table
/ˈteɪbl/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈebəl] /ˈteɪbl/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈebəl] /ˈtā-bəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈteɪ.bəl/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈebəl] /ˈteɪ.bəl/ (ame, ipa)
table — 名詞
- tablesingular
- tablesplural
1. a piece of household furniture with a flat top held up by legs, used for eating
桌子
有桌腳和平面桌板的家具
a piece of household furniture with a flat top held up by legs, used for eating meals, doing work, or holding objects
Dahlia set the plates on the dining table and called everyone for dinner.
Dahlia 把盤子放在餐桌上，然後叫大家來吃晚餐。
collocation: set the table / dining table
Tamás bought a small wooden table for his balcony to hold his coffee mug and books.
Tamás 買了一張小木桌放在陽台上，用來放咖啡杯和書本。
table used for holding objects
The kitchen table was covered with newspapers and homework papers.
廚房桌上堆滿了報紙和回家作業。
A heavy glass vase stood in the middle of the round oak table.
那座厚重的玻璃花瓶擺在圓形橡木桌的正中央。
用法筆記
Commonly modified by the room or function: 'kitchen table', 'dining table', 'coffee table'. 'Table' alone usually implies a dining or kitchen table.
常見錯誤
2. the people gathered around a table at the same time, such as when eating togethe
一桌人
圍坐在桌邊的一群人
the people gathered around a table at the same time, such as when eating together or holding a discussion
The whole table burst into laughter when Quan told his funny story.
Quan 講完他的有趣故事後，整桌人都笑了出來。
collective noun: 'the whole table' = everyone sitting there
Aarav looked around the table to see if anyone wanted more water.
Aarav 環顧桌邊的人，看看還有誰需要加水。
The table agreed to meet again the following Tuesday to continue the discussion.
整桌人都同意下週二再見面繼續討論。
A murmur of disagreement passed around the table when Christopher suggested changing the menu.
當 Christopher 建議更換菜單時，整桌人傳出一陣不以為然的低語聲。
文法句型
the whole table
the table + singular/plural verb
用法筆記
Used as a collective noun; takes a singular or plural verb depending on whether the group is seen as a unit or as individuals (e.g. 'The table was silent' vs. 'The table were all talking at once').
3. a piece of furniture with a flat surface used for working on in an office, often
辦公桌
辦公室裡用來工作的桌子
a piece of furniture with a flat surface used for working on in an office, often with drawers
Elena cleared her table before starting the new project report.
Elena 在開始寫新的專案報告之前，先把辦公桌清空。
collocation: clear the table (office context)
Folake keeps a photograph of her children on her office table next to the computer.
Folake 在辦公桌上電腦旁邊放了一張孩子的照片。
Gabriel pushed his keyboard aside to make room on the table for the printed documents.
Gabriel 把鍵盤推到一旁，在桌上騰出空間來放列印出來的文件。
Quan stacked the folders neatly on his office table before leaving for the day.
Quan 在下班前把文件夾整整齊齊地疊在辦公桌上。
- desk
the standard term in American English for office work surfaces
用法筆記
In American English, 'desk' is more common than 'table' for office furniture. 'Table' in this sense may sound slightly British or old-fashioned.
4. a table on which plates, cups, and eating tools have been arranged so that peopl
宴席
已擺好餐具菜餚的餐桌
a table on which plates, cups, and eating tools have been arranged so that people can eat a meal
The hotel promised a fine table with fresh flowers and linen napkins every evening.
那間飯店保證每晚都有豐盛的宴席，附有鮮花和亞麻餐巾。
collocation: 'a fine table' = generous meal spread
Christopher's grandmother always kept a good table with three courses for Sunday lunch.
Christopher 的祖母總是準備豐盛的週日午餐，有三道菜餚。
idiom: 'keep a good table' = provide plentiful food
Samir helped his mother lay the table with clean plates and shiny forks.
Samir 幫媽媽擺好餐桌，放上乾淨的盤子和閃亮的叉子。
The wedding hall prepared a beautiful table with gold plates and white roses for the bride and groom.
婚宴會場為新郎新娘準備了一桌美麗的宴席，擺著金色盤子和白玫瑰。
用法筆記
Found in fixed phrases such as 'keep a good table' (provide abundant food) and 'lay the table' / 'set the table' (arrange dishes and utensils). Not used as freely as sense 1.
5. a set of information shown in rows going across and columns going down, making t
表格
以行列排列的資料
a set of information shown in rows going across and columns going down, making the data easy to read and compare
The table on page twelve shows the sales figures for each region.
第十二頁的表格顯示了每個區域的銷售數字。
typical use: reference by page/location
Yumi created a table in her notebook to compare the prices of different laptops.
Yumi 在筆記本裡畫了一個表格來比較不同筆記型電腦的價格。
collocation: create a table
Darius read the table of population numbers and found that Tokyo had the largest city population.
Darius 看了人口數據表，發現東京的人口最多。
The table of contents lists the chapters in order, but the data table inside each chapter lists the facts.
目錄列出各章的順序，而每章內部的數據表格則列出各項事實。
- chart
uses visual elements like bars or lines instead of number grids
- grid
emphasizes the structure of rows and columns
- spreadsheet
a digital table used in software like Excel
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'chart' and 'graph', which use pictures rather than rows and columns. A 'table' is text and numbers arranged in a grid.
常見錯誤
6. a list that shows what number you get when you multiply a particular number by o
乘法表
顯示乘法結果的列表
a list that shows what number you get when you multiply a particular number by other numbers, often learned by children at school
The students recited the three times table out loud during morning math practice.
學生們在早上的數學練習時間大聲背誦三的乘法表。
collocation: 'times table' = multiplication table
Olivia had trouble remembering the seven times table until her father made up a song to help her.
Olivia 學七的乘法表遇到困難，直到她父親編了一首歌來幫助她。
Knowing the multiplication tables by heart makes solving math problems much faster.
熟記乘法表可以讓解數學題的速度快很多。
Darius challenged his younger sister to a race reciting the six times table.
Darius 跟妹妹比賽誰能最快背完六的乘法表。
- times table
the common everyday term, especially when talking about children learning them
用法筆記
Often shortened to just 'times table' in everyday conversation. Children typically learn tables from 1× to 12×.
7. a list at the front of a book that shows the titles of each section and the page
目錄
書中各章節及其頁碼的列表
a list at the front of a book that shows the titles of each section and the page where each one starts
Quan checked the table of contents to find the chapter about the French Revolution.
Quan 查閱目錄，想找到關於法國大革命的那一章。
full phrase: 'table of contents'
The table at the start of the manual lists all the topics covered in the training course.
手冊開頭的目錄列出了訓練課程中涵蓋的所有主題。
A good table of contents helps readers quickly find the information they need.
好的目錄能幫助讀者快速找到他們需要的資訊。
Yumi flipped to the table of contents to see how many chapters were in the novel.
Yumi 翻到目錄頁，想看看這本小說有幾個章節。
- contents
the shorter, more common term for the list at the front of a book
用法筆記
Almost always used in the full phrase 'table of contents'. In book publishing, it is often abbreviated as 'TOC'.
table — 動詞
- tablepresent simple I / you / we / they
- tables3rd person singular
- tabling-ing form
- tabledpast simple
1. to formally suggest that a committee, parliament, or other official group discus
提出
正式提議討論某事（英式）
to formally suggest that a committee, parliament, or other official group discuss a particular matter
The opposition party tabled a motion to investigate the handling of public funds.
反對黨提出了一項動議，要求調查公共資金的使用情況。
typical collocation: 'table a motion' (UK)
Gabriel tabled a question about school funding at the town council meeting.
Gabriel 在鎮議會會議上提出了一個關於學校經費的問題。
A proposal to build new cycle lanes was tabled by the local environmental group.
當地環保團體提出了一項興建新自行車道的提案。
Dahlia tabled an amendment to the housing plan during the committee session.
Dahlia 在委員會會議中提出了住房計畫的修正案。
- propose
more general and neutral; does not carry the parliamentary formality
- submit
focuses on handing something in for consideration
- put forward
a phrasal verb with a similar meaning
文法句型
table + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is the British English meaning. In American English, 'table' means the opposite — to postpone discussion. Always check which variety is being used.
常見錯誤
2. to decide not to discuss or deal with something officially until a later time
擱置
延後討論某事（美式）
to decide not to discuss or deal with something officially until a later time
The Senate voted to table the bill until the next session.
參議院投票擱置該法案，留待下次會期再處理。
typical US usage: 'table the bill'
Elena moved to table the proposal, saying the committee needed more data before voting.
Elena 提議擱置該提案，表示委員會在表決前需要更多資料。
The discussion was tabled because too many members were absent from the meeting.
由於太多成員缺席會議，該討論被擱置了。
The committee voted to table the budget debate until the new financial report arrived.
委員會投票擱置預算討論，直到新的財務報告送達為止。
文法句型
table + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is the American English meaning — directly opposite to the British sense. In US parliamentary procedure, tabling a bill usually kills it or sets it aside indefinitely.
常見錯誤
3. to organize information, especially numbers or facts, into rows and columns so t
製表
將資料以行列方式編排
to organize information, especially numbers or facts, into rows and columns so that it is easy to read and compare
The research assistant tabled the survey results and highlighted the key differences.
研究助理將調查結果製成表格，並標出主要的差異。
collocation: 'table results / data'
All the test scores were tabled by class so the teacher could compare the students' progress.
所有測驗成績都按班級製成表格，方便老師比較學生的進步情形。
passive: 'were tabled by'
Yumi tabled the monthly expenses in a spreadsheet for the team to review.
Yumi 將每月的開銷製成表格放在試算表中，供團隊審閱。
The hospital tabled the patient data by age group to study the effects of the new treatment.
醫院將病患資料按年齡層製成表格，以研究新療法的效果。
- scatter
to spread data randomly rather than organizing it
文法句型
table + noun phrase
用法筆記
Also expressed using the synonym 'tabulate', which is more common in academic and technical writing. 'Table' as a verb is shorter but less frequent.
4. to provide information or sell items from a small temporary station in a public
擺攤
在公共場所設攤提供資訊或販售
to provide information or sell items from a small temporary station in a public space
The charity volunteers tabled outside the train station to collect donations for the animal shelter.
慈善志工在火車站外面擺攤，為動物收容所募款。
collocation: 'table outside / in / at [location]'
Folake tabled at the school fair to sell handmade jewelry and candles.
Folake 在學校園遊會擺攤販售手工珠寶和蠟燭。
Student groups tabled on campus all week to encourage people to register to vote.
學生社團整個星期都在校園內擺攤，鼓勵大家登記投票。
A local farm tabled at the market every Saturday to sell fresh apples and honey.
一間當地農場每週六在市場擺攤，販售新鮮蘋果和蜂蜜。
- set up a booth
more general; 'table' implies a simple table rather than a full booth structure
- canvass
involves going out to talk to people directly, not just sitting at a table
文法句型
table + at/for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Common in North American university and community organizing contexts. The focus is on the table as a physical stall or booth, not on formal discussion.
table — 形容詞
- tablepositive
- tablercomparative
- tablestsuperlative
1. designed or intended to be placed on or used with a table, especially in a home
桌上用的
設計用於放在桌上的
designed or intended to be placed on or used with a table, especially in a home
Darius bought a new table lamp for his bedside table because the old one was too dim.
Darius 在床頭桌上買了一盞新桌燈，因為舊的太暗了。
typical compound: 'table lamp'
The table mat protected the wooden surface from the heat of the hot pot.
餐桌墊保護木頭桌面免受熱鍋的傷害。
typical compound: 'table mat'
A white tablecloth covered the long table for the wedding reception.
一條白色桌布覆蓋著長桌，為婚宴做準備。
Aarav picked a blue table runner to match the plates at the birthday dinner.
Aarav 選了一條藍色桌旗來搭配生日晚餐的盤子。
文法句型
table + noun
用法筆記
Used only before a noun in compound terms like 'table lamp', 'table mat', 'tablecloth'. This is not a free-standing adjective; it always modifies a noun.
2. suitable for being eaten or drunk as part of a meal, rather than for cooking or
佐餐的
適合用餐時食用或飲用的
suitable for being eaten or drunk as part of a meal, rather than for cooking or other uses
The chef chose table grapes because they are sweeter than the ones used for winemaking.
主廚選了食用葡萄，因為它們比釀酒用的葡萄更甜。
typical compound: 'table grapes'
A bottle of table wine is usually less expensive than a fine vintage wine.
一瓶佐餐酒通常比頂級年份酒便宜。
typical compound: 'table wine'
Table salt is finer than kosher salt and dissolves more quickly in food.
食鹽比猶太鹽更細，在食物中溶解得更快。
The restaurant served table olives and fresh bread before the main course arrived.
餐廳在主菜上桌前先提供了佐餐橄欖和新鮮麵包。
- cooking
'cooking wine' or 'cooking salt' is meant for use in recipes, not for direct serving at the table
文法句型
table + noun
用法筆記
Used in food-industry terms to distinguish everyday eating/drinking products from specialized or luxury versions. 'Table wine' is ordinary wine for everyday meals.
3. relating to the accepted ways of behaving while eating with other people at a di
餐桌的
與用餐行為禮儀相關的
relating to the accepted ways of behaving while eating with other people at a dining table
Samir learned table manners from his grandfather, who insisted on sitting up straight while eating.
Samir 跟祖父學會了餐桌禮儀，祖父堅持吃飯時要坐直。
typical compound: 'table manners'
Table etiquette varies widely across different cultures and countries.
餐桌禮儀在不同文化和國家之間差異很大。
alternative phrasing: 'table etiquette'
The children were taught proper table behavior, such as not speaking with food in their mouths.
孩子們學到了正確的餐桌行為，例如嘴裡有食物時不要說話。
Folake's parents taught her good table manners, like saying please before asking for a dish.
Folake 的父母教導她良好的餐桌禮儀，例如在要求傳菜前先說請。
文法句型
table + noun
用法筆記
Almost always paired with 'manners' or 'etiquette'. Not used with other nouns — you would not say 'table conduct' as a natural compound.