singles
singles — 形容詞
1. not married and not having a romantic partner — describes a person's relationshi
單身的
沒有結婚或戀愛對象的
not married and not having a romantic partner — describes a person's relationship status.
Sophie has been single since she moved to London for her new job.
Sophie 搬到倫敦開始新工作之後就一直單身。
collocation: be single
The dating app is designed to help single people meet others in their area.
這個交友軟體是為了幫助單身的人在附近認識對象而設計的。
collocation: single people
Ana enjoys being single because she can focus on her studies and travel.
Ana 很享受單身的生活，因為這樣可以專心念書和旅行。
Many single parents work very hard to provide for their children on their own.
許多單親家長非常努力地工作，獨力扶養孩子。
The party is for single people only — couples are asked to come another time.
這場派對只限單身人士參加——情侶請改天再來。
- unmarried
more formal and focuses strictly on legal marital status rather than dating
- unattached
slightly informal; suggests not being in a romantic relationship at all
用法筆記
Can also describe someone who is not currently dating anyone, not just someone who has never been married.
常見錯誤
2. one only — used to emphasise that there is just one of something, often with a n
唯一的
強調只有一個，並非多個
one only — used to emphasise that there is just one of something, often with a negative or to highlight a small number.
The store sold a single ticket to the show before it was cancelled.
那家商店在演出取消前只賣出了一張票。
a single [noun] — emphasising just one
Not a single student in the class forgot to bring the homework on time.
班上沒有任何一個學生忘記按時交作業。
not a single + [noun] — emphatic negative
There was not a single person in the room who disagreed with the proposal.
會議室裡沒有任何一個人反對這項提案。
The team scored a single goal in the whole match and still managed to win.
這支隊伍在整場比賽中只進了一球，卻還是贏了。
He spent every single penny he had on a plane ticket to visit his grandmother.
他把每一分錢都花在買機票去探望祖母上了。
文法句型
a single + [noun]
not a single + [noun] — emphatic negative
用法筆記
Often paired with a negative (not a single…) or with every (every single…) for strong emphasis. In affirmative sentences it simply means 'one'.
常見錯誤
3. considered separately and individually, not as part of a group — focusing on eac
各自的
將每一項分開來看待的
considered separately and individually, not as part of a group — focusing on each item or person on its own.
The teacher spoke to every single student about their exam results personally.
老師親自與每一位學生討論他們的考試成績。
every single [person] — focusing on each individual
Priya checked every single item on her travel packing list before leaving for the airport.
Priya 在出發去機場之前，逐一核對了旅行行李清單上的每一樣物品。
every single [item] — emphasising each unit separately
Omar recorded every single expense in a notebook to track his spending habits.
Omar 把每一筆開銷都記在筆記本裡，以便追蹤自己的花錢習慣。
Mei-Lin organised every single photo from her trip into folders labelled by date and city.
Mei-Lin 將旅行中拍的每一張照片按日期和城市分門別類整理到資料夾中。
No single person can solve a problem this big — it needs a whole team.
沒有任何一個人能獨自解決這麼大的問題——需要整個團隊合作。
- individual
very close in meaning; individual is more common before nouns like 'person' or 'case'
- separate
stresses the division or distinction between items more strongly
- collective
relating to the whole group rather than its parts
- combined
joined together instead of treated separately
文法句型
a single + [abstract noun]
every single + [noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (ONLY ONE): sense 2 focuses on 'just one, not more', while this sense focuses on 'each one treated separately'. Compare: 'a single goal' (just one goal) vs 'every single goal' (each goal individually).
singles — 名詞
1. people without a husband or wife and not in a romantic relationship — the word o
單身者
沒有結婚的人
people without a husband or wife and not in a romantic relationship — the word often appears when discussing social activities and dating for those who are not part of a couple.
The café near the park is a popular meeting place for singles in the city.
公園附近的咖啡館是城裡單身者常去的熱門聚會地點。
a ... place for singles
Many singles join dating websites to find people who share their interests.
許多單身者加入交友網站，尋找興趣相投的對象。
A local community centre started a weekly social club for singles over fifty.
當地社區中心為五十歲以上的單身者開辦了每週一次的社交社團。
The hotel offers a special weekend package designed for singles who travel alone.
這家飯店推出了一個針對獨自旅行的單身者的週末優惠方案。
Yuki joined a hiking group for singles after her divorce and made several close friends.
Yuki 離婚後加入了一個單身者健行社團，交到了幾個好朋友。
- unmarried people
more formal and neutral, without social/dating connotations
- bachelor
only for men; slightly dated and often implies someone who avoids marriage
- bachelorette
only for women; used mainly in American English for social events
- couples
two people in a romantic relationship
- married people
people who have a spouse
文法句型
singles + [plural verb]
a singles [event/bar/club]
用法筆記
Always plural in this sense. The singular form 'a single' can be used but is less common; the phrase 'a single person' is more natural.
常見錯誤
2. a short recording that features one main song and often a few additional tracks,
單曲
獨立發行的短版音樂作品
a short recording that features one main song and often a few additional tracks, put out separately before or alongside a full collection of songs by an artist.
The band released a new single from their upcoming album last Friday.
樂團上週五發行了一張來自他們即將推出的專輯的新單曲。
release / put out a single
Lin's first single climbed to number three on the streaming charts within a week.
Lin 的第一張單曲一週內就在串流排行榜上攀升到了第三名。
Zara's debut single reached number two on the charts within a month of its release.
Zara 的出道單曲在發行一個月內就衝上了排行榜第二名。
Kwesi bought the single on vinyl because he loved the cover art as much as the music.
Kwesi 買了那張黑膠單曲，因為他喜歡封面設計更甚於音樂本身。
The singer's latest single has been played over ten million times on radio stations worldwide.
這位歌手的最新單曲已在全球電台播放超過一千萬次。
- track
a single song, not necessarily a separately released recording
- release
a more general word for any new recording that is made available
- EP (extended play)
a short album with more songs than a single but fewer than a full album
- album
a full-length collection of songs, longer than a single
文法句型
a single from + [artist/album]
release/put out a single
用法筆記
In the past, a single was a vinyl record with one song on each side. Today it refers to any standalone digital or physical release shorter than an album, typically one to four songs.
常見錯誤
3. a hit in baseball that allows the batter to safely reach first base without any
一壘安打
棒球中讓打者安全上一壘的擊球
a hit in baseball that allows the batter to safely reach first base without any defensive error being made.
Pablo hit a single in the third inning and later scored on a double.
Pablo 在第三局擊出一支一壘安打，接著靠一支二壘安打得分。
hit a single
The batter hit a soft single that landed in front of the outfielder.
打者擊出一支軟弱的一壘安打，球落在野手面前。
With two runners already on base, a single could bring the score to a tie.
壘上已經有兩名跑者時，一支一壘安打就能扳平比數。
The coach taught the young players how to aim for a single rather than always swinging for a home run.
教練指導年輕球員如何瞄準打一壘安打，而不是每次都揮大棒想打全壘打。
Chen hit three singles yesterday and helped the team win by a narrow margin.
Chen 在昨天的比賽中擊出三支一壘安打，幫助球隊以些微差距獲勝。
- base hit
a broader term that includes singles, doubles, triples, and home runs
- one-base hit
a technical term used in baseball statistics
文法句型
hit a single
single to [position/field]
用法筆記
This sense is specific to baseball and its statistics. In casual conversation about baseball, people often just say 'hit' and the context makes it clear.
4. a sports match, especially in tennis or badminton, where one player competes aga
單打比賽
網球等一人對一人的比賽形式
a sports match, especially in tennis or badminton, where one player competes against one other player on each side of the court.
Emma prefers playing singles because she can control the whole court herself.
Emma 比較喜歡打單打，因為她可以自己掌控全場。
play singles
The women's singles final at Wimbledon is one of the most watched tennis events each year.
溫布頓網球賽的女子單打決賽是每年最多人觀看的網球賽事之一。
men's/women's singles
Hyun-woo won the badminton singles tournament at his university's sports festival.
Hyun-woo 在大學運動會的羽球單打比賽中贏得了冠軍。
At Wimbledon, Svetlana's singles match lasted nearly three hours before she ran out of energy.
在溫布頓網球賽上，Svetlana 的單打比賽將近打了三個小時，之後她體力耗盡。
During a singles lesson, Coach Rivera showed a beginner how to move side to side.
在一堂單打課上，Rivera 教練教一名初學者如何左右移動腳步。
- one-on-one
a general term for any game between two individuals; not specific to racket sports
- doubles
a match format with two players on each side
文法句型
play singles
a singles match
men's/women's singles
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural form (singles) even when referring to one match: 'a singles match', 'the singles final'. The singular 'a single' is not used in this sports sense.
常見錯誤
5. a room designed for one person to sleep in, especially in a hotel, hostel, or si
單人房
僅供一人住宿的房間
a room designed for one person to sleep in, especially in a hotel, hostel, or similar accommodation.
I booked a single at the Grand Hotel for my three-night stay in Kyoto.
我在京都的 Grand 飯店訂了一間單人房，住三個晚上。
book a single
Single rooms in this hostel cost less than half the price of a private double.
這間青年旅館的單人房價格還不到私人雙人房的一半。
Farid asked for a single with a window facing the garden rather than the street.
Farid 要求一間窗戶面向花園而不是街道的單人房。
The conference hotel had run out of singles, so Ana had to share a twin room.
會議飯店的單人房已經客滿了，所以 Ana 只好住雙床房。
Most singles in European hostels have a sink in the room but a shared bathroom down the hall.
歐洲青年旅館的大多數單人房裡有洗手台，但浴室在走廊上共用。
- single room
the full form; more common in American English
文法句型
a single
book a single
single room
用法筆記
In British English, 'a single' commonly means a single room in a hotel. In American English, 'a single room' is more usual than just 'a single'.
常見錯誤
singles — 動詞
1. in baseball, to hit the ball and safely reach first base, making a single.
擊出一壘安打
棒球中擊出安打上一壘
in baseball, to hit the ball and safely reach first base, making a single.
Diego singled to left field in the second inning, driving in a run.
Diego 在第二局擊出一支左外野一壘安打，送回了一分。
single to [field position]
The shortstop singled twice in yesterday's game against the rival team.
游擊手在昨天對戰對手球隊的比賽中擊出兩支一壘安打。
If the catcher singles here, the winning run will come home from third base.
如果捕手在此時擊出一壘安打，致勝分就會從三壘跑回來。
Kofi singled through the gap between first and second base to load the bases.
Kofi 擊出一支穿越一壘和二壘之間的一壘安打，把壘包填滿。
- get a hit
a general term for any successful hit; not limited to a single
- reach base
broader — can also happen through a walk or error, not just a hit
- strike out
to fail to hit the ball three times and be called out
- ground out
to hit the ball on the ground and be thrown out at first base
文法句型
single to [field position]
[player] singles
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in baseball contexts. The related noun form 'a single' (sense 3 of the noun entry) is much more common.