stillness
/ˈstɪlnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstɪlnəs/ (ame, ipa)
stillness — 名詞
1. the physical state of having no motion, where no part of a body or object change
靜止
物體完全沒有動作或位移的狀態
the physical state of having no motion, where no part of a body or object changes position.
The cat held perfect stillness while the dog sniffed curiously at its tail.
那隻貓保持完美的靜止，任由狗好奇地嗅著牠的尾巴。
collocation: perfect stillness
Gita focused on keeping her body in stillness during the yoga balance exercise.
Gita 在瑜伽平衡練習中專注於讓身體維持靜止。
stillness + in/within [body part]
A sudden stillness spread across the classroom when the principal walked in.
校長一走進來，教室裡突然陷入一片靜止。
The dancer's final pose demanded absolute stillness for a full ten seconds.
舞者的最後一個姿勢要求整整十秒的絕對靜止。
Stillness settled over the pond as the wind died down at sunset.
日落時分風勢轉弱，池塘上籠罩著一片靜止。
- immobility
more technical, often used in medical or mechanical contexts
- motionlessness
straightforward synonym, less literary
- stasis
formal or scientific, suggests a prolonged or unnatural lack of change
用法筆記
Describes the physical world — people, animals, objects, or natural scenes. Often paired with modifiers like 'perfect', 'absolute', or 'total' to emphasise completeness.
常見錯誤
2. a condition of deep inner peace in which a person feels free from worry, excitem
平靜；寧靜
內心不受憂慮或情緒干擾的平和狀態
a condition of deep inner peace in which a person feels free from worry, excitement, or emotional disturbance.
After an hour of meditation, Asher felt a deep stillness inside his chest.
冥想了一小時之後，Asher 感到胸口深處傳來一陣平靜。
collocation: deep stillness
The view of the valley brought a comforting stillness to Greta's troubled mind.
山谷的景色為 Greta 煩亂的心靈帶來了一股撫慰的寧靜。
Feng does breathing exercises each morning to find stillness before work begins.
Feng 每天早上都會做呼吸練習，在上班前找到內心的平靜。
A special stillness comes over you after a long walk in the rain.
在雨中長途步行之後，一種特別的寧靜會湧上心頭。
Mateo discovered an inner stillness that helped him face the difficult exam.
Mateo 發現了一份內心的平靜，幫助他面對困難的考試。
- calmness
slightly broader, can describe both emotion and environment
- serenity
more elevated in tone, suggests a spiritual quality
- tranquillity
focuses on peaceful scene or state, common in descriptive writing
用法筆記
Describes a subjective, emotional state rather than a physical condition. Frequently appears with verbs like 'find', 'bring', 'discover', and is often modified by 'inner' or 'deep'. Distinguish from sense 1, which concerns the observable external world.
常見錯誤
3. the quality of a place where hardly any sound reaches the ear, creating a quiet
寂靜
環境中幾乎聽不到聲音的安靜狀態
the quality of a place where hardly any sound reaches the ear, creating a quiet atmosphere.
The only noise that broke the stillness of the library was a page turning.
打破圖書館寂靜的唯一聲響，是翻頁的聲音。
break the stillness — common verb-noun collocation
Imani stepped out into the stillness of the early morning street.
Imani 踏進清晨街道的寂靜之中。
The stillness in the hospital ward was disturbed by a distant telephone.
醫院病房裡的寂靜被遠處的電話鈴聲打斷了。
Ezra loved the stillness of the art gallery on a weekday afternoon.
Ezra 喜歡平日下午美術館裡的寂靜。
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes an aural quality (soundlessness), not a visual quality (lack of motion). Distinguish from sense 2: this is about external environment, not internal emotion. Often combined with 'of' plus a location noun.