x factor

IPA/ˈeks fæktə(r)/
IPA/ˈeks fæktər/

x factor — 名詞

1. a special quality that makes a person or thing stand out and do well, but which

1.名詞C1
釋義

致勝特質

讓人或事物脫穎而出卻難以言說的特殊魅力

a special quality that makes a person or thing stand out and do well, but which is hard to put into words.

例句

The young singer had that X factor the judges look for in a future star.

那位年輕歌手具備評審在未來明星身上尋找的那種致勝特質。

have the X factor = possess the winning quality

Alessia's warmth on stage gave her the X factor her rivals simply lacked.

Alessia 在台上的親和力給了她對手所缺乏的那股致勝特質。

give someone the X factor

同義詞
  • magic

    more casual; stresses the charm rather than the success it brings

  • charisma

    narrower; only about personal charm, not products or places

  • appeal

    broader and plainer; lacks the 'hard to explain' nuance

文法句型

the X factor that ...

用法筆記

Almost always preceded by 'the' or 'that' and used in the singular. Subject of the quality is usually a person, performance, product, or place that succeeds for reasons that are hard to name.

常見錯誤

❌She has many x factors.
✅She has the X factor.
💡it names one indefinable winning quality, so it stays singular with 'the'.

2. a person, thing, or situation whose effect on an outcome is strong but cannot be

2.名詞C1
釋義

關鍵變數

影響結果強大卻無法事先預測的人事物

a person, thing, or situation whose effect on an outcome is strong but cannot be predicted in advance.

例句

Heavy rain became the X factor that turned a close race into chaos.

大雨成了把一場勢均力敵的比賽變成混亂局面的關鍵變數。

the X factor in an outcome

In any tight election, undecided voters are always the X factor.

在任何勢均力敵的選舉中，未決定的選民永遠是關鍵變數。

be the X factor

同義詞
  • wildcard

    very close; stresses the surprise more than the strength of the effect

  • variable

    more technical and neutral; lacks the 'unpredictable but powerful' feel

反義詞
  • constant

    a fixed factor that does not change the result unpredictably

文法句型

the X factor in [a situation]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about an unpredictable force that decides a result, not about a desirable quality a person or product has. Subject is often a circumstance, group, or event rather than a single admired performer.

常見錯誤

❌The weather was a x factor.
✅The weather was the X factor.
💡even for this sense, 'the' is far more common than 'a'.