wandering
/ˈwɒn.dər/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɑndɚɪŋ] /ˈwɑːn.dɚ/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈɑndɚɪŋ] /ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ/ (ame, mw)
wandering — 動詞
- wanderingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- wanderings3rd person singular
- wanderinging-ing form
- wanderingedpast simple
1. to walk slowly from one place to another without a fixed plan or destination, of
漫步；閒逛
無目的地在各處走動
to walk slowly from one place to another without a fixed plan or destination, often because you are relaxed, lost in thought, or simply exploring.
Mei-Lin spent the afternoon wandering through the old streets of Kyoto, stopping whenever a small temple caught her eye.
美琳花了一個下午漫步在京都的古老街道上，每當看到小寺廟就會停下來欣賞。
wander + through [place] for relaxed exploration
After the meeting ended early, Jorge wandered around the market until it was time to catch his train.
會議提早結束後，荷黑在市場附近閒逛，直到該趕火車的時間。
The dog wandered away from its owner and was found two blocks later near a food stall.
那隻狗從主人身邊走失了，兩個街區外有人在一個小吃攤附近找到了牠。
Amara loved to wander along the riverbank on Sunday mornings before the city grew noisy.
阿瑪拉喜歡在週日早晨沿著河岸漫步，趁城市還沒有變得嘈雜之前。
- march
implies purposeful, directed movement toward a goal
文法句型
wander + prepositional phrase (through/around/along)
用法筆記
Often used with a prepositional phrase (through, around, along, into) to indicate the area or direction of movement. The subject is typically a person or an animal.
常見錯誤
2. if a part of your body, such as your hands or eyes, wanders, it moves across or
游移；游走
身體部位不自覺或挑逗地移動
if a part of your body, such as your hands or eyes, wanders, it moves across or toward something in a way that is not controlled or is sexually suggestive.
During the job interview, Fatima noticed that the manager's eyes kept wandering toward the clock on the wall.
面試時，法蒂瑪注意到經理的目光不斷游移到牆上的時鐘。
eyes wander toward [something] showing lack of focus
The train was crowded, and Dmitri's hand accidentally wandered onto another passenger's shoulder as he reached up.
火車上擠滿了人，德米特里的手在伸向頭頂行李架時不小心碰觸到另一位乘客的肩膀。
At the gallery opening, Elena felt uncomfortable when the guest's gaze wandered over her instead of the paintings.
在畫廊開幕式上，當那位賓客的目光在她身上游移而非欣賞畫作時，艾蓮娜感到很不自在。
The toddler's hands wandered across the table, grabbing at anything within reach while his mother gently pulled them back.
學步兒的手在桌上到處游走，抓著任何夠得到的東西，媽媽則溫柔地把他的手拉回來。
文法句型
[body part] + wander over/across/toward [target]
用法筆記
Subject is nearly always a body part (eyes, hands, gaze, fingers). The prepositional phrase (over, across, toward) names the target. Sense 2 is distinct from sense 1 because the subject is not the whole person but a body part, and the movement implies either lack of control or sexual interest.
常見錯誤
3. to have a sexual relationship with someone other than your husband, wife, or usu
出軌；不忠
在婚姻或關係之外有性關係
to have a sexual relationship with someone other than your husband, wife, or usual partner.
The gossip column claimed that the actress had wandered during her husband's long overseas film shoot.
八卦專欄聲稱那位女演員在丈夫長期出國拍片期間出了軌。
euphemistic: wanders during [time of separation]
Takeshi confessed to his best friend that he had wandered and regretted breaking the trust in his marriage.
武志向他最好的朋友坦承自己出軌了，而且很後悔破壞了婚姻中的信任。
In the novel, the main character wanders emotionally before finally leaving her husband for someone new.
在小說中，主角在情感上游移不定，最終為了新歡離開了丈夫。
Oluwaseun's grandmother always warned that a person who wanders in their heart will never find peace at home.
歐盧瓦森的祖母總是告誡說，一個心思出軌的人在家裡永遠找不到平靜。
- stay faithful
literal opposite in relationship contexts
文法句型
wander (on/from [partner])
用法筆記
This sense is euphemistic and often carries moral judgment. It is used more in conversation and fiction than in formal or legal contexts. Distinguish from sense 1 (physical walking) — the context of relationships makes the meaning clear.
常見錯誤
4. to stop talking about the main subject and begin discussing something unrelated.
離題；偏離
說話偏離原本的主題
to stop talking about the main subject and begin discussing something unrelated.
The professor wandered from her lecture topic when a student asked a question about a related but different theory.
教授在課堂上離了題，因為有學生問了一個雖然相關但屬於不同理論的問題。
wander from [topic] — digression from a planned subject
Priyanka noticed that the committee kept wandering off the agenda and discussing old complaints instead.
普莉安卡注意到委員會一直偏離議程，反而在討論舊的抱怨。
Anh tried to stay on topic during his presentation, but he wandered into a story about his college years.
英安試圖在簡報中保持專注，但卻離題說起了大學時代的故事。
The radio host apologized for wandering off the subject and promised to return after the break.
電台主持人為偏離了主題而道歉，並承諾廣告後會回來。
- stay on topic
the opposite of digressing
文法句型
wander from/off [topic]
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'from' (wander from the topic) or 'off' (wander off the subject). A person can be the subject, or the conversation itself can 'wander'. Distinguish from sense 5 — this sense is about speech, not thought.
常見錯誤
5. when you stop paying attention to what you should focus on and your thoughts mov
分心；走神
注意力從應關注的事上轉移
when you stop paying attention to what you should focus on and your thoughts move to something else without you meaning to.
Halfway through the two-hour lecture, Sofia realized her mind had wandered to what she would cook for dinner.
兩個小時的演講進行到一半時，蘇菲亞發現自己走神了，開始想晚餐要煮什麼。
mind wanders to [unrelated thought]
Whenever Kwame tried to meditate, his thoughts wandered back to the argument he had had that morning.
每當奎米試著冥想時，他的思緒就會飄回當天早上的爭吵。
On the bus, the child's mind wandered from the window view to stories she made up in her head.
在公車上，孩子的心思從車窗外的景色飄到了她腦中編織的故事。
The patient's thoughts kept wandering during the therapy session, making it hard for her to answer the doctor's questions.
治療過程中，病人的思緒不斷飄走，使她很難回答醫生的問題。
- concentrate
to keep attention fixed on something
文法句型
[mind/thoughts] + wander
用法筆記
The subject is always 'mind' or 'thoughts', never a person. This sense does not take a direct object. If you want to say that a person is distracted, use 'my mind wandered' or 'I let my mind wander', not 'I wandered'.
常見錯誤
6. if an elderly person's mind is wandering, they are becoming confused and unable
恍惚；糊塗
因年老而思緒混亂、神智不清
if an elderly person's mind is wandering, they are becoming confused and unable to think clearly because of old age or illness.
The nurse gently said that Grandma Chen's mind had begun to wander, and she sometimes forgot her own children.
護士溫柔地說，陳奶奶的思緒已經開始恍惚，有時候連自己的孩子都會忘記。
mind has begun to wander — euphemism for age-related confusion
Uncle Takuya's mind started wandering after his fall, and he kept asking where his long-deceased wife was.
卓也叔叔摔倒後就開始糊塗了，一直問他那已故多年的妻子在哪裡。
The doctor said frequent mind-wandering in older patients may mean a memory check is needed for early dementia.
醫生說，年長者經常性的思緒恍惚可能意味著需要做記憶檢查，以確認是否為早期失智症。
Although her mind sometimes wandered, Amara's grandmother still told wonderful stories about her childhood in Ghana.
雖然阿瑪拉的祖母有時會恍惚，但她仍然會講關於自己在迦納童年的精彩故事。
- fade
more general cognitive decline; wander is gentler and more euphemistic
- sharp
mentally clear and alert
文法句型
[old person's] mind + is wandering / has started to wander
用法筆記
This sense is specific to elderly people or those with cognitive decline. It is often used with 'started to wander' or 'beginning to wander'. Distinguish from sense 5 — sense 5 is about temporary distraction that happens to anyone; sense 6 is about persistent age-related confusion.
常見錯誤
wandering — 形容詞
- wanderingpositive
- more wanderingcomparative
- most wanderingsuperlative
1. moving or traveling without a fixed destination or clear purpose, often in a slo
漫遊的
無固定方向或目的地的移動
moving or traveling without a fixed destination or clear purpose, often in a slow, winding way.
The couple took a long, wandering path through the hills, stopping now and then to take pictures of wildflowers.
那對情侶沿著蜿蜒的小路走過山丘，不時停下來拍攝野花的照片。
wandering path — winding, aimless route
Sofia gave a wandering account of her weekend, jumping from the market to the beach to a random café.
蘇菲亞漫無目的地描述她的週末，從市場跳到海灘，又跳到一家隨機的咖啡館。
A group of wandering musicians traveled from village to village, playing for whatever coins the locals could spare.
一群流浪樂師從一個村莊走到另一個村莊，演奏換取當地人慷慨施捨的零錢。
The old donkey followed a wandering route that avoided the main road and passed through several small orchards.
那頭老驢沿著一條蜿蜒的路線前進，避開了主要道路，穿過好幾個小果園。
- meandering
very similar; meandering emphasises winding physical paths more than aimless behaviour
- circuitous
more formal; suggests a longer, indirect route rather than lack of purpose
- direct
straight and purposeful
用法筆記
Describes paths, routes, accounts, or movement that lack a direct or purposeful line. Can apply to physical paths or to narrative structures.
2. departing from what is considered normal, proper, or morally acceptable behaviou
迷失或放縱的
脫離正常或道德規範的
departing from what is considered normal, proper, or morally acceptable behaviour.
The novel tells the story of a wandering nobleman who abandons his family duties in pursuit of pleasure.
這本小說講述了一位迷失的貴族為了追求享樂而拋棄家庭責任的故事。
wandering nobleman — straying from moral/social duty
The priest warned the congregation against wandering thoughts that led them away from their faith.
牧師警告會眾，迷失的思想會使他們遠離信仰。
Historians describe the wandering emperor as a ruler who ignored his kingdom's problems while travelling abroad.
歷史學家將那位迷失的皇帝描述為一個在國外遊歷時無視王國問題的統治者。
Her wandering lifestyle worried her parents, who wished she would settle down and take on a steady job.
她放縱的生活方式讓父母很擔心，他們希望她能安定下來，找一份穩定的工作。
- steadfast
firmly loyal and morally upright
用法筆記
This sense is more formal and literary than the verb equivalent (sense 3). It describes a quality or character trait, not a single action. Often carries moral judgment from the speaker's perspective.
3. moving from one place to another to find resources such as food or work, without
流浪的
無固定住所，四處遷徙的
moving from one place to another to find resources such as food or work, without a permanent home.
The wandering herders moved their livestock across the high plains as the seasons changed, following the rains.
遊牧的牧民隨著季節變化趕著牲畜穿越高原，跟著雨水移動。
wandering herders — nomadic, resource-driven movement
Anthropologists have studied the wandering tribes of the Sahara for decades, documenting their migration patterns.
人類學家幾十年來一直在研究撒哈拉地區的流浪部落，記錄他們的遷徙模式。
The documentary followed a wandering community of fishers who built temporary shelters on each new beach they reached.
紀錄片跟拍了一個流浪的漁民社群，他們每到一個新的海灘就會搭建臨時住所。
After losing his job, Takeshi lived a wandering existence, sleeping on friends' couches in different cities each month.
失業後，武志過著流浪的生活，每個月在不同的城市睡在朋友家的沙發上。
- settled
living permanently in one place
用法筆記
Describes people, groups, or lifestyles that are not settled. Less moral than sense 2 — it is descriptive rather than judgmental. Distinguish from sense 1 (which describes the nature of a movement or path) — this sense describes the person or group's way of life.
wandering — 名詞
1. the act or experience of traveling around without a fixed destination or plan, o
漫遊；遊歷
沒有固定目的地的旅行
the act or experience of traveling around without a fixed destination or plan, often for pleasure or discovery.
His wandering through Lisbon's back streets led him to a tiny café with the best pastries he had ever tasted.
他在里斯本小巷中漫遊，來到一家小小的咖啡館，那裡有他吃過最好吃的糕點。
wandering through [place] — unplanned discovery
After years of wandering across Asia, Elena finally settled in a small coastal town in Vietnam.
在亞洲遊歷多年後，艾蓮娜終於在越南的一個沿海小鎮定居下來。
The book is a memoir of the author's youthful wandering through Europe with only a backpack and a train pass.
這本書是作者年輕時僅帶著一個背包和一張火車通行證在歐洲漫遊的回憶錄。
Kwame's wandering took him from Accra to Cairo over the course of two years, working odd jobs along the way.
奎米的遊歷從阿克拉到開羅，花了兩年時間，沿途打零工維生。
用法筆記
Often uncountable but can be used in the plural (wanderings) when referring to multiple trips or episodes. The plural form often suggests a longer period or a series of journeys.
常見錯誤
2. movement away from what is normal, correct, or morally proper; a departure from
偏離；脫軌
脫離正常或正確的標準
movement away from what is normal, correct, or morally proper; a departure from an expected standard or path.
The judge noted that the politician's wandering from ethical conduct had damaged public trust in the office.
法官指出，那位政治人物對道德行為的偏離已經損害了公眾對公職的信任。
wandering from [standard] — formal, moral/ethical deviation
The professor's intellectual wanderings into unrelated fields made his lectures interesting but hard to follow.
教授在學術上偏離到無關領域的做法，使他的演講有趣但難以理解。
The committee criticized the report for its wandering from the original research question into speculative territory.
委員會批評這份報告脫離了原本的研究問題，進入了推測性的領域。
Her moral wanderings were the subject of gossip among the town's older residents, who disapproved of her free-spirited choices.
她道德上的脫軌成了鎮上年長居民八卦的話題，他們對她隨心所欲的選擇不以為然。
- deviation
more neutral and technical; does not carry moral weight
- digression
restricted to speech or writing, not behaviour
- adherence
sticking to a rule or standard
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'from' to indicate what standard or norm was departed from. More formal than sense 1. The plural form 'wanderings' is also common in this sense.