taste
/teɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /teɪst/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtāst/ (ame, mw)
taste — 名詞
1. the particular quality that a food or drink has when it touches your tongue, or
味道；味覺
食物在口中的味道，或辨別味道的能力
the particular quality that a food or drink has when it touches your tongue, or the physical ability to notice this quality through your tongue and mouth.
This soup has a rich, creamy taste that comes from the coconut milk and fresh herbs.
這碗湯有濃郁的奶油味，來自椰奶和新鮮香草。
taste + of + noun for flavour source
Léa lost her sense of taste after the bad cold and could not enjoy any of her favourite dishes.
Léa 重感冒後失去了味覺，吃什麼最喜歡的菜都沒味道。
sense of taste for the physical ability
The medicine had a bitter taste, so Felix held his nose while swallowing it.
那藥有苦味，所以 Felix 捏著鼻子吞下去。
Wine experts use their sense of taste to tell whether a bottle comes from France or Chile.
葡萄酒專家靠味覺來判斷一瓶酒來自法國還是智利。
- tastelessness
the quality of having no flavour at all
文法句型
taste + of + noun
adjective + taste
用法筆記
When referring to the physical sense itself (not a specific flavour), 'taste' is uncountable: 'Loss of taste is a common symptom.' When referring to a specific flavour, it is countable: 'The sauce has a smoky taste.'
常見錯誤
2. a feeling of enjoyment or pleasure that you get from a particular activity, thin
喜愛；嗜好
對某事物感到喜愛或享受
a feeling of enjoyment or pleasure that you get from a particular activity, thing, or experience — for example, having a taste for adventure films or a taste for spicy food.
Rodrigo developed a taste for classical music after attending a live orchestra performance in Madrid.
Rodrigo 在馬德里聽了一場現場管弦樂演出後，培養出對古典音樂的喜愛。
develop/have a taste for + noun
The children had no taste for vegetables, so their mother hid carrots and spinach in the pasta sauce.
孩子們不喜歡吃蔬菜，所以媽媽把紅蘿蔔和菠菜藏在義大利麵醬裡。
have no taste for — lack of liking
My taste for spicy food has grown over the years, and now I add chili to almost every meal.
我對辣食的喜愛這些年來越來越強，現在幾乎每餐都加辣椒。
Bilal's taste for photography took him on hiking trips across Morocco and Turkey.
Bilal 對攝影的熱愛帶他走遍了摩洛哥和土耳其的山區。
- disgust
a strong feeling of not liking something at all
文法句型
taste for + noun/gerund
have a taste for
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'develop', 'acquire', 'have', or 'grow' to show change over time. Unlike 'hobby', 'a taste for' something suggests a learned or gradually-formed liking rather than an instant one.
3. a very small quantity of food or drink that you put into your mouth to try its f
少量；嚐一口
放入口中的少量食物或飲料
a very small quantity of food or drink that you put into your mouth to try its flavour, or a small helping to see whether you like something.
Eri offered her brother a taste of the mango smoothie before pouring him a full glass.
Eri 讓哥哥嚐了一口芒果冰沙，然後才幫他倒滿一整杯。
a taste of [food/drink] — small sample
The chef gave each guest a taste of the new sauce on a small piece of bread.
主廚給每位客人在一小片麵包上嚐了一口新醬汁。
give someone a taste of
Heloísa took one taste of the soup and decided it needed more salt and pepper.
Heloísa 喝了一口湯後，決定需要多加鹽和胡椒。
Could I please have a taste of that cheese before I buy a whole block of it?
我可以先嚐一口那個起司，再買一整塊嗎？
文法句型
have a taste of + noun
give + someone + a taste of
用法筆記
Used in shops and restaurants when a customer wants to try a small portion before buying. For drinks, 'a sip' is more specific; for solid food, 'a taste' or 'a bite' both work.
4. the things or qualities that a particular person likes or approves of; the perso
喜好；品味
個人對事物類型的偏好
the things or qualities that a particular person likes or approves of; the personal choices that make someone prefer one type of thing over another.
Modern furniture is not to everyone's taste, but Sivan loves the clean lines and simple shapes.
現代傢俱不是每個人的喜好，但 Sivan 喜歡那種簡潔的線條和簡單的造型。
to someone's taste — matching preferences
The shop offers books on cooking, travel, and history to suit a wide range of tastes.
這家店提供烹飪、旅遊和歷史等書籍，迎合各種不同的喜好。
suit/range of tastes — variety of preferences
Decorating the flat was difficult because Soraya and her flatmate had completely different tastes.
裝潢公寓很困難，因為 Soraya 和她室友的喜好完全不同。
My brother loves horror films, but I cannot watch them — there is no accounting for taste.
我哥哥愛看恐怖片，但我完全看不下去——人各有所好。
- preference
more neutral and less evaluative; 'taste' often implies a personal, somewhat refined choice
- inclination
a slightly formal tendency to like something
- liking
more direct, less about a general pattern and more about a specific like
文法句型
to + someone's + taste
taste in + noun
用法筆記
Closely related to sense 6 (THINGS YOU LIKE) but more abstract: 'taste' here refers to the pattern of preferences rather than the specific items themselves. The idiom 'there is no accounting for taste' means it is impossible to explain why different people like different things.
5. the ability to recognise and choose what is appropriate, beautiful, or of high q
鑑賞力；品味
判斷藝術、時尚等是否合宜的能力
the ability to recognise and choose what is appropriate, beautiful, or of high quality in areas such as art, fashion, decor, and social behaviour.
Henry has excellent taste in interior design — his apartment was featured in a home magazine.
Henry 在室內設計方面有極佳的品味——他的公寓曾登上家居雜誌。
have good/excellent taste in [area]
Wearing a bright costume to a formal funeral would be considered very bad taste in most cultures.
在正式葬禮上穿著鮮豔的服裝，在多數文化中會顯得很不得體。
bad/poor taste (social appropriateness)
The joke the comedian told was in poor taste, and several people in the audience walked out.
那位喜劇演員說的笑話很低級，有幾位觀眾離席抗議。
Sirin studied art history for years, and her taste in paintings is admired by everyone at the gallery.
Sirin 學了多年藝術史，她對畫作的鑑賞力在畫廊裡備受讚賞。
- discernment
more formal and intellectual; suggests careful, educated judgment
- discrimination
formal; the ability to notice fine differences in quality
- refinement
suggests sophisticated, cultivated taste developed over time
- tastelessness
lack of good judgment in aesthetic or social matters; behaviour that is inappropriate
文法句型
have good/bad taste
in good/poor taste
用法筆記
Unlike sense 4 (PREFERENCE), this sense is evaluative: it implies a standard of quality. 'She has taste' is a compliment meaning she makes good choices. 'In bad/poor taste' is a fixed phrase for something socially or morally inappropriate.
常見錯誤
6. the particular kinds of music, books, films, clothes, or other things that a spe
偏好；興趣
某人所喜歡的事物類別
the particular kinds of music, books, films, clothes, or other things that a specific person enjoys, considered as a set.
Felix and his sister share a taste in science fiction novels, so they swap books every month.
Felix 和他妹妹都喜歡科幻小說，所以他們每個月交換書籍。
taste in [category] — specific set of likes
As teenagers grow up, their tastes in music and fashion often change dramatically.
青少年在成長過程中，對音樂和時尚的喜好常常會徹底改變。
tastes (plural) for evolving preferences
The streaming service uses an algorithm to recommend films based on your viewing tastes.
串流服務會根據你的觀看喜好，用演算法推薦電影。
Rodrigo's tastes in food are quite simple — he prefers grilled meat and fresh salad over fancy restaurant dishes.
Rodrigo 對食物的喜好很簡單——比起高級餐廳的料理，他更喜歡烤肉和新鮮沙拉。
- preferences
more neutral; 'tastes' implies personality and identity
- likes
more informal; used especially online or in surveys
- interests
broader; not limited to aesthetic or cultural choices
文法句型
taste in + noun
tastes change
用法筆記
Unlike sense 4 (PREFERENCE), which is about the abstract quality of preferring things, this sense names the actual items enjoyed. The plural 'tastes' is very common here: 'his tastes in music'. Can also be singular when referring to one specific person's overall pattern of likes.
常見錯誤
7. a short period in which you experience something new, giving you a small idea of
短暫體驗
對某事物的短暫體驗，略知其味
a short period in which you experience something new, giving you a small idea of what it would be like to have more of it.
The internship gave Faisal a taste of what it is like to work in a hospital emergency room.
那份實習讓 Faisal 體驗到在醫院急診室工作是怎樣的感覺。
a taste of [experience] — short preview
Heloísa got a taste of the snowboarding thrill after just one week in the Alps.
Heloísa 在阿爾卑斯山滑雪僅一週，就體驗到滑雪的快感。
get a taste of — gain brief experience
Living abroad for a summer gave the students a taste of independence before they started university.
在國外住了一個夏天，讓學生們在進大學之前先體驗了獨立生活。
The three-day workshop gave local farmers a taste of modern irrigation techniques used in drier climates.
那個三天的研習營讓當地農民初步體驗了乾旱氣候地區使用的現代灌溉技術。
文法句型
a taste of + noun
用法筆記
Always metaphorical — this sense has nothing to do with actual food. Common in career and life-experience contexts. Often followed by 'of' and a noun phrase describing the experience.
常見錯誤
taste — 動詞
- tastepresent simple I / you / we / they
- tastes3rd person singular
- tasting-ing form
- tastedpast simple
1. to put a small amount of food or drink into your mouth to check its flavour, hel
嚐；品嚐
將食物放入口中測試味道
to put a small amount of food or drink into your mouth to check its flavour, helping you decide if you like it or if it is properly cooked.
The chef tasted the sauce with a clean spoon and added a pinch more salt.
主廚用乾淨的湯匙嚐了一下醬汁，然後加了一小撮鹽。
taste + food/drink — testing flavour
Before you serve the soup, taste it to see whether it needs more pepper or lemon juice.
上湯之前先嚐一口，看看是否需要再加點胡椒或檸檬汁。
imperative: taste + it to check
Wren tasted the wine carefully, letting it sit on the tongue for a few seconds before swallowing.
Wren 仔細品嚐了葡萄酒，讓酒在舌頭上停留幾秒鐘才吞下。
The pastry chef asked Lea to taste the new chocolate tart and give her honest opinion.
甜點主廚請 Lea 嚐嚐新做的巧克力塔，並給她誠實的意見。
文法句型
taste + noun phrase
taste + object
用法筆記
Unlike 'eat' or 'drink', 'taste' implies a small, testing quantity — you taste something to check its flavour, not to satisfy hunger. In restaurants, customers may 'taste' wine before ordering a full glass.
常見錯誤
2. when food or drink produces a certain flavour on your tongue — for example, a so
嚐起來
吃或喝起來有某種味道
when food or drink produces a certain flavour on your tongue — for example, a soup that comes across as salty, or juice that reminds you of oranges.
The mangoes taste incredibly sweet because they were picked at the height of the summer season.
這些芒果嚐起來非常甜，因為是在盛夏時節採收的。
taste + adjective describing flavour
This tap water tastes like chlorine, so Bilal fills a jug and lets it sit in the fridge overnight.
這自來水喝起來有氯的味道，所以 Bilal 會裝一壺放在冰箱裡放一晚。
taste like + noun — comparing flavour
The stew tastes strongly of garlic and rosemary, just the way grandmother used to make it.
這鍋燉菜有大蒜和迷迭香的濃郁味道，就像奶奶以前做的。
Even fresh bread can taste bland if you do not add enough salt to the dough.
即使是新鮮的麵包，如果麵團沒有加足夠的鹽，吃起來也會淡而無味。
- have a flavour
more literal and less natural in everyday conversation
- savour of
formal or literary; suggests a rich or lingering flavour
文法句型
taste + adjective
taste like + noun
taste of + noun
用法筆記
A linking verb (like 'seem' or 'look') — it is followed by an adjective, not an adverb: 'it tastes good', NOT 'it tastes well'. 'Taste like' compares to another familiar flavour; 'taste of' suggests the actual ingredient.
常見錯誤
3. to have a short experience of something, especially something exciting, enjoyabl
體驗；嘗到
短暫經歷某種事物
to have a short experience of something, especially something exciting, enjoyable, or desirable — such as tasting success, tasting freedom, or tasting defeat.
After years of hard work, the young athlete finally tasted victory at the national championships.
經過多年的努力，這位年輕運動員終於在全國錦標賽中嚐到了勝利的滋味。
taste + [success/victory/freedom] — abstract
The rescued hikers tasted freedom again when they reached the village after three days lost in the mountains.
獲救的登山者在山中迷路三天後終於抵達村莊，再次體驗到自由的感覺。
During her exchange year in Japan, Soraya tasted a completely different way of life that changed her perspective.
Soraya 在日本交換學年期間，體驗了截然不同的生活方式，改變了她的世界觀。
The team tasted defeat for the first time this season after a series of twelve straight wins.
這支球隊本季首次嚐到失敗的滋味，此前他們已經連續贏了十二場比賽。
- experience
neutral and general; lacks the suggestion of brevity and intensity
- savour
suggests slow, deliberate enjoyment of the experience, not necessarily brief
- sample
also metaphorical; suggests a small preview
文法句型
taste + abstract noun phrase
用法筆記
Metaphorical extension of sense 1. Commonly used in sports, politics, and personal-development writing. The object is almost always an abstract noun: victory, success, freedom, power, defeat, failure. Not used for neutral or everyday experiences.