utility
/juːˈtɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /juːˈtɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /yü-ˈti-lə-tē/ (ame, mw) · /juːˈtɪl.ə.ti/ (bre, ipa) · /juːˈtɪl.ə.t̬i/ (ame, ipa)
utility — 名詞
- utilitysingular
- utilitiesplural
1. essential services including water, gas, and electricity that homes and business
公共設施
電力、瓦斯、自來水等民生服務
essential services including water, gas, and electricity that homes and businesses depend on for daily living.
After the storm, the utilities in the neighborhood took three days to fully restore.
暴風雨過後，該社區的公共設施花了三天才完全恢復。
plural form 'utilities' for services
Our monthly rent does not include utilities, so we pay extra for electricity and water.
我們的月租不包括水電瓦斯費，所以電費和水費要另外付。
The new housing development includes all major utilities like gas, water, and electricity.
新的住宅開發區包含所有主要公共設施，如瓦斯、水和電力。
Landlords in this city must provide basic utilities such as heating and running water.
這個城市的房東必須提供暖氣和自來水等基本公共設施。
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'utilities' when referring to services. The singular 'a utility' more often refers to a company (sense 2).
常見錯誤
2. a business that supplies electricity, natural gas, or water to homes and busines
公用事業
提供電力、瓦斯、水等服務的公司
a business that supplies electricity, natural gas, or water to homes and businesses in a particular area.
Diego called the utility to report a gas leak outside his house.
Diego 打電話給公用事業公司，通報他家外面有瓦斯漏氣。
The local utility raised its electricity rates for the third time this year.
當地的公用事業公司今年第三度調漲電費。
collocation: utility rates
The city hired a private utility to manage its water treatment plant.
市政府聘請一家民營公用事業公司管理其自來水處理廠。
Government regulators set limits on how much a utility can charge its customers.
政府監管機構對公用事業公司的收費標準設有上限。
- public utility
more formal term that emphasises the company's public-service role
- provider
broader; can also refer to internet or phone companies
用法筆記
Can be shortened to 'the utility' when the context is clear. Often used with company names: 'the power utility', 'the water utility'.
3. the quality or degree of being helpful, practical, or effective for a particular
實用性
具實用價值或效用的程度
the quality or degree of being helpful, practical, or effective for a particular purpose.
Arjun questioned the utility of buying a new tablet when his laptop worked perfectly.
Arjun 質疑在筆電還能正常使用的情況下，買一台新平板電腦的實用性。
pattern: utility of + noun/gerund
Sofia realised the utility of speaking basic Spanish while travelling through Mexico.
Sofia 在墨西哥旅行時，體會到了會說基本西班牙語的實用性。
The utility of foldable furniture became clear when we moved into a tiny apartment.
當我們搬進一間小公寓後，摺疊式家具的實用性變得顯而易見。
Critics questioned the long-term utility of building a dam in that fragile ecosystem.
批評者質疑在脆弱的生態系統中建造水壩的長期實用性。
- usefulness
more everyday word, interchangeable in most contexts
- practicality
focuses on how workable or convenient something is in real use
- value
broader; can include monetary or emotional worth
- uselessness
the state of having no practical purpose
用法筆記
Uncountable noun — do not say 'a utility' or 'utilities' when using this sense. Often followed by 'of + noun/gerund'.
常見錯誤
4. the system of pipes, cables, wires, and equipment that carries services such as
基礎管線
水電瓦斯等地下管線與設備
the system of pipes, cables, wires, and equipment that carries services such as water, electricity, or gas into and around buildings.
The city is upgrading its underground utilities to prevent flooding during heavy rain.
市政府正在升級地下的基礎管線，以防止豪雨期間淹水。
collocation: underground utilities
A construction crew accidentally hit the gas utilities while digging for a new water line.
施工人員在挖掘新水管時，意外挖到了瓦斯管線。
The old building's utilities were so outdated that the entire system had to be replaced.
那棟老舊建築的管線設施太過老舊，整套系統必須全部更換。
Maps showing the location of buried utilities help workers avoid damaging pipes and cables.
標示地下管線位置的地圖能幫助工人避免挖壞水管和電纜。
- infrastructure
broader term that includes roads, bridges, and other public works
- pipelines
more specific; refers only to pipes, not cables or wires
用法筆記
Used in the plural form to describe the physical network. Related to sense 1 but focuses on the physical infrastructure rather than the service itself.
5. a computer program that performs a specific maintenance, management, or support
公用程式
執行系統維護的電腦輔助程式
a computer program that performs a specific maintenance, management, or support task, such as cleaning files, checking for errors, or compressing data.
Viktor downloaded a disk cleanup utility to free up space on his laptop.
Viktor 下載了一個磁碟清理公用程式，以釋放筆電上的空間。
collocation: disk cleanup utility
Layla used a file compression utility to send a large video to her editor.
Layla 使用檔案壓縮公用程式，將大型影片傳送給她的編輯。
The backup utility runs automatically every night to save all work files to the cloud.
備份公用程式每天午夜自動執行，將所有工作檔案儲存到雲端。
Many free antivirus utilities can scan your computer for harmful software quickly.
許多免費的防毒公用程式可以快速掃描你的電腦是否有惡意軟體。
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often combined with a modifier that describes the task: 'backup utility', 'disk utility', 'security utility'. In computing contexts, sometimes shortened to just 'utility'.
utility — 形容詞
- utilitypositive
- more utilitycomparative
- most utilitysuperlative
1. describing a sports player who is skilled enough to play multiple roles on a tea
工具人
運動員能勝任多個位置的
describing a sports player who is skilled enough to play multiple roles on a team effectively.
Kofi is a utility player who can fill in at shortstop, second base, or outfield.
Kofi 是一名工具人球員，可以守游擊、二壘或外野。
collocation: utility player
The coach valued Yuna as a utility player because she could cover three different positions.
教練很看重 Yuna 作為工具人球員的價值，因為她能守三個不同的位置。
Tran made the team as a utility infielder, ready to step in wherever needed during the season.
Tran 以工具人內野手的身分入選球隊，準備好在賽季中隨時替補上場。
Zola practiced at three different positions during spring training to earn a utility role.
Zola 在春訓期間練習了三個不同的位置，以爭取工具人的角色。
- specialist
a player who excels at only one position
用法筆記
Used before a noun describing a sports role: utility player, utility infielder, utility man. Common in baseball, basketball, and soccer.
2. designed or able to be used for many different tasks or functions rather than ju
多用途
可用於多種任務或功能的
designed or able to be used for many different tasks or functions rather than just one.
Omar bought a utility knife that could cut cardboard, plastic, and rope easily.
Omar 買了一把多用途刀，可以輕鬆切割紙板、塑膠和繩子。
collocation: utility knife
Imran's utility vehicle carried passengers during the week and building supplies on weekends.
Imran 的多用途車輛平日載人，週末則運送建材。
collocation: utility vehicle
Deepa chose a utility bag with many compartments for carrying her camera gear while hiking.
Deepa 選擇了一個有許多隔層的多用途背包，方便健行時攜帶攝影器材。
The utility sink in the garage is strong enough to wash paint brushes and garden tools.
車庫裡的多用途水槽非常堅固，可以用來清洗油漆刷和園藝工具。
- multi-purpose
interchangeable but more explicit about the multiple functions
- all-purpose
emphasises suitability for a wide range of tasks
- specialised
designed for one specific function
用法筆記
Used before a noun to describe an object built for multiple uses. Common compounds: utility knife, utility vehicle (SUV), utility bag, utility sink, utility room.
常見錯誤
3. made to be practical and useful rather than decorative, attractive, or fashionab
實用的
重功能實用而非美觀裝飾的
made to be practical and useful rather than decorative, attractive, or fashionable.
Lucia chose a simple utility jacket with deep pockets instead of a designer coat.
Lucia 選擇了一件簡單實用的夾克搭配深口袋，而不是名牌大衣。
collocation: utility jacket
The furniture in the rental apartment was purely utility, with no style or decoration.
那間出租公寓的家具純粹以實用為主，沒有任何造型或裝飾。
Santi prefers utility clothing that is durable and comfortable over trendy fashion items.
Santi 偏好耐用又舒適的實用服裝，而不是時髦的流行單品。
The kitchen had utility shelving made of plain metal, designed to hold heavy pots and pans.
廚房裡裝了樸素金屬材質的實用層架，用來放置沉重的鍋具。
- functional
the closest synonym; slightly less specific to the utility-versus-fashion contrast
- practical
broader term; can describe anything convenient or sensible
- utilitarian
more formal, often describes a design philosophy
- decorative
made primarily for appearance rather than use
- ornamental
designed to be attractive rather than practical
用法筆記
Often used to describe clothing, furniture, or architecture that prioritises function over form. Can carry a slightly negative tone if something is described as 'purely utility' (lacking beauty).