ray

/reɪ/ (bre, ipa) · [rˈe] /reɪ/ (ame, ipa) · [rˈe] /ˈrā/ (ame, mw)

ray — 名詞

  • raysingular
  • raysplural

1. a thin straight stream of light or heat that moves in an unbroken path away from

1.名詞B2
釋義

光束

光、熱或能量形成的細長直線

a thin straight stream of light or heat that moves in an unbroken path away from its starting point

例句

A narrow ray of sunlight came through the crack in the bedroom curtain.

一道狹窄的陽光光束穿過臥室窗簾的縫隙照進來。

collocation: ray of sunlight

The morning sun streamed through the window in warm golden rays.

早晨的太陽穿過窗戶,灑下溫暖的金色光束。

同義詞
  • beam

    a wider, more concentrated stream of light; 'laser beam' but 'ray of light'

  • shaft

    a long, narrow band of light, often in a dramatic or literary context ('shaft of sunlight')

  • streak

    a thin, irregular line, often implying movement or sudden appearance

文法句型

a ray of [light/sun/heat]

ray + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often used with the preposition 'of' to name the source, as in 'a ray of sun' or 'rays of heat.' This is the most common meaning of the noun.

常見錯誤

The ray shined in my eyes.
The beam of light shined in my eyes.
💡'ray' suggests a thinner, more defined line than 'beam'; for a wide stream of light, use 'beam.'

2. time spent outdoors in sunlight, especially to get or enjoy a suntan

2.名詞B1
釋義

曬太陽

待在陽光下享受日曬,常帶曬黑意味

time spent outdoors in sunlight, especially to get or enjoy a suntan

例句

Beatriz spent the whole afternoon catching some rays on the hotel balcony.

Beatriz 整個下午都在飯店陽台上曬太陽。

collocation: catch some rays

After lunch, the guests went back to the beach to catch a few more rays.

午餐後,旅客們又回到海灘,再去曬一會兒太陽。

collocation: catch a few rays

同義詞
  • sunshine

    more general; the direct light of the sun, not specifically for tanning

  • sunlight

    the natural light of the sun, without the tanning connotation

文法句型

catch (some) rays

catch a few rays

soak up the rays

用法筆記

In this sense 'rays' is most commonly used in the plural. The fixed phrase 'catch some rays' is an informal way of saying 'sunbathe.'

常見錯誤

I want to catch ray on the beach.
I want to catch some rays on the beach.
💡'rays' must be plural in this idiomatic expression.

3. a tiny bit of a positive quality such as hope or comfort that appears during a d

3.名詞C2
釋義

一線

微小但正面的希望或感受

a tiny bit of a positive quality such as hope or comfort that appears during a difficult time

例句

The doctor's encouraging words gave the family a small ray of hope.

醫生鼓勵的話語帶給這家人一線希望。

collocation: a ray of hope

After months of bad financial news, the job offer felt like a ray of sunshine.

經歷了幾個月的壞消息之後,那份工作邀約就像一線曙光。

idiom: a ray of sunshine

同義詞
  • glimmer

    a faint, uncertain sign of something positive; 'glimmer of hope' suggests even less certainty than 'ray of hope'

  • hint

    a very small amount or sign, often used with non-abstract nouns ('hint of lemon')

  • trace

    a very small amount that is barely noticeable, often neutral in tone

文法句型

a ray of [hope/sunshine/comfort]

用法筆記

Almost always used in the fixed pattern 'a ray of + abstract noun' (hope, sunshine, comfort, light, kindness). The noun following 'of' is typically uncountable and positive in meaning.

常見錯誤

There was a ray of monies.
There was a ray of hope.
💡'ray of' is only used with positive abstract qualities, not concrete things or money.

4. an ocean creature with a wide, diamond-shaped body and a thin tail, whose inner

4.名詞B1
釋義

魟魚

身體扁平、尾部細長的大型海魚

an ocean creature with a wide, diamond-shaped body and a thin tail, whose inner frame is made of soft cartilage rather than hard bone

例句

The scuba divers watched a large manta ray glide gracefully over the sandy ocean floor.

潛水員們看著一隻巨大的蝠魟在沙質海底優雅地滑行。

compound: manta ray

A stingray has a long tail with a sharp point that can injure careless swimmers.

刺魟的尾部細長,末端的尖刺可能刺傷不小心的游泳者。

compound: stingray

文法句型

a + ray

[type] + ray

用法筆記

Rays belong to the same group as sharks (cartilaginous fish). Common types include the manta ray, stingray, and skate. The plural form is 'rays.'

5. the name that singers and musicians give to the second pitch in a series of eigh

5.名詞B1
釋義

Re 音

大調音階的第二個音符

the name that singers and musicians give to the second pitch in a series of eight notes that make up a musical scale

例句

The children's choir sang 'do, ray, mi, fa' to warm up before the school concert.

兒童合唱團唱著「do、ray、mi、fa」來為學校音樂會開嗓暖身。

solfège: do-ray-mi

Christopher played the note ray on the piano as the teacher nodded in approval.

Christopher 在鋼琴上彈出 ray 這個音,老師點頭表示贊許。

同義詞
  • re

    the standard European name for the same note; 'ray' is the English tonic sol-fa spelling

文法句型

do, ray, mi, fa...

用法筆記

In British-style solfège (tonic sol-fa), the note is written as 'ray' but often pronounced simply as 're.' The full set is do-ray-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do. Capitalisation is not required.

常見錯誤

Ray is the first note of the scale.
Ray is the second note of the scale.
💡'ray' is the second note; 'do' is the first.

ray — 動詞