carbon
carbon — noun
1. a naturally occurring chemical element, symbol C, that is present in every livin
a naturally occurring chemical element, symbol C, that is present in every living thing on the planet and takes different forms including diamond, graphite, coal, and petroleum
Diamonds are made entirely of carbon that has been under extreme heat and pressure for millions of years.
passive: is/are made of carbon
All living organisms on Earth contain carbon, which is why it is called the building block of life.
collocation: contain carbon / building block of life
Burning wood releases the carbon stored inside the plant into the air as smoke and gases.
The Watanabe family uses a charcoal grill for cooking, and charcoal is almost pure carbon.
2. a gas written as CO₂ that is released when fuel is burned or living things breat
a gas written as CO₂ that is released when fuel is burned or living things breathe out, and is the main cause of global warming
Many countries have promised to reduce their carbon emissions by half by the year 2050.
collocation: reduce carbon emissions
Planting more trees helps absorb carbon from the atmosphere and slow down global warming.
collocation: absorb carbon
The government introduced a new tax on companies that produce high levels of carbon.
Yara decided to walk to work every day to lower her personal carbon footprint.
Electric cars produce less carbon than petrol-powered vehicles over their lifetime.
- carbon dioxide
the full scientific name for the gas; more precise, less common in headlines
- greenhouse gas
broader group including methane and nitrous oxide; used in policy contexts
用法筆記
In everyday speech and news reports, 'carbon' by itself almost always means carbon dioxide rather than the raw element. The sense is especially common in compounds such as 'carbon emissions', 'carbon tax', and 'carbon footprint'.
常見錯誤
3. a duplicate of a typed or written document, produced by placing a specially trea
a duplicate of a typed or written document, produced by placing a specially treated sheet between two ordinary sheets of paper so the pressure of writing transfers the ink to the bottom sheet
Before computers were common, secretaries always kept a carbon of every letter they typed.
countable: a carbon (short for carbon copy)
Aiko found an old carbon of the contract in the filing cabinet from the 1980s.
The manager asked his assistant to make three carbons of the sales report for each department head.
Leila found a carbon of her grandfather's old business letter tucked inside a book.
- carbon copy
the full form, more formal; also used figuratively for something very similar
- copy
more general word that works for both paper and digital replicates
用法筆記
Often shortened to just 'carbon', e.g. 'I made a carbon for my files.' This sense is now rare in everyday use because digital copying has replaced carbon paper. Learners should be aware of the meaning but will rarely need to produce it actively.
4. a thin sheet of paper with a dark coating on one surface, inserted between two p
a thin sheet of paper with a dark coating on one surface, inserted between two pages so that writing pressure transfers the colour onto the lower page
The old typewriter still worked, but Rohan could not find any carbon to put between the pages.
uncountable use: any carbon (any carbon paper)
The dark coating on carbon paper comes off on the sheet below, making a copy.
usage description: use carbon paper
The stationery shop still sells carbon paper for artists who use it in their drawings.
Before printing was common, teachers used carbon paper to make copies of homework sheets.
- carbon paper
the full term; slightly more formal and precise
用法筆記
The short form 'carbon' is used interchangeably with 'carbon paper', e.g. 'I need a sheet of carbon.' Context usually makes clear whether the paper itself or the copy is intended.