seesaw
/ˈsiː.sɔː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsiː.sɑː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsē-ˌsȯ/ (ame, mw)
seesaw — 名詞
- seesawsingular
- seesawsplural
1. a piece of playground equipment where a long plank rests on a pointed base; chil
蹺蹺板
兒童遊戲器材，兩端上下移動的長板
a piece of playground equipment where a long plank rests on a pointed base; children sit at either end and take turns being lifted or lowered as they kick against the ground
Theo and his sister ran to the playground to play on the seesaw.
Theo 和妹妹跑到操場上玩蹺蹺板。
collocation: play on a/the seesaw
Mei-Lin pushed off the ground hard, lifting her friend high into the air.
Mei-Lin 用力蹬地，把朋友高高舉到空中。
A broken seesaw sat in the corner of the empty schoolyard.
一座壞掉的蹺蹺板放在空蕩蕩的校園角落。
The old wooden seesaw creaked as the children went up and down in the sun.
那座舊木頭蹺蹺板隨著孩子們上下晃動而吱吱作響。
- teeter-totter
used in American English, especially in the northern US and Canada, while 'seesaw' is more common in British and general American English
文法句型
play on a/the seesaw
a [adjective] seesaw
用法筆記
Often appears with the verb 'play' in the phrase 'play on a/the seesaw.' The word refers to the equipment itself, not the action.
seesaw — 動詞
- seesawpresent simple I / you / we / they
- seesaws3rd person singular
- seesawing-ing form
- seesawedpast simple
1. to keep moving between two opposite emotions, opinions, or conditions, going bac
搖擺不定
在相反的狀態或情緒間來回擺盪
to keep moving between two opposite emotions, opinions, or conditions, going back and forth from one to the other
Throughout the afternoon, the stock market seesawed between gains and losses.
整個下午，股市在漲跌之間搖擺不定。
pattern: seesaw between [X] and [Y]
Priya's mood seesawed from excitement to worry before her final exam.
Priya 的心情在大考前從興奮轉為擔憂，反覆搖擺。
For months, public opinion on the tax plan has seesawed without a clear verdict.
幾個月來，公眾對稅務計畫的意見搖擺不定，沒有明確的結果。
Oleg's temperature seesawed wildly as his body fought the lung infection.
Oleg 的體溫劇烈起伏，他的身體正在對抗肺部感染。
The basketball game seesawed back and forth until the final shot decided the winner.
那場籃球賽的比分一直來回拉鋸，直到最後一球才分出勝負。
- stabilise
to stop changing and become steady
文法句型
seesaw between [something] and [something]
seesaw back and forth
用法筆記
Intransitive only — you cannot 'seesaw something.' Almost always paired with 'between' followed by two nouns, or with 'back and forth.'
常見錯誤
2. to use a seesaw by sitting at one end and going alternately higher and lower as
玩蹺蹺板
坐在蹺蹺板上上下移動
to use a seesaw by sitting at one end and going alternately higher and lower as the opposite end moves in the other direction
Keiko and her younger brother seesawed in the backyard after school.
Keiko 和弟弟放學後在後院玩蹺蹺板。
pattern: seesaw with [someone]
Amir watched his twin daughters seesaw happily in the afternoon sunshine.
Amir 看著他的雙胞胎女兒在午後的陽光下開心地玩蹺蹺板。
Lucia and her best friend giggled as they seesawed in the park until sunset.
Lucia 和好友在公園裡邊玩蹺蹺板邊咯咯笑，一直玩到夕陽西下。
Raj loves to seesaw with his cousin whenever they visit the playground together.
Raj 很喜歡和表弟一起去操場玩蹺蹺板。
- teeter
can describe the rocking motion, but less specific to the playground activity
文法句型
seesaw with [someone]
go seesawing
用法筆記
The subject is usually two or more people. You cannot seesaw alone because the equipment needs weight on both ends.
常見錯誤
seesaw — 形容詞
- seesawpositive
- more seesawcomparative
- most seesawsuperlative
1. changing repeatedly between two opposite conditions, feelings, or situations, wi
搖擺的
在兩種狀態之間反覆變化的
changing repeatedly between two opposite conditions, feelings, or situations, without staying in either one for long
The country suffered through a seesaw economy, growing one year then shrinking the next.
這個國家經歷了搖擺的經濟——一年成長，隔年衰退。
attributive use: a seesaw [noun]
Fatima described her seesaw emotions during the long and stressful job interview.
Fatima 描述了她在那場漫長又充滿壓力的工作面試中搖擺不定的心情。
The team's seesaw performance frustrated fans who wanted a steady upward trend.
球隊搖擺不定的表現讓球迷感到沮喪，他們希望看到穩定的進步。
Diego found himself in a seesaw friendship, close one week and distant the next.
Diego 發現自己身處一段搖擺的友誼中——這一週很親近，下一週又很疏遠。
- alternating
more neutral and less vivid; suggests predictable rotation rather than emotional instability
- fluctuating
more common for measurable quantities; less personal than 'seesaw'
- steady
describes something that stays the same without changing
文法句型
a seesaw [noun]
seesaw [noun]
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Describes a repeating pattern of alternation, not a single change of direction.