thorns

IPA/θɔːn/
KK[θˈɔrnz]IPA/θɔːrn/

thorns — 名詞

  • thornssingular
  • thornsesplural

1. one of the thin, sharp points that grow on the stems or branches of some plants,

1.名詞B1
釋義

刺；荊棘

植物莖上的尖刺

one of the thin, sharp points that grow on the stems or branches of some plants, such as roses or blackberry bushes, and can cut your skin if you touch them.

例句

Cole wore thick gardening gloves to protect his hands from the thorns.

Cole 戴上厚園藝手套，保護雙手不被刺傷。

collocation: wear gloves to protect from thorns

A long thorn from the rose bush scratched Tuan's arm as he walked past.

一根玫瑰叢的長刺在 Tuan 走過時劃傷了他的手臂。

常見搭配
  • sharp thorn
  • rose thorn
  • pull out a thorn
  • covered in thorns
  • thorns grow
  • protect from thorns
同義詞
  • prickle

    a smaller, surface-level sharp point that is easier to remove than a thorn, found on plants like blackberry canes

  • spine

    a modified leaf or leaf part, typically found on cacti; sharper and stiffer than a thorn

  • barb

    a backward-facing point, often on a hook or wire, that is difficult to pull out

文法句型

thorn + grow on + plant

pull + a thorn + out of

用法筆記

The singular form thorn is also very common. Thorns are different from spines (modified leaves found on cacti) and prickles (smaller surface growths on plants like blackberry canes).

常見錯誤

Cacti are covered in thorns.
Cacti are covered in spines.
Cacti have spines (modified leaves), not thorns (modified stems).
That cactus has sharp thorns.
That cactus has sharp spines.
Botanically, cacti grow spines (modified leaves), not thorns (modified stems).

2. a person or thing that keeps causing problems or making you feel annoyed, especi

2.名詞B2
釋義

煩惱；困擾

持續造成困擾的人或事

a person or thing that keeps causing problems or making you feel annoyed, especially over a long period of time.

例句

The traffic noise was a thorn in the side of everyone living on that street.

交通噪音是那條街上所有居民的眼中釘。

idiom: a thorn in the side of [someone]

Shirin's unreliable internet connection became a real thorn in her side during online classes.

Shirin 不穩定的網路連線在她上線上課程時成了眼中釘。

idiom: a thorn in someone's side

常見搭配
  • thorn in the side
  • thorn in the flesh
  • constant thorn
  • real thorn
  • thorn between
同義詞
  • nuisance

    more general; something that causes minor inconvenience or annoyance, not necessarily persistent

  • irritation

    focuses on the feeling of being annoyed rather than the source itself

  • source of annoyance

    more formal and explicit; less idiomatic

反義詞
  • blessing

    something that brings happiness or relief instead of trouble

  • comfort

    something that soothes rather than irritates

文法句型

be a thorn in + possessive + side/flesh

用法筆記

This sense is most often used in the fixed phrase a thorn in someone's side or (less commonly) a thorn in someone's flesh. It is rarely used freely as a countable noun outside of these expressions.

常見錯誤

The noisy neighbor was a thorn on my side.
The noisy neighbor was a thorn in my side.
The correct preposition is 'in', not 'on'.
This problem is a big thorn.
This problem is a thorn in my side.
The figurative sense normally requires the full idiomatic phrase.
慣用語

a thorn in someone's side

idiom

a person or thing that continuously causes problems or annoyance for someone over a long period.

肉中刺；眼中釘

The leaking roof was a thorn in the landlord's side for years before he finally fixed it.

A rival company became a thorn in the startup's side after launching a very similar product.

a thorn in someone's flesh

idiom

a less common variant of 'a thorn in someone's side', referring to a persistent source of trouble or irritation.

心頭之刺

A lingering cough had been a thorn in Maja's flesh all through the winter months.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

常用片語

  • thorn in the side
  • thorn in the flesh
  • covered in thorns
  • pull out a thorn

介系詞搭配