the last
the last — 慣用語
1. the person or thing that comes after everyone or everything else in a sequence,
最後的
順序或清單中的最後一個
the person or thing that comes after everyone or everything else in a sequence, list, or group
Lin was the last to finish the exam, handing in the paper after everyone else had left.
林是最後一個交卷的，其他人都離開了她才交上考卷。
the last + to-infinitive for final in a group
The Watanabe family bought the last house on the street, right where the road meets the forest.
渡邊家買了街上最後一間房子，就在道路與森林相接的地方。
This is the last chapter of the novel — after this, the story ends.
這是最後一章——讀完就結束了。
Sofia picked the last cookie from the plate, smiling as the children groaned.
Sofia 拿了盤子裡最後一塊餅乾，孩子們看到都唉聲嘆氣。
- final
slightly more formal; 'the final' can replace 'the last' in some ordered contexts
- the first
the person or thing at the beginning of a sequence
文法句型
the last + to-infinitive
the last + relative clause
用法筆記
Often followed by an infinitive ('the last to arrive') or a relative clause ('the last person who'). Cannot be used with a possessive — you write 'my last visit', not 'the last of my visit' for this meaning.
常見錯誤
2. the most recent occasion when something happened, especially when contrasting wi
最近一次
某事最近發生的那次機會
the most recent occasion when something happened, especially when contrasting with the present situation
The last we heard from Jamal, he was teaching English at a school in Kenya.
我們最後一次聽到 Jamal 的消息時，他正在肯亞一所學校教英文。
the last + subject + verb pattern for latest news
Ingrid couldn't remember the last time she had felt so happy and relaxed by the sea.
Ingrid 不記得自己上次如此開心而放鬆地待在海邊是什麼時候了。
The last time Thiago visited his grandmother in Porto, she taught him how to bake bread.
Thiago 上次去波多探望祖母時，她教了他如何烤麵包。
When was the last time you saw Mei? She moved away without saying goodbye.
你最後一次見到 Mei 是什麼時候？她沒有告別就搬走了。
- the most recent
more formal; used in writing or careful speech
- the first time
the earliest occasion
文法句型
the last + time-clause
the last + (that) + clause
用法筆記
Can be followed by 'time' ('the last time') for emphasis or by an implied time reference. In casual speech, 'the last (that) + clause' is common: 'the last I checked, it was still raining.'
常見錯誤
3. the final point or conclusion of a process, event, or period of time
結束；終結
某個過程或事件的最終階段
the final point or conclusion of a process, event, or period of time
The football match was exciting until the very last, with the winning goal scored in injury time.
那場足球賽直到最後一刻都很精彩，致勝球是在傷停補時踢進的。
until the (very) last — idiom meaning until the end
Omar stayed with the research project to the last, even when funding ran out.
Omar 即使資金用盡，也堅持參與那個研究計畫到最後。
The concert was not popular, but the band played enthusiastically to the last.
那場演唱會雖然不叫座，樂團還是充滿熱情地演奏到最後。
Kwame ate the last of the stew and washed the dishes while humming a Ghanaian folk song.
Kwame 吃完了最後剩下的燉菜，一邊哼著迦納民歌一邊洗碗。
- the end
simpler and more direct; 'the last' adds a slightly dramatic or emphatic tone
- the beginning
the start of a process or period
文法句型
to/until the (very) last
the last of [noun]
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases like 'to the last' (until the end), 'until the last' (until the final moment), and 'the last of [something]' (the remaining portion).
常見錯誤
4. the moment or final period of a person's life, especially the time just before d
臨終；終點
一個人生命的終點
the moment or final period of a person's life, especially the time just before death
The nurse stayed with the elderly patient to the last, holding her hand through the final hours.
那位護士陪著年邁的病人直到最後，在她臨終的幾個小時裡一直握著她的手。
to the last — until the moment of death
Ananya's grandfather remained cheerful and alert to the last, telling jokes even on his final day.
Ananya 的祖父直到生命最後一刻都保持開朗、思路清晰，甚至在最後一天還在講笑話。
The poet worked on his final manuscript until the last, finishing the last line only hours before he passed away.
那位詩人直到臨終都在修改最後的手稿，在過世前幾小時才寫完最後一行。
Zara visited her aunt every afternoon in the hospice and stayed with her to the last.
Zara 每天下午都去安寧病房探望姑姑，陪她走到最後。
- the end
softer, less direct; used when avoiding bluntness about death
文法句型
to/until the (very) last
at the last
用法筆記
Typically used in the fixed phrase 'to the last' meaning 'until death'. More common in formal or literary contexts than in everyday speech. The possessive form ('his last', 'her last') can also mean the final moments of life.