bean

bean — noun

1. an edible seed or young pod from a bean plant, usually cooked for a meal; the pl

1.名詞A1
釋義

an edible seed or young pod from a bean plant, usually cooked for a meal; the plant itself can also be called a bean.

例句

Vesna cut fresh beans into the soup with carrots and potatoes.

food use: beans as a vegetable

We grew runner beans behind the shed and picked them every July.

同義詞
  • legume

    a wider and more technical word for this plant family

  • pulse

    usually means the dried edible seeds of beans, peas, and lentils

  • green bean

    one specific fresh type, not the whole group

文法句型

green beans

black beans

bean plant

用法筆記

Often plural when talking about food on a plate. Distinguish from sense 2, which is used for coffee and other bean-shaped seeds rather than vegetables.

常見錯誤

❌I ate a plate of bean.
✅I ate a plate of beans.
💡when talking about the food, English usually uses the plural form.

2. the hard seed inside coffee fruit, or a similar seed from plants such as cocoa o

2.名詞B1
釋義

the hard seed inside coffee fruit, or a similar seed from plants such as cocoa or vanilla that looks like a bean.

例句

The shop roasts its coffee beans every morning before the doors open.

coffee beans — most common use

Dark brown cocoa beans dried on mats behind the farmhouse.

同義詞
  • seed

    the general word; 'bean' is used because of the shape

  • kernel

    can mean the inner seed part, but is less usual for coffee or cocoa

文法句型

coffee bean

cocoa bean

vanilla bean

用法筆記

Most often seen in fixed combinations such as 'coffee bean' and 'cocoa bean'. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to vegetables you cook and eat.

常見錯誤

❌Coffee grows on bean plants.
✅Coffee beans grow on coffee plants.
💡here 'bean' names the seed, not the vegetable plant.

3. someone's head or thinking part, used in relaxed speech.

3.名詞B2
釋義

someone's head or thinking part, used in relaxed speech.

例句

The ball hit Jake on the bean during lunch break.

informal body-part noun

Use your bean and check the map before we drive.

fixed phrase: use your bean

同義詞
  • head

    the normal everyday word

  • brain

    focuses more on thinking than on the physical body part

  • noggin

    another playful informal word, mainly in American English

文法句型

hit someone on the bean

use your bean

用法筆記

Informal and slightly playful. It often appears after verbs like 'hit' or 'bump', or in fixed phrases such as 'use your bean'.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor examined his bean.
✅The doctor examined his head.
💡'bean' is too informal for medical or formal situations.

bean — verb