vanity

/ˈvænəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvænəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈva-nə-tē/ (ame, mw) · /ˈvæn.ə.ti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvæn.ə.t̬i/ (ame, ipa)

vanity — 名詞

  • vanitysingular
  • vanitiesplural

1. an unhealthy degree of pride in how you look or in what you have done, usually s

1.名詞B2
釋義

虛榮心；自負

對外表或成就過度的自滿

an unhealthy degree of pride in how you look or in what you have done, usually shown by wanting others to admire you.

例句

Mauricio spent two hours at the mirror every morning out of pure vanity.

Mauricio 每天早上純粹出於虛榮心，在鏡子前耗上兩個小時。

collocation: out of (pure) vanity

Linh refused to wear glasses at the dinner party, even though her vanity made the menu impossible to read.

Linh 在晚宴上拒絕戴眼鏡，即使她的虛榮心讓菜單根本看不清楚。

同義詞
  • conceit

    an inflated belief in one's own importance; less tied to physical looks

  • narcissism

    stronger, often clinical; implies pattern of self-obsession and weak empathy

  • self-importance

    focus on believing one matters more than others, less on appearance

反義詞
  • humility

    modest view of one's own worth

  • modesty

    habit of not drawing attention to one's looks or successes

文法句型

uncountable noun

out of vanity

sheer vanity

用法筆記

Always negative in tone; contrast with 'pride', which can be positive. Frequently intensified by 'sheer', 'pure', or 'mere', and commonly appears in the phrases 'out of vanity' and 'driven by vanity'.

常見錯誤

❌She has a healthy vanity about her work.
✅She has a healthy pride in her work.
💡'vanity' is always negative; use 'pride' when the feeling is earned and positive.
❌His vanity of his children was touching.
✅His pride in his children was touching.
💡'vanity' is about oneself, not about loving feelings toward others.

2. a low table that has a mirror fixed to it and small drawers underneath, where so

2.名詞B1
釋義

梳妝檯

附鏡子的臥室化妝桌

a low table that has a mirror fixed to it and small drawers underneath, where someone sits to apply makeup or get ready in the bedroom.

例句

Esme sat at her vanity and brushed her hair before the wedding guests arrived.

Esme 坐在梳妝檯前梳頭，準備迎接婚禮的賓客。

pattern: sit at + one's vanity

The antique vanity had three folding mirrors and small brass handles on every drawer.

那張古董梳妝檯有三面可折疊的鏡子，每個抽屜上都有小巧的黃銅把手。

同義詞
  • dressing table

    the everyday British English term for the same piece of furniture

  • makeup table

    informal, modern term emphasising the cosmetic use

文法句型

countable noun

sit at one's vanity

用法筆記

Common in American English; British speakers usually say 'dressing table'. Often called a 'vanity table' in furniture catalogues.

3. a piece of bathroom furniture that combines a sink set into a flat counter with

3.名詞B1
釋義

浴室洗手檯

結合洗臉盆與下方櫃體的浴室家具

a piece of bathroom furniture that combines a sink set into a flat counter with a cupboard underneath for storing towels and toiletries.

例句

The plumber installed a new vanity with a white marble top in the guest bathroom.

水電師傅在客用浴室裡，裝了一座白色大理石檯面的全新洗手檯。

pattern: install a vanity

Rania chose a vanity with two deep drawers so she could hide her cleaning supplies inside.

Rania 挑了一座有兩個深抽屜的洗手檯，這樣她就能把清潔用品藏在裡面。

同義詞
  • bathroom cabinet

    general term; may refer to wall units without a built-in sink

  • washstand

    older or traditional term for a stand holding a basin

文法句型

countable noun

用法筆記

Standard term in home improvement and building contexts. Often called a 'bathroom vanity' to distinguish from the bedroom dressing-table sense.

4. in literary or religious writing, the idea that something has no real worth or l

4.名詞C1
釋義

虛幻；空虛

缺乏真正價值的短暫狀態

in literary or religious writing, the idea that something has no real worth or lasting meaning, especially when set against death, time, or what truly matters.

例句

Ingrid wrote a long essay about the vanity of human ambition in the shadow of death.

Ingrid 寫了一篇長文，談論人類的野心在死亡面前是多麼虛幻。

pattern: the vanity of + abstract noun

Watching the tide wash away their sandcastles, the children sensed the vanity of all their afternoon's work.

看著潮水沖走沙堡，孩子們感受到整個下午的努力是多麼空虛。

同義詞
  • futility

    more direct and everyday; stresses that effort will produce nothing

  • emptiness

    focuses on lack of substance or meaning

  • transience

    stresses how short-lived the thing is, rather than valueless

反義詞

文法句型

the vanity of + abstract noun

用法筆記

Predominantly literary and philosophical. Echoes the biblical phrase 'vanity of vanities; all is vanity' from Ecclesiastes, where the underlying Hebrew word means 'vapour' or 'breath' — something fleeting rather than morally proud.

常見錯誤

❌The vanity of the meeting was obvious — nothing got decided.
✅The futility of the meeting was obvious.
💡for an everyday pointless effort, use 'futility'; reserve this sense of 'vanity' for literary or philosophical writing.

vanity — 形容詞