shelf life

IPA/ˈʃelf laɪf/
IPA/ˈʃelf laɪf/

shelf life — 名詞

1. how long a food item, medicine, or similar product can stay on a shop shelf befo

1.名詞B1
釋義

保存期限

產品在架上可存放的期限

how long a food item, medicine, or similar product can stay on a shop shelf before it goes bad or becomes unsafe to sell

例句

Gabriel checked the shelf life on the yogurt before putting it in his basket.

Gabriel 把優格放進購物籃前先看了保存期限。

collocation: check the shelf life

The pharmacist told Caio the medicine had a shelf life of only six months.

藥師告訴 Caio 這個藥的保存期限只有六個月。

shelf life of + [time period]

常見搭配
  • check the shelf life
  • past its shelf life
  • beyond its shelf life
  • within its shelf life
同義詞
  • expiry period

    more formal; often used in regulatory or industry documents

  • use-by period

    focuses on the consumer side — the date by which you should use the product

  • storage life

    emphasises the conditions of keeping rather than the retail shelf

用法筆記

This is the literal, physical meaning. It is the term you see printed on food packaging and medicine labels to show how long the item stays safe.

常見錯誤

The shelf life is next Tuesday.
The expiry date is next Tuesday. The shelf life is six months.
shelf life is the length of time, not the end date itself.

2. the window of time in which an idea, trend, skill, or product stays useful, popu

2.名詞B2
釋義

保鮮期

事物保持有用或受歡迎的時間

the window of time in which an idea, trend, skill, or product stays useful, popular, or relevant before it grows stale or out of date

例句

Sade worries that her programming skills have a short shelf life in this fast-changing industry.

Sade 擔心她的程式技能在這個快速變化的產業裡保鮮期很短。

short shelf life for skills/knowledge

Dylan believes most social media trends have a shelf life of just a few weeks.

Dylan 認為大多數社群媒體潮流的保鮮期只有幾週。

shelf life of + [time] for trends

常見搭配
  • a short shelf life for [skills/trends]
  • have no shelf life
  • extend the shelf life of [an idea]
同義詞
  • lifespan

    used more for physical durability or biological life; 'shelf life' adds the idea of retail or cultural relevance

  • longevity

    emphasises lasting power over time rather than a defined window

  • relevance window

    explicitly about staying current; more specialised and less common in everyday speech

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (USE-BY PERIOD): this is a figurative extension applied to non-perishable things. It refers to relevance or market viability, not physical spoilage.

常見錯誤

My phone battery has a short shelf life.
My phone battery has a short lifespan. The phone model has a short shelf life before the next version comes out.
for physical wear and tear of a device, use 'lifespan'; 'shelf life' in this sense is about relevance or market viability.

常見搭配

名詞搭配

副詞搭配

常用片語

  • have a shelf life of
  • past its shelf life
  • extend the shelf life of

介系詞搭配

  • of (a shelf life of three years)
  • past (past its shelf life)