wake-up call

IPA/ˈweɪk ʌp kɔːl/
IPA/ˈweɪk ʌp kɔːl/

wake-up call — 名詞

1. a sudden event or experience, usually negative, that makes you notice a problem

1.名詞B2
釋義

警示；警鐘

讓人意識到問題並採取行動的突發事件

a sudden event or experience, usually negative, that makes you notice a problem and pushes you to change your behaviour or situation

例句

Felix's minor heart problem was a wake-up call to start exercising every morning.

Felix 輕微的心臟問題是一記警鐘，促使他開始每天晨跑。

a wake-up call to [infinitive phrase]

The company's falling sales served as a wake-up call for the managers to rethink their strategy.

公司不斷下滑的銷售額對管理層來說是一記警鐘，促使他們重新思考策略。

served as + a wake-up call

同義詞
  • warning sign

    more objective and observable by anyone, less personal than a wake-up call

  • red flag

    specific indicator of hidden danger or dishonesty, often in relationships or investigations

  • reality check

    an experience that corrects unrealistic expectations, not necessarily alarming

  • alarm bell

    suggests urgent, immediate danger — more dramatic and pressing than a wake-up call

文法句型

a wake-up call for [someone]

a wake-up call to [do something]

serve as a wake-up call

用法筆記

The subject is usually a negative event — illness, failure, accident, or loss. Rarely used for positive experiences. Distinguish from sense 2, which refers to an actual phone call rather than a metaphorical warning.

常見錯誤

❌I need a wake-up call at 7 am' (when you mean an alarm).
✅I need an alarm set for 7 am.
💡Unless you are at a hotel, 'wake-up call' in this sense means a life lesson, not a morning alert.
❌Winning the lottery was a wake-up call for him.
✅Losing his job was a wake-up call for him.
💡A wake-up call almost always comes from something negative or alarming.

2. a phone call you arrange in advance, especially at a hotel, so that someone ring

2.名詞A2
釋義

晨喚電話

飯店預約的定時叫醒電話服務

a phone call you arrange in advance, especially at a hotel, so that someone rings your room at a set time to make sure you are awake

例句

Mira asked the front desk for a wake-up call at six the next morning.

Mira 請櫃檯在隔天早上六點提供晨喚電話。

ask [someone] for a wake-up call

Ava set her phone alarm instead of relying on the hotel wake-up call.

Ava 設定了手機鬧鐘，而不依賴飯店的晨喚電話。

同義詞
  • morning call

    less common; used in some regions but 'wake-up call' is the standard term

  • alarm call

    more common in British English for the same hotel service

文法句型

a wake-up call at [time]

request a wake-up call

book a wake-up call

用法筆記

Standard in hotels worldwide; the call is typically made by the front desk or an automated system. Although smartphone alarms have reduced reliance on this service, it remains common in business travel. Distinguish from sense 1, which is metaphorical and does not involve an actual phone call.

常見錯誤

❌I set a wake-up call on my phone.
✅I set an alarm on my phone.
💡A wake-up call is a phone call from another person or hotel service, not something you set on your own device.