staff

/stɑːf/ (bre, ipa) · /stæf/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstaf/ (ame, mw)

staff — 名詞

  • staffsingular
  • staffsplural

1. the complete group of people that a company or organization employs, regarded as

1.名詞A2
釋義

全體員工

機構或企業的全體受僱人員

the complete group of people that a company or organization employs, regarded as one body rather than as separate individuals

例句

The hospital staff worked through the night to treat passengers hurt in the bus crash.

醫院員工徹夜工作，治療公車車禍中受傷的乘客。

collective noun: takes singular verb when treated as a unit

The principal thanked the teaching staff for their hard work during the final exam period.

校長感謝全體教職員在期末考期間的辛勞。

collocation: teaching staff / office staff / hospital staff

同義詞
  • workforce

    broader term covering all people available for work, not just those employed at one organization

  • personnel

    more formal, often used in military or HR contexts

  • employees

    focuses on the employer-employee relationship; slightly more formal than staff

文法句型

staff + singular/plural verb

staff of + organization

用法筆記

In British English, staff is often treated as a plural noun (the staff are…), while in American English a singular verb is more common (the staff is…). Both are acceptable. When you need to count individuals, use a member of staff or a staff member rather than a staff.

常見錯誤

❌I met a staff at the front desk.
✅I met a member of staff at the front desk.
💡'a staff' is not used for a single person; use 'a member of staff' or 'a staff member' instead.

2. a single person employed by an organization, especially when counting or referri

2.名詞A2
釋義

職員

組織中的一名受僱人員

a single person employed by an organization, especially when counting or referring to them as an individual part of the workforce

例句

Each staff member must sign in at the reception desk before starting their shift.

每位職員在開始值班前都必須到接待處簽到。

'staff member' as countable noun for one person

Niran has been a member of the hospital accounting staff for twelve years.

Niran 在醫院會計部門任職已經十二年了。

同義詞
  • employee

    more common and natural for a single person; 'staff' in this sense is collective-count only

  • worker

    broader; includes manual labour, not necessarily salaried

  • team member

    focuses on belonging to a group within the organization

文法句型

member of staff

staff member

number + staff

用法筆記

Sense 2 overlaps with Sense 1 but focuses on individual members. Use 'a member of staff' or 'a staff member' rather than 'a staff' for a single person. You can, however, use a number before staff to count individuals: 'five staff' means 'five staff members'.

常見錯誤

❌A staff called me yesterday.
✅A member of staff called me yesterday.
💡'staff' is not used with 'a/an' for a single person.

3. a sturdy handheld rod carried to help a person balance while walking, to strike

3.名詞B2
釋義

權杖

手持的長棍，用於行走、武器或權力象徵

a sturdy handheld rod carried to help a person balance while walking, to strike in self-defence, or to mark a position of rank or office

例句

The elderly hiker leaned on his wooden staff as he climbed the steep mountain path.

那位年長的登山者靠著木頭手杖，緩緩爬上了陡峭的山徑。

walking support context

The tribal chief raised his staff to signal that the ceremony was about to begin.

部落首領舉起權杖，示意典禮即將開始。

symbol of authority context

同義詞
  • stick

    more general; can be any piece of wood, not necessarily a crafted object

  • rod

    thinner than a staff, often made of metal; less associated with walking support

  • cane

    modern term for a walking support; usually shorter with a curved handle

  • sceptre

    specifically a ceremonial staff held by a monarch; narrower in meaning

文法句型

staff + preposition (of, with)

用法筆記

This sense is more literary or historical than everyday English. For an ordinary walking stick, 'cane' or 'walking stick' is more common in modern speech. 'Staff' in this sense survives mainly in ceremonial, fantasy, or historical contexts.

常見錯誤

❌He used a doctor's staff to walk after his surgery.
✅He used a walking cane to walk after his surgery.
💡for medical walking support, 'cane' or 'walking stick' is the everyday word; 'staff' sounds old-fashioned or ceremonial.

4. a tall, straight pole, usually made of wood or metal, from which a flag is flown

4.名詞B2
釋義

旗桿

懸掛旗幟的直立長桿

a tall, straight pole, usually made of wood or metal, from which a flag is flown or hung

例句

The national flag flew proudly from the staff at the top of the government building.

國旗在政府大樓頂端的旗桿上驕傲地飄揚。

formal register: 'staff' for flagpole

Quan lowered the flag down the staff as the sun set over the mountains.

Quan 在夕陽沒入群山之際，將旗子沿著旗桿降下。

同義詞
  • flagpole

    the ordinary modern word; much more common in everyday speech

  • flagstaff

    equivalent to 'flagpole'; slightly more formal

文法句型

staff + of (flag)

flag + on a staff

用法筆記

This sense is somewhat formal or literary. In everyday conversation, 'flagpole' (or 'flag pole') is much more common. 'Staff' for flagpole survives mainly in ceremonial, military, or poetic language.

5. in written music notation, the framework of five parallel lines whose gaps creat

5.名詞B2
釋義

五線譜

記錄音符的五條橫線與四個間隔

in written music notation, the framework of five parallel lines whose gaps create four intervals, where symbols indicating different pitches are positioned

例句

The teacher drew a staff and asked Noa to place the notes correctly.

老師畫了一組五線譜，請 Noa 把音符放在正確的位置上。

music education context

Each line and space on the staff stands for a pitch that musicians read.

五線譜上的每一條線和每個間隔都代表音樂家需要判讀的音高。

同義詞
  • stave

    alternative spelling and pronunciation of 'staff' in musical contexts; more common in British English

文法句型

on the staff

the lines of the staff

用法筆記

The plural form is staves (pronounced /steɪvz/), following an older English plural pattern. In modern music scores, two staves are connected by a brace for piano music. 'Staff' is also sometimes spelled 'stave' in British musical contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The notes are placed on the music scale.
✅The notes are placed on the staff.
💡'scale' refers to a sequence of pitches; 'staff' refers to the five lines on which notes are written.

staff — 動詞