virtue

/ˈvɜːtʃuː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvɜːrtʃuː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvər-(ˌ)chü/ (ame, mw)

virtue — 名詞

  • virtuesingular
  • virtuesplural

1. a morally good quality that a person shows in their character and behaviour, suc

1.名詞B2
釋義

美德

良好的道德品質或特質

a morally good quality that a person shows in their character and behaviour, such as honesty, kindness, or courage; also, the general habit of choosing to do what is right.

例句

Tomás is admired for his honesty, patience, and other virtues that the community values.

Tomás 因誠實、耐心及其他社區看重的美德而受人尊敬。

countable: a virtue = a specific good quality

Marta's kindness was not a one-time act but a lasting virtue of her character.

Marta 的善良並非偶然之舉，而是她性格中一項持久的美德。

同義詞
  • goodness

    more emotional and general, focusing on a kind and caring nature

  • morality

    broader term for principles of right and wrong, not specific character traits

  • integrity

    emphasises honesty and strong moral principles, especially when tested

  • righteousness

    stronger, often religious tone; implies strict moral correctness

反義詞
  • vice

    a morally bad quality, the direct opposite of virtue

  • immorality

    behaviour that goes against moral principles

文法句型

virtue of [noun/-ing]

the virtue of [noun/-ing]

[adjective] virtue

用法筆記

Countable when referring to a specific good quality ('Patience is a virtue'); uncountable when referring to moral goodness in general ('a person of great virtue').

常見錯誤

❌She has a virtue of honesty.
✅Honesty is one of her virtues.
💡Virtue is not used with 'of' like that; the quality IS the virtue.

2. a good or useful feature that something has, which makes it better or more effec

2.名詞B2
釋義

優點；好處

某事物的良好特質或益處

a good or useful feature that something has, which makes it better or more effective than other similar things.

例句

Quan pointed out the virtue of living within walking distance of a train station.

Quan 指出了住在火車站步行範圍內的優點。

pattern: the virtue of [noun/-ing]

One great virtue of this laptop is that the battery lasts an entire workday.

這款筆電的一大優點是電池續航可撐一整日。

同義詞
  • advantage

    more direct and common; virtue is slightly more formal and suggests inherent quality

  • benefit

    focuses on what someone gains rather than the feature itself

  • strength

    emphasises effectiveness or power compared to alternatives

  • merit

    suggests worthiness of praise, often in formal evaluation contexts

反義詞
  • drawback

    a disadvantage or negative feature

  • weakness

    an area where something performs poorly

文法句型

the virtue of [noun/-ing]

[noun] has the virtue of [quality]

用法筆記

Frequently followed by 'of' and a noun or gerund ('the virtue of having a backup plan'). Often used with possessive determiners ('its main virtue', 'the plan's virtue').

常見錯誤

❌A virtue of this phone is it has long battery.
✅One virtue of this phone is its long battery life.
💡Use 'one virtue of' or 'the virtue of', and pair it with a noun phrase.

3. used in the fixed phrase 'by virtue of' to show that something happens or is tru

3.名詞B2
釋義

憑藉；由於

固定短語，表示「因為某種原因」

used in the fixed phrase 'by virtue of' to show that something happens or is true because of a particular fact, quality, or situation.

例句

Zara succeeded by virtue of her determination and willingness to learn from mistakes.

Zara 憑藉自己的決心和從錯誤中學習的意願而成功。

fixed phrase: by virtue of + noun phrase

Owen got the last bus seat by virtue of being the oldest passenger.

Owen 因為是年紀最大的乘客，獲得了公車上的最後一個座位。

同義詞
  • because of

    less formal and more common in everyday speech

  • due to

    similar formality, but 'by virtue of' emphasises the inherent quality

  • on account of

    slightly less formal than 'by virtue of', similar meaning

文法句型

by virtue of [noun/-ing]

用法筆記

Always appears in the fixed expression 'by virtue of', never as 'by virtue' alone. More formal than 'because of' or 'due to'. Common in legal and academic writing.

常見錯誤

❌By virtue his experience, he got the job.
✅By virtue of his experience, he got the job.
💡The word 'of' is always required after 'by virtue'.

4. (formal or dated) the quality of being sexually pure, especially of a woman who

4.名詞C1
釋義

貞節；貞操

性方面的純潔（尤指舊時女性婚前）

(formal or dated) the quality of being sexually pure, especially of a woman who has not had sex before marriage.

例句

In many older novels, the heroine's virtue is central to the plot and her fate.

在許多舊小說中，女主角的貞操是情節與命運的核心。

formal register: virtue = sexual purity

Victorian society placed enormous importance on a woman's virtue before marriage.

維多利亞時代的社會極為重視女性婚前的貞節。

同義詞
  • chastity

    the direct modern equivalent, less dated in tone

  • purity

    broader term that can include sexual and spiritual innocence

  • virginity

    more specific, referring to the state of never having had sex

反義詞
  • promiscuity

    having many sexual partners, seen as the opposite of chastity

用法筆記

This sense is now formal or dated. In modern English it is mostly found in historical fiction, classic literature, or discussions of traditional values. Avoid using in everyday conversation unless the context clearly calls for historical or formal register.

常見錯誤

❌She kept her virtue after marriage.
✅She kept her virtue until marriage.
💡In traditional usage, virtue (chastity) was expected before marriage, not preserved after.