piecemeal
/ˈpiːs.miːl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpiːs.miːl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpēs-ˌmēl -ˈmēl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈpiːsmiːl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpiːsmiːl/ (ame, ipa)
piecemeal — 副詞
1. in small separate stages, with each part dealt with on its own instead of throug
零碎地
分次進行，缺整體規畫
in small separate stages, with each part dealt with on its own instead of through one complete plan.
The city repaired the old market piecemeal after several budget cuts.
市政府在幾次預算刪減後，零碎地修理那座老市場。
pattern: do something piecemeal
Over ten years, the school grew piecemeal as new rooms were added.
十年間，學校靠著一間間加蓋新教室，逐步擴大。
development happens in separate additions
The family sold the farm piecemeal to pay off their debts.
那家人為了還債，把農場分批賣掉。
Rules were introduced piecemeal, so staff kept missing important changes.
新規定是零零散散推出的，所以員工常漏掉重要變動。
Instead of rebuilding at once, the bridge was fixed piecemeal.
那座橋不是一次重建，而是分段修補。
- gradually
more neutral and often suggests a smooth change rather than separate parts
- step by step
focuses on an ordered sequence, often with clearer planning
- bit by bit
more informal and common in everyday speech
- in stages
often suggests planned phases rather than a broken-up process
- systematically
emphasizes one connected method or plan
文法句型
do something piecemeal
develop piecemeal
用法筆記
Often used with verbs for repairing, changing, selling, or building. It suggests separate actions over time and often hints that the work lacks one clear overall plan.
常見錯誤
piecemeal — 形容詞
- piecemealpositive
- more piecemealcomparative
- most piecemealsuperlative
1. formed, done, or improved through separate small actions at different times, rat
拼湊的
分次拼成、缺整體規畫的
formed, done, or improved through separate small actions at different times, rather than as one complete planned whole.
The piecemeal repairs left the school building with three different roof colors.
這些拼湊的修補，讓校舍出現三種不同的屋頂顏色。
collocation: piecemeal repairs
After years of piecemeal growth, the company finally moved into one office.
多年來的零碎擴張後，公司終於搬進同一間辦公室。
Residents criticized the piecemeal traffic plan around the crowded station.
居民批評車站周邊那套拼湊的交通規畫。
The museum's piecemeal expansion created narrow halls between the older rooms.
博物館這種拼湊的擴建，讓舊展間之間出現狹窄走廊。
A piecemeal response to flooding left several villages without clean water.
這種拼湊的水災應對方式，讓好幾個村子沒有乾淨用水。
- incremental
can sound neutral or positive, especially when progress is planned
- fragmentary
more formal and emphasizes an incomplete or disconnected result
- ad hoc
stresses improvised decisions made as problems appear
- gradual
focuses on slowness of change, not on separated parts
- comprehensive
covering the whole matter rather than separate parts
- systematic
organized according to one clear method
- coordinated
shows that different parts work together
文法句型
piecemeal + noun
用法筆記
Usually placed before nouns such as approach, reform, repair, growth, or response. It is often slightly critical, suggesting disconnected action instead of one joined-up plan.