source

/sɔːs/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈɔrs] /sɔːrs/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈɔrs] /ˈsȯrs/ (ame, mw)

source — 名詞

  • sourcesingular
  • sourcesplural

1. the starting point of something — for instance, where a river first rises, what

1.名詞B1
釋義

來源；源頭

事物開始或產生的地方或原因

the starting point of something — for instance, where a river first rises, what causes a problem, or who provides money or materials.

例句

The Yangtze River has its source in the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau.

長江的源頭位於青藏高原的冰川之中。

concrete: source of a river

Late nights at work were a constant source of stress for Layla.

對 Layla 來說，工作到深夜一直是壓力的來源。

abstract: source of [emotion/problem]

同義詞
  • origin

    emphasises the starting point in time or space; 'origin of the custom' vs 'source of the river'

  • root

    suggests a deep, underlying cause, especially of a problem

  • cause

    focuses on the reason something happens, not on where it begins

反義詞
  • result

    what comes out of something rather than what starts it

  • outcome

    the final effect, not the starting point

文法句型

the source of [something]

a source of [noun phrase]

用法筆記

The noun that follows 'source of' can be either positive (a source of joy, a source of inspiration) or negative (a source of trouble, a source of conflict).

常見錯誤

❌The source the problem is unknown.
✅The source of the problem is unknown.
💡'source' requires the preposition 'of' when naming what comes from it.

2. a person, document, website, or organization that gives you facts, news, or data

2.名詞B1
釋義

資訊來源

提供資訊的人或文件

a person, document, website, or organization that gives you facts, news, or data that you can use or refer to.

例句

According to a reliable source inside the company, layoffs are expected next month.

據公司內部可靠消息來源指出，裁員預計於下個月進行。

collocation: reliable source

Reema listed all her sources at the end of her research paper.

Reema 在研究報告的末尾列出了她所有的參考出處。

academic: list one's sources

同義詞
  • reference

    a specific work (book, article) cited in academic writing

  • informant

    a person who gives information, often secretly

  • authority

    an expert or reliable work on a subject

文法句型

[adjective] source

source of [information/news/data]

from a reliable source

用法筆記

Common adjectives with this sense: 'reliable', 'anonymous', 'unidentified', 'trusted', 'primary'. In journalism, 'sources' often refers to people who give information on condition of anonymity.

常見錯誤

❌He is a good source information.
✅He is a good source of information.
💡even in this sense, 'source' needs 'of' before the kind of content.

3. at the original place or point where something starts, before it spreads, moves,

3.名詞B2
釋義

在源頭

在事物發生的最初位置

at the original place or point where something starts, before it spreads, moves, or changes — used in the fixed phrase 'at source'.

例句

To prevent food poisoning, officials aim to stop contamination at source.

為防止食物中毒，主管機關的目標是從源頭杜絕汙染。

fixed phrase: at source

The government deducts income tax at source, before workers receive their pay.

政府在源頭課徵所得稅，在發放薪資前就先扣除。

反義詞
  • downstream

    later in a process, after something has already spread or been changed

文法句型

at source

用法筆記

This sense nearly always appears in the fixed phrase 'at source'. Unlike sense 1, you cannot say 'the source' here — 'at source' functions as an adverbial unit meaning 'before it spreads or is processed'.

常見錯誤

❌The tax is deducted at the source.
✅The tax is deducted at source.
💡the definite article 'the' is not used in this fixed phrase.

source — 動詞