scavengers
scavengers — 名詞
- scavengerssingular
- scavengersesplural
1. a wild creature, such as a vulture, hyena, or crab, that stays alive by eating d
食腐動物
以動物屍體或廢物為食的生物
a wild creature, such as a vulture, hyena, or crab, that stays alive by eating dead animals or waste food left behind by other creatures.
After the lion left its kill, scavengers like vultures gathered in minutes.
獅子離開獵物之後，食腐動物如禿鷹在幾分鐘內就聚集過來。
after + kill — typical feeding context for scavengers
Dead fish washed up on the riverbank and attracted crabs and other scavengers.
死魚被沖到河岸上，吸引了螃蟹及其他食腐動物。
In the desert, beetles act as efficient scavengers that clear away dead insects.
在沙漠中，甲蟲扮演著高效的食腐動物角色，會清除死去的昆蟲。
National park rangers explained that hyenas are vital scavengers in the savanna.
國家公園的解說員說明，鬣狗是草原上重要的食腐動物。
Scavengers play an essential role in the ecosystem by consuming dead organic matter.
食腐動物藉由消耗有機廢棄物，在生態系統中扮演關鍵角色。
- carrion eater
more specific — only describes animals that feed on rotting meat, not on waste
- decomposer
broader term in ecology that includes bacteria and fungi that break down dead matter
- forager
wider meaning — also describes animals that search for live food such as seeds or berries
- predator
kills its own prey rather than eating already dead animals
文法句型
scavenger + verb (feed on / eat / gather) + [food source]
用法筆記
Common in biology and ecology writing. The activity of scavengers helps recycle nutrients — without them, dead matter would pile up.
常見錯誤
2. a person who looks through rubbish or discarded items to find things that can be
拾荒者
從垃圾中撿拾可用物品的人
a person who looks through rubbish or discarded items to find things that can be reused, sold for money, or recycled.
Benjamin earned a small income as a scavenger collecting scrap metal from the railway yard.
Benjamin 靠著在鐵路場撿拾廢金屬當拾荒者，賺取微薄的收入。
earned a small income as a scavenger — occupation framing
Beatriz and her brother sifted through the dump looking for glass bottles and copper wire.
Beatriz 和她的弟弟在垃圾場翻找玻璃瓶和銅線。
Local recycling programs now offer better prices for the materials that scavengers collect.
當地的回收計畫現在為拾荒者收集的材料提供更好的價格。
Nora pulled a broken chair from the trash, fixed its leg, and sold it the following day.
Nora 從垃圾堆裡拉出一張壞掉的椅子，修好椅腳，隔天就賣掉了。
The city council provided gloves and safety vests to help scavengers work more safely.
市政府提供了手套和安全背心，讓拾荒者工作時更安全。
- waste picker
more neutral and common in development and recycling contexts
- ragpicker
dated term referring specifically to someone who collects old cloth and rags
- junk collector
more general — can also describe someone who buys unwanted household items
文法句型
scavenger + verb (collect / sort / sell) + [discarded items]
用法筆記
Can sometimes carry a negative connotation suggesting poverty, but is used neutrally in discussions of waste management and recycling industries.
常見錯誤
3. a substance added to a mixture to capture, react with, or remove unwanted chemic
清除劑
去除或中和有害化學物質的藥劑
a substance added to a mixture to capture, react with, or remove unwanted chemicals, such as toxins, oxygen, or pollutants.
The lab technician added a chemical scavenger to remove oxygen from the sealed solution.
實驗室技術員加入了一種化學清除劑，以去除密封溶液中的氧氣。
Free radical scavengers found in green vegetables help protect the body from cell damage.
綠色蔬菜中含有的自由基清除劑，有助於保護身體免受細胞損傷。
free radical scavengers found in green vegetables — common in health contexts
Engineers use chlorine scavengers to stop corrosion inside the water supply pipes.
工程師使用氯清除劑，來阻止水管內部的腐蝕。
This air filter contains a chemical scavenger that traps sulfur compounds before they escape.
這個空氣濾清器含有一種化學清除劑，能在硫化物逸出之前將其捕捉。
A specially designed scavenger binds to heavy metals in wastewater and makes them harmless.
一種特殊設計的清除劑會與廢水中的重金屬結合，使其失去危害。
- neutralizing agent
broader term for any substance that counteracts unwanted chemicals
- purifier
more general — describes anything that removes impurities from a substance
- radical scavenger
specific to antioxidants that neutralise free radicals in biological systems
- pollutant
a substance that contaminates rather than removes contaminants
- contaminant
the unwanted substance that a scavenger is added to remove
文法句型
scavenger + verb (remove / trap / bind to) + [target substance]
[type] scavenger (oxygen / free radical / chlorine)
用法筆記
Technical term found mainly in chemistry, biology, and environmental engineering. The type of scavenger is often specified by a prefix: oxygen scavenger, free radical scavenger, chlorine scavenger.