third
third — 形容詞
- thirdpositive
- thirdercomparative
- thirdestsuperlative
1. coming after two other people or things in a series, being the next one after th
第三
順序中排在第二之後的
coming after two other people or things in a series, being the next one after the second
Jason finished in third place in the school running race.
Jason 在學校跑步比賽中獲得第三名。
ordinal before noun: third place
This is the third time Zayd has called today.
這是 Zayd 今天第三次打電話來了。
The third chapter of the book explains how plants grow.
這本書的第三章解釋植物如何生長。
ordinal before noun: third chapter
Our flat is on the third floor of the new building.
我們的公寓在那棟新建築的四樓。
- third place
- third time
- third chapter
- third floor
- third day
- third year
- 3rd
the numeral form, used in dates, addresses, and informal writing
用法筆記
This sense always appears before a noun, never after a linking verb. It is the standard ordinal form of the number three.
常見錯誤
2. having the third-highest level of authority, power, or importance within an orga
第三位的
權力或地位排在第三的
having the third-highest level of authority, power, or importance within an organization or system
The third officer on the ship was in charge of the night watch.
船上的三副負責夜間值班。
third [rank]: third officer
Nora holds the third position in the company's management team.
她在公司的管理團隊中位居第三。
Minho was appointed as the third captain in the team's history.
Minho 被任命為球隊史上第三位隊長。
third [role]: third captain
The third secretary handles all visa applications at the embassy.
三等秘書在大使館處理所有簽證申請。
- third officer
- third captain
- third secretary
- third in command
- third position
- tertiary
more formal and technical, often used in education or medicine
用法筆記
Typically used before a job title or position name. The most common pairings are with titles that form a hierarchy such as officer, secretary, or coach.
常見錯誤
3. referring to the forward gear in a vehicle that provides a speed between second
三檔的
車輛檔位中第三個前進檔的
referring to the forward gear in a vehicle that provides a speed between second and fourth gear
Felipe shifted into third gear as the car climbed the hill.
Felipe 在車子爬坡時換到三檔。
shift into third gear
The driving instructor told Lien to use third gear on the highway.
教練告訴 Lien 在高速公路上要用三檔。
The car struggled in third gear going up the steep mountain road.
那輛車掛三檔爬陡峭的山路時很吃力。
in third gear
A third gear helps the engine run smoothly at medium speeds.
三檔有助於引擎在中速時平穩運轉。
- third gear
- in third gear
- shift into third
- change to third
- third speed
less common, slightly dated term for third gear
用法筆記
Used before the noun 'gear' or alone as in 'shift into third'. This sense refers to the gear itself, not to driving technique.
4. relating to a part that makes up one third of a total, as in a share, amount, or
三分之一的
三等份中一份的
relating to a part that makes up one third of a total, as in a share, amount, or portion split into three equal pieces
Gita received a third share of the family inheritance.
Gita 獲得了家族遺產的三分之一。
third share
A third portion of the land was set aside for the park.
有三分之一的土地被保留下來作為公園。
The recipe calls for a third cup of sugar and two eggs.
食譜需要三分之一杯的糖和兩顆蛋。
third cup (measurement)
Each of the three partners owns a third part of the business.
三位合夥人各擁有企業的三分之一。
- third share
- third part
- third portion
用法筆記
This adjective form is often replaced by the noun construction 'one third of' in everyday speech ('a third of the land'). The adjective form sounds slightly more formal.
5. coming at the end of each set of three things that appear one after another in a
每組第三的
每組三個中最後一個的
coming at the end of each set of three things that appear one after another in a regular cycle
The garbage truck comes every third day in our neighbourhood.
垃圾車每隔三天來我們社區一次。
every third [time interval]
Paloma visits her grandmother every third weekend of the month.
Paloma 每個月的第三個週末去看她的祖母。
The third song in each set was always the slowest one.
每組歌曲中第三首總是節奏最慢的。
third in each set
Every third student in the line was asked to move to the front.
隊伍中每隔兩名學生就被要求移到前面。
- every third day
- every third week
- every third year
- every third person
- every three
used with time periods: 'every three days' — less natural with concrete nouns
用法筆記
Often appears in the pattern 'every third + noun' to indicate a regular recurring interval. Distinguish from sense 1 (NEXT AFTER SECOND), which describes a single position rather than a repeating cycle.
third time lucky
idiomused when someone has failed twice at something to express the hope that they will succeed on the next attempt
第三次就成功了；第三次好運
Rohan failed his driving test twice but told himself that third time lucky would get him through.
I missed both shots, but third time lucky — the last one went straight in.
the third degree
idioma long and difficult series of questions, often from police or someone in authority, designed to get information
嚴厲盤問；疲勞訊問
My dad gave me the third degree when I came home two hours late.
The suspect received the third degree from the detectives for several hours.
the belief that after two failures a third attempt will bring success
第三次就會成功；第三次幸運
Asher had already moved twice, but he believed third time's the charm for his new apartment.
The couple tried for a baby twice without success, hoping third time's the charm.
third — 名詞
- thirdsingular
- thirdsplural
1. any of the three pieces you get when you split a whole into three equal parts; t
三分之一
三等份中的一份
any of the three pieces you get when you split a whole into three equal parts; the fraction 1/3
Sade ate a third of the pizza and saved the rest.
Sade 吃了三分之一的披薩，剩下的留著。
a third of [noun]
Nearly a third of the students were absent on Monday.
週一將近三分之一的學生缺席。
The recipe calls for two thirds of a cup of milk.
食譜需要三分之二杯的牛奶。
two thirds (plural fraction)
Rohan divided his savings into thirds, one for each child.
Rohan 把他的積蓄分成三份，每個孩子一份。
- a third of
- one third of
- two thirds
- divided into thirds
- cut into thirds
- one third
the more explicit way of saying 'a third'
用法筆記
Often used with 'of' to specify the whole: 'a third of the population'. When the number is greater than one, the plural form 'thirds' is used: 'two thirds of the group'.
常見錯誤
2. the least advanced type of honours degree given by British and some other univer
三等學位
英國大學最低等級的榮譽學士學位
the least advanced type of honours degree given by British and some other universities, placed below the second-class tier
Caleb graduated from the University of Bristol with a third.
Caleb 以三等榮譽學位從布里斯托大學畢業。
with a third (degree classification)
A third is the lowest type of honours degree in the UK system.
三等學位是英國學制中最低等的榮譽學位。
Sofia needed at least a 2:1 for the job, but she only got a third.
她至少需要二級甲等學位才能得到那份工作，但她只拿到三等學位。
Very few university students end up receiving a third these days.
現在很少有大學生最終拿到三等學位。
- get a third
- graduate with a third
- a third-class honours degree
- third-class honours degree
the full formal name
用法筆記
Primarily used in British higher education. The full phrase 'third-class honours degree' is formal; in conversation people say 'a third'. Compare with 'a 2:1' (upper second) and 'a 2:2' (lower second).
3. the base numbered three among the four bases a baseball runner must touch in ord
三壘
棒球中跑壘員必須觸及的第三個壘包
the base numbered three among the four bases a baseball runner must touch in order; also the defensive position near that base
The runner slid safely into third just before the tag.
跑壘員在被觸殺前安全滑上三壘。
into third (baseball base)
Jason plays third for the local baseball team on weekends.
Jason 週末在當地球隊擔任三壘手。
The ball was hit hard down the line toward third base.
球被強勁地擊向三壘方向的邊線。
Felipe stole third while the pitcher was looking at first.
Felipe 趁投手看向一壘時盜上三壘。
stole third
- on third
- at third
- play third
- third base
- steal third
- throw to third
- third base
the full name, used for clarity
- hot corner
informal nickname for third base, because hard-hit balls often go there
用法筆記
In baseball contexts, 'third' alone (without 'base') is very common: 'He's on third', 'She plays third'. The full term 'third base' is used for clarity with non-fans.
4. a musical interval that spans three letter-name positions on the staff, such as
三度
相距三個音級的音程
a musical interval that spans three letter-name positions on the staff, such as the space between the note C and the note E
The song begins with two notes that are a third apart.
這首歌的開頭兩個音符相距三度。
a third apart (musical interval)
Maja learned to sing harmonies by moving up a third from the melody.
Maja 學習從旋律往上唱三度來唱和聲。
The piano teacher asked Gita to play all the major thirds in the scale.
鋼琴老師請 Gita 彈奏音階中所有的大三度。
major third (type of interval)
A minor third on the piano sounds sadder than a major third from the same starting note.
鋼琴上的小三度聽起來比同一個起始音的大三度更悲傷。
minor third vs major third (interval types)
- a third apart
- major third
- minor third
- sing in thirds
- interval of a third
- third interval
less common, more explicit phrasing
用法筆記
Thirds are classified as major (four semitones apart) or minor (three semitones apart). Beginners often learn to recognize thirds by ear before other intervals.
5. the competitor or item that comes right after the second-place entry in a contes
第三名
比賽或排名中的第三位
the competitor or item that comes right after the second-place entry in a contest, list, or ordering
Zayd finished third in the national chess tournament last year.
Zayd 去年在國際西洋棋錦標賽中獲得第三名。
finished third (position in ranking)
The restaurant was ranked third among the city's best places to eat.
那家餐廳在該市最佳餐廳中排名第三。
Reema came third in the singing competition and won a small prize.
她在歌唱比賽中獲得第三名，贏得了一個小獎品。
Lien crossed the finish line as the third in the marathon.
Lien 以馬拉松第三名的成績越過終點線。
the third in [competition]
- finish third
- come third
- ranked third
- placed third
- in third place
- bronze medalist
specific to sports competitions that award medals
- third place
the position itself rather than the person holding it
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'finish', 'come', 'rank', or 'place' to indicate a competition result. No article is needed before 'third' in 'finish third', but 'the third' is used before a noun: 'the third finisher'.
常見錯誤
6. the gear in a motor vehicle that provides a forward speed between second and fou
三檔
車輛中第二與第四檔之間的前進檔位
the gear in a motor vehicle that provides a forward speed between second and fourth gears
Paloma shifted into third as the road straightened out.
道路變直時，Paloma 換到了三檔。
shift into third (gear)
The car made a strange noise when Asher put it in third.
Asher 打三檔時車子發出奇怪的聲音。
Stay in third until you reach the top of the hill.
保持三檔直到你開到山頂。
The driving school car has a gear stick with five speeds up to fifth.
駕訓班的車有包含五個前進檔的排檔桿。
- in third
- into third
- shift to third
- change to third
- drive in third
- third gear
the full term, slightly more formal
用法筆記
In driving contexts, 'third' alone usually means 'third gear'. The word 'gear' can be omitted: 'shift into third', 'driving in third'. This is the noun form; the corresponding adjective is 'third gear'.
同根字
- thirdly副詞B1
- third-class形容詞B2
- third-rate形容詞C1
- thirdsnoun pluralA2