its front foot
The excited dog pawed at the back door until Hoa let it inside.
那隻興奮的狗一直用爪子扒後門，直到 Hoa 讓牠進屋。
intransitive: paw at [something]
Hugo's cat pawed the wool blanket before going to sleep on the sofa.
Hugo 的貓用爪子抓了抓羊毛毯，然後在沙發上睡著了。
transitive: paw [something]
The horse pawed the ground nervously while waiting for the rider to return.
那匹馬緊張地用蹄子扒地，等待騎手回來。
A small bear cub pawed at the fallen tree, looking for insects to eat.
一隻小熊用爪子扒著倒下的樹幹，尋找可以吃的蟲子。
文法句型
[animal] + paw + [object]
[animal] + paw at + [object]
用法筆記
The intransitive form with 'at' ('paw at something') emphasises repeated or insistent action. The transitive form ('paw something') describes a single or general action.
常見錯誤
2. to touch a person or their belongings in a rough, rude, or sexually unwanted way
毛手毛腳
粗魯或帶有性意味地用手觸碰他人或物品
to touch a person or their belongings in a rough, rude, or sexually unwanted way, using your hands
A drunk man on the train pawed at Renata's shoulder until she moved away.
火車上一個醉漢一直亂摸 Renata 的肩膀，直到她起身離開。
informal disapproving: unwanted touching of a person
Tariq angrily told his friend to stop pawing his camera without asking first.
Tariq 很生氣地叫朋友別沒問就亂碰他的相機。
Nkechi snapped at the stranger who kept pawing her arm during the concert.
演唱會上那個陌生人一直毛手毛腳地碰 Nkechi 的手臂，於是她大聲斥責了他。
Eleni's little cousin kept pawing her phone, so she put it in her pocket.
Eleni 的小表弟一直亂摸她的手機，所以她只好把手機放進口袋裡。
- caress
gentle, affectionate touch — opposite in intention and quality
文法句型
[person] + paw + [person/object]
[person] + paw at + [person/object]
用法筆記
Subject is always a person, not an animal. This sense always expresses disapproval of the toucher — the action is unwelcome to the person being touched. The non-sexual variant (roughly grabbing someone's belongings) is less common but still carries a negative tone.