sapphires
sapphires — 名詞
- sapphiressingular
- sapphiresesplural
1. a valuable transparent gemstone, most often deep blue, that people wear in rings
藍寶石
一種珍貴的透明藍色寶石
a valuable transparent gemstone, most often deep blue, that people wear in rings, necklaces, or other jewellery.
Mia received a pair of sapphire earrings from her grandmother on her wedding day.
Mia 在婚禮當天收到了外婆送的一對藍寶石耳環。
attributive use: sapphire + earrings / necklace / ring
The jeweller set the sapphire in a simple silver pendant for Anjali.
珠寶師傅將那顆藍寶石鑲在一條簡單的銀墜子上交給 Anjali。
passive: be set in [metal]
Haruto's vintage watch had tiny sapphires marking the hours on its gold dial.
Haruto 的古董手錶在金色錶盤上鑲了細小的藍寶石來標示小時。
A crown decorated with sapphires and diamonds was the highlight of the museum tour.
一頂綴滿藍寶石和鑽石的皇冠是博物館導覽中最引人注目的展品。
Bao bought a sapphire bracelet for his mother's sixtieth birthday celebration.
Bao 為媽媽的六十歲生日買了一條藍寶石手鍊。
- gemstone
broader category that includes sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and many other stones
- stone
informal shorthand in the jewellery trade; 'a three-stone ring' could contain sapphires or diamonds
- cornflower
refers specifically to a light-blue variety of sapphire, not the gemstone in general
- imitation stone
a man-made material designed to look like a natural sapphire but without the same value or properties
文法句型
sapphire + noun (attributive)
set with sapphires
用法筆記
When referring to the stone itself, 'sapphire' is countable ('three sapphires'); when used attributively before a noun, the singular form is standard ('a sapphire ring').
常見錯誤
2. a vivid blue colour with a slightly purple tone, similar to the shade of a high-
寶藍色
帶淡紫色調的明亮藍色
a vivid blue colour with a slightly purple tone, similar to the shade of a high-quality sapphire gemstone.
Lea chose a dress in deep sapphire for the awards ceremony.
Lea 選了一件深寶藍色的禮服參加頒獎典禮。
collocation: deep / rich / vivid sapphire
The living room walls were painted a soft sapphire that reminded Ignacio of the ocean.
客廳的牆壁漆成柔和的寶藍色，讓 Ignacio 想起大海。
uncountable: describes a colour as a noun
The evening sky turned from rose to sapphire as the sun went down.
夕陽西下時，天空從玫瑰色漸漸轉為寶藍色。
Hamza's new suit was a rich sapphire that caught the light beautifully.
Hamza 的新西裝是濃郁的寶藍色，在燈光下非常好看。
- azure
a lighter, more sky-like blue; more poetic or literary in tone
- ultramarine
a deeper, more intense blue, often used in art and painting
- cobalt
a strong pure blue with less purple than sapphire, common in ceramics and glass
文法句型
a deep / rich / vivid sapphire
shade of sapphire
用法筆記
Used as an uncountable colour noun ('dressed in sapphire') rather than as a countable gemstone. The definite article is possible when the speaker has a specific shade in mind ('the sapphire of the Mediterranean').
常見錯誤
sapphires — 形容詞
- sapphirespositive
- more sapphirescomparative
- most sapphiressuperlative
1. describes something, such as the sky, the ocean, or a person's eyes, that is a v
寶藍色的
像藍寶石般明亮的
describes something, such as the sky, the ocean, or a person's eyes, that is a vivid bright blue similar to the colour of a sapphire gemstone.
The peacock spread its sapphire feathers in a magnificent fan.
孔雀展開牠那寶藍色的尾羽，像一把華麗的扇子。
attributive: sapphire + noun
Eitan looked out across the sapphire water of the bay.
Eitan 望向海灣那一片寶藍色的海水。
Beatriz painted her front door a warm sapphire blue against the white wall.
Beatriz 把大門漆成溫潤的寶藍色，在白牆襯托下格外顯眼。
The butterfly's wings shimmered with sapphire and turquoise patterns.
蝴蝶的翅膀閃爍著寶藍色和藍綠色的花紋。
Hassan spotted a sapphire kingfisher perched above the stream.
Hassan 看見一隻寶藍色的翠鳥棲息在小溪上方。
- bright blue
more general and everyday; lacks the gemstone association of 'sapphire'
- vivid blue
emphasises intensity without the gemstone reference
- royal blue
a specific mid-blue shade, slightly less purple-toned than sapphire blue
文法句型
sapphire + noun (the colour modifies the noun)
sapphire blue + noun
用法筆記
Primarily used attributively (before the noun). The compound form 'sapphire blue' is more common in everyday speech and works both attributively ('sapphire blue eyes') and predicatively ('the water was sapphire blue').