substances

IPA/ˈsʌb.stəns/
KK[sˈʌbstənsəz]IPA/ˈsʌb.stəns/

substances — 名詞

  • substancessingular
  • substancesesplural

1. any physical matter — solid, liquid, or gas — that has its own chemical or physi

1.名詞B1
釋義

物質

有特定物理或化學特性的材料

any physical matter — solid, liquid, or gas — that has its own chemical or physical qualities, such as colour, density, or melting point.

例句

The lab technician identified a sticky yellow substance on the floor of the storage room.

實驗室技術員在儲藏室的地板上發現了一種黏稠的黃色物質。

countable: a sticky yellow substance

Many cleaning products contain harsh chemical substances that can irritate your skin.

許多清潔產品含有刺激性強的化學物質，可能會刺激皮膚。

plural with adjective: harsh chemical substances

同義詞
  • material

    broader term; any physical stuff, not necessarily with uniform properties

  • matter

    uncountable and more abstract; refers to physical stuff in a general sense

文法句型

adjective + substance

substance + of + noun

用法筆記

Often modified by an adjective that names the type of matter (e.g. 'chemical substance', 'radioactive substance', 'organic substance'). Can be countable ('a oily substance') or uncountable ('substance abuse').

常見錯誤

❌The chemist found a dangerous matter in the sample.
✅The chemist found a dangerous substance in the sample.
💡'matter' is a general uncountable term; 'substance' names a specific type of material.

2. an illegal drug, especially one that people take for pleasure and that is harmfu

2.名詞B2
釋義

毒品

法律禁止持有或使用的藥物

an illegal drug, especially one that people take for pleasure and that is harmful to their health.

例句

Police arrested three people for selling controlled substances outside the nightclub.

警方在夜店外逮捕了三名販售管制藥物的人。

collocation: controlled substances

The school hired a counsellor to talk to students about the dangers of substance abuse.

學校聘請了一名輔導員，向學生說明藥物濫用的危害。

collocation: substance abuse

同義詞
  • drug

    more general; can be legal or illegal; 'substances' specifically signals prohibited or regulated drugs

  • narcotics

    formal legal term; focuses on addictive opiate-based drugs

文法句型

possessive + substances

adjective + substances

用法筆記

Frequently appears in legal and public-health contexts. The phrase 'controlled substances' is the formal legal term for drugs regulated by law.

常見錯誤

❌He was arrested for drugs substances.
✅He was arrested for drug possession / controlled substances.
💡'drugs' and 'substances' are not used redundantly together.

3. the core meaning or most important ideas contained in a speech, piece of writing

3.名詞B2
釋義

要旨；精髓

話語或文字中最核心的含義

the core meaning or most important ideas contained in a speech, piece of writing, or conversation.

例句

The substance of the professor's lecture was that climate policy must change soon.

教授那場演講的要旨是氣候政策必須盡快改變。

pattern: the substance of [someone]'s [communication]

The senator spoke for an hour, but her argument's substance fit on one page.

參議員講了一個小時，但她論點的精髓一頁紙就寫得完。

同義詞
  • gist

    informal; the general idea without detail

  • essence

    the most fundamental quality of something; more philosophical in tone

  • core

    the central part; often used with 'at the core of'

文法句型

the substance of + noun

用法筆記

Uncountable. Never used with 'a' or in the plural when referring to meaning. Always 'the substance of + noun' or 'substance' alone. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'substance' is countable and refers to physical material.

常見錯誤

❌I read the substances of the contract.
✅I read the substance of the contract.
💡This sense is uncountable; do not use the plural.

4. the quality of being based on facts, having real meaning or practical importance

4.名詞C1
釋義

實質；重要性

基於事實的實在價值或分量

the quality of being based on facts, having real meaning or practical importance, rather than being trivial or superficial.

例句

The prosecutor argued that the witness's story lacked substance and should not be believed.

檢察官認為證人的證詞缺乏實質內容，不應採信。

collocation: lack substance

The committee decided the complaint had no substance and dismissed it without a hearing.

委員會認為這項申訴毫無根據，未經聽證就予以駁回。

collocation: have no substance

同義詞
  • weight

    suggests convincing power; 'an argument of weight'

  • significance

    more general; something that matters

  • validity

    focuses on being logically sound rather than important

反義詞
  • triviality

    the quality of being unimportant or superficial

文法句型

of substance

give substance to

lack substance

用法筆記

Uncountable. Appears in fixed phrases like 'a matter of substance' (an important issue) or 'lack substance' (be weak or unconvincing). Common in legal, journalistic, and academic contexts. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 is about the core of a message; sense 4 is about the weight or importance of an idea, claim, or issue.

常見錯誤

❌The theory has many substances.
✅The theory has substance.
💡This sense is uncountable; never add 's' to make it plural.