pro
/prəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [prˈo] /prəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · [prˈo] /ˈprō/ (ame, mw) · [prˈo] /proʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /prəʊ-/ (bre, ipa) · [prˈo] /proʊ-/ (ame, ipa)
pro — 名詞
- prosingular
- prosplural
1. a good reason or benefit that makes you want to choose a particular option or co
優點；好處
做某事的正面理由或利益
a good reason or benefit that makes you want to choose a particular option or course of action.
Isabela weighed every pro before she agreed to the new job offer.
Isabela 在同意這份新工作之前，仔細權衡了每一個優點。
collocation: weighed every pro
One big pro of working from home is the shorter time spent travelling each day.
在家工作的一大好處，是每天花在通勤上的時間較少。
pattern: One big pro of [noun phrase] + is
Kofi listed all the pros of moving to a bigger apartment before making a decision.
Kofi 在做決定之前，列出了搬到大公寓的所有好處。
The main pro of this phone is its long battery life.
這款手機的主要優點是電池續航力很長。
用法筆記
Usually appears in the phrase 'the pros (and cons)' or paired with a count of advantages. Frequently found in decision-making contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a person who gets paid to play a sport, rather than doing it just for enjoyment.
職業選手
以運動為職業的付費選手
a person who gets paid to play a sport, rather than doing it just for enjoyment.
Haruto turned pro at eighteen and signed his first contract the same year.
Haruto 在十八歲時轉為職業選手，並在同一年簽下了第一份合約。
pattern: turned pro (became a professional)
The tournament brings together the best pros from twenty different countries.
這項錦標賽匯集了來自二十個不同國家的頂尖職業選手。
Anna trained alongside seasoned pros who had played in the national league for years.
Anna 與經驗豐富的職業選手一起訓練，他們已在國家聯盟打了好幾年。
Many young athletes dream of playing as a pro for a top club one day.
許多年輕運動員夢想有一天能成為頂尖俱樂部的職業選手。
- professional
the full form of 'pro'; slightly more formal
- athlete
broader term — includes amateurs and non-paid players
- sportsperson
neutral gender term; less common in everyday speech
用法筆記
Commonly follows 'turn' ('turn pro' = begin a professional career) and 'play as'. Can also refer to professionals outside sports (e.g. 'a real estate pro'), though the sports sense is most frequent.
常見錯誤
3. the favourable and unfavourable points connected with a choice that you are thin
正反理由
某件事的優點和缺點
the favourable and unfavourable points connected with a choice that you are thinking about.
Eleni wrote down the pros and cons of each house before making an offer.
Eleni 在出價之前寫下了每間房子的優缺點。
pattern: wrote down the pros and cons of [noun]
Quan spent an hour listing the pros and cons of studying abroad next year.
Quan 花了一個小時列出明年出國留學的優缺點。
Shirin advised the team to consider all the pros and cons before changing suppliers.
Shirin 建議團隊在更換供應商之前，先仔細考慮所有的優缺點。
The pros of taking the train easily outweighed the cons of driving through heavy traffic.
搭火車的好處遠遠超過在擁擠車流中開車的壞處。
- advantages and disadvantages
full formal equivalent; less punchy than 'pros and cons'
- for and against
used as an adjective phrase ('the for and against arguments')
- benefits and drawbacks
common alternative; slightly more formal
用法筆記
Nearly always appears as the fixed plural phrase 'the pros and cons'. Singular use ('a pro and a con') exists but is far less natural. The phrase can be followed by 'of + noun/gerund'.
常見錯誤
pro — 形容詞
- propositive
- proercomparative
- proestsuperlative
1. in agreement with a plan, idea, or action; supporting something.
贊成；支持
同意或支持某個想法或行動
in agreement with a plan, idea, or action; supporting something.
Sivan is very pro the new recycling programme at her school.
Sivan 非常支持她學校的新回收計劃。
pattern: pro + noun phrase
Ramón described himself as pro change and eager to try fresh approaches.
Ramón 說自己贊成改變，而且樂於嘗試新的做法。
Bao's family is pro the idea of studying a second language from an early age.
Bao 的家人堅定支持從小學習第二語言的想法。
The committee members who are pro the proposal spoke first at the meeting.
委員會中支持這項提案的成員率先在會議上發言。
- in favour of
the full prepositional phrase; more formal than 'pro'
- supportive of
less common in this direct-attributive position; needs 'of'
- for
informal and very common in spoken English ('I'm for it')
文法句型
pro + noun phrase
用法筆記
Followed directly by a noun phrase without a preposition ('pro the plan', NOT 'pro of the plan'). Common in political or policy discussions. The opposite is 'anti'.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a situation, team, or arrangement in which players are paid to take
職業的
選手以打球為職業而非業餘
relating to a situation, team, or arrangement in which players are paid to take part, rather than playing as amateurs.
Haruto signed with a pro team right after finishing high school.
Haruto 高中畢業後就與一支職業球隊簽約。
collocation: pro team
The city built a new stadium to attract a pro basketball franchise.
這座城市建造了一座新體育館，以吸引職業籃球隊進駐。
Anna left her amateur club to join a pro league across the country.
Anna 離開了她的業餘俱樂部，加入了另一個州的職業聯盟。
Pro sports demand a level of dedication that few amateur players can maintain.
職業運動要求的投入程度，是少數業餘選手能夠維持的。
- professional
the full form; used in both attributive and predicate positions
- paid
emphasises the financial aspect but less precise
- top-level
focuses on skill and status rather than payment arrangement
- amateur
the standard opposite; 'amateur league' vs 'pro league'
- recreational
emphasises playing for fun rather than money
用法筆記
Always appears before a noun (attributive position). The full form 'professional' is more formal and can appear in predicate position ('the league is professional').
常見錯誤
❌ 'Pro' as a predicate adjective meaning professional ('This league is pro.') — this is rare and sounds unnatural; use 'professional' instead.
pro — 字首
1. added to the start of a noun or adjective to show support for a particular idea,
親；支持
加在名詞或形容詞前表示支持
added to the start of a noun or adjective to show support for a particular idea, group, or cause.
The pro-democracy rally drew thousands of people to the city square.
親民主的集會吸引了數千人前往城市廣場。
example: pro-democracy
Several pro-education groups pushed for more funding in the new budget.
幾個支持教育的團體在新預算中推動增加經費。
Kofi joined a pro-environment organisation that plants trees in urban areas.
Kofi 加入了一個在城市地區植樹的環保組織。
The senator is known for her pro-business voting record over the past decade.
這位參議員在過去十年中以支持商業的投票紀錄聞名。
- supporting
the full-word equivalent; requires 'of' ('supporting of the plan')
- in favour of
a phrase, not a prefix; used when you cannot attach 'pro-' to the word
文法句型
pro- + noun/adjective
用法筆記
Always attached with a hyphen when combined with a noun or adjective ('pro-choice', 'pro-government'). Used productively — you can create new combinations that are understood immediately.
常見錯誤
pro — 副詞
1. in a way that shows you agree with a suggestion, proposal, or idea in a formal d
贊成地
以支持某提案的方式表達意見
in a way that shows you agree with a suggestion, proposal, or idea in a formal debate or vote.
The committee voted pro, and the new policy was adopted immediately.
委員會投票贊成，新的政策立刻被採納。
register: formal voting context
Of the twelve board members who spoke, eight argued pro and four argued con.
十二位發言的董事會成員中，有八位表示贊成，四位表示反對。
The senator spoke pro on the floor, urging colleagues to support the bill.
參議員在議場發言表示贊成，敦促同僚支持這項法案。
The union delegates voted pro by a clear majority of two to one.
工會代表以明顯的票數差距投票贊成，票數為二比一。
- in favour
the full adverbial phrase; more common in everyday and formal writing
- affirmatively
formal legal or parliamentary term
- positively
broader meaning; not restricted to voting
用法筆記
Restricted to formal or parliamentary contexts, especially voting and debate. Nearly always paired with 'con' as the opposite adverb. In everyday English, 'in favour' (UK) or 'in favor' (US) is much more common.
常見錯誤
pro — 介系詞
1. used before a noun in certain fixed Latin-derived phrases to mean 'for the sake
為了；按
固定拉丁片語，表「為了」或按比例
used before a noun in certain fixed Latin-derived phrases to mean 'for the sake of', 'on behalf of', or 'in proportion to'.
The lawyer took the case pro bono, meaning she charged no fee for her work.
這位律師義務承接了這個案件，意思是她不收取任何費用。
fixed phrase: pro bono
Rent is calculated pro rata based on how many days each tenant stays each month.
租金是根據每位房客每月居住的天數按比例計算的。
fixed phrase: pro rata
The dean appointed a colleague to serve pro tempore until the new elections.
院長任命了一位同事代理職務，直到新的選舉舉行。
The company issued a pro forma invoice before the goods were shipped.
公司在貨物運送之前開出了一張形式發票。
文法句型
pro + noun
用法筆記
This is not a productive English preposition — it appears only in fixed Latin expressions that have been borrowed into English ('pro bono', 'pro rata', 'pro tempore', 'pro forma'). These phrases should be learned as whole units.