tributary
/ˈtrɪbjətri/ (bre, ipa) · [trˈɪbjətˌɛri] /ˈtrɪbjəteri/ (ame, ipa) · [trˈɪbjətˌɛri] /ˈtri-byə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce tributary (audio)/ (ame, mw)
tributary — 名詞
- tributarysingular
- tributariesplural
1. a smaller river that runs into a bigger river or into a lake
支流
流入大河或湖泊的小河
a smaller river that runs into a bigger river or into a lake
The creek becomes a tributary of the Tamsui River near the bridge.
那條小溪在橋附近成了淡水河的支流。
tributary of + river
Feng fished in a cold tributary before hiking back to camp.
Feng 先在一條冰冷的支流裡釣魚，再走回營地。
After heavy rain, the muddy tributary flooded the rice fields first.
大雨過後，那條混濁的支流先淹進了稻田。
Scientists found frog eggs in a shaded tributary beside the main channel.
科學家在主水道旁一條有樹蔭的支流裡發現青蛙卵。
文法句型
a tributary of + river
a tributary to + river
用法筆記
Usually used with of or to when you name the larger river or lake that the smaller waterway enters.
tributary — 形容詞
- tributarypositive
- more tributarycomparative
- most tributarysuperlative
1. belonging to a weaker state or people that regularly gives goods or money to a s
朝貢的
向強國定期進貢的
belonging to a weaker state or people that regularly gives goods or money to a stronger power
The small island remained tributary to the empire for two centuries.
那座小島兩百年來一直是向帝國朝貢的。
tributary to + power
Court records list three tributary kingdoms sending silk each spring.
宮廷紀錄列出三個每年春天送絲綢來的朝貢王國。
tributary kingdoms
The border town stayed tributary until the king lost the war.
那座邊境城鎮一直處於朝貢地位，直到國王打輸戰爭。
The records describe the mountain clans as tributary allies of the court.
紀錄把那些山地部族描述成朝廷的朝貢盟友。
- independent
not controlled by a stronger power
- sovereign
emphasizes full political authority
文法句型
a tributary state
tributary to + empire
用法筆記
Usually used in history or politics for lands, rulers, or peoples under the authority of a stronger power.
2. given to a stronger ruler or country as a required payment or gift
進貢的
作為貢物上交的
given to a stronger ruler or country as a required payment or gift
The palace stored tributary gold in a locked stone room.
王宮把進貢的黃金存放在一間上鎖的石室裡。
tributary + valuable goods
The treaty set the amount of tributary grain for each harvest.
條約訂出每次收成要上交多少進貢的穀物。
tributary grain
Officials counted the tributary horses before opening the city gates.
官員在打開城門前先清點那些進貢的馬匹。
A scribe recorded every tributary payment on a bamboo slip.
書吏把每一筆進貢款項記在竹簡上。
文法句型
tributary gold
tributary payment
用法筆記
This sense describes the goods or payments themselves, not the state that sends them.
3. describing a road, canal, line, or similar route that feeds into a larger system
支線的
通往更大系統的
describing a road, canal, line, or similar route that feeds into a larger system
Engineers repaired the tributary canal before rice planting began.
插秧前，工程師先修好了那條支線運河。
tributary canal
A tributary road carries trucks from the farms to the highway.
一條支線道路把卡車從農場帶到高速公路。
tributary road
The lab tracks tributary pipelines that feed gas into the network.
實驗室追蹤那些把天然氣送進管網的支線管線。
New tributary routes brought extra buses into the city center.
新的支線路線把更多公車帶進市中心。
- contributory
more abstract and often used of causes rather than routes
- feeder
commoner in transport and engineering labels
- main
describes the central route rather than an incoming one
文法句型
tributary canal
tributary road
用法筆記
Often used for routes or channels that send traffic, water, or supplies into something larger.