chum

IPA/tʃʌm/
KK[tʃˈʌm]IPA/tʃʌm/

chum — noun

  • chumsingular
  • chumsplural

1. a companion or friend, often used in an affectionate way when talking to or abou

1.名詞B1
釋義

a companion or friend, often used in an affectionate way when talking to or about someone you know well

例句

Aarav and his old chum Felipe have been neighbours for over twenty years.

old chum — long-time friend

Adaeze invited her school chum to stay at her flat during the summer break.

school chum — friend from school

同義詞
  • pal

    slightly more common in American English; same informal register

  • buddy

    very common in North America; can also mean a partner in an activity

  • mate

    standard in British, Australian, and New Zealand English; broader usage

  • companion

    more formal and less emotional than chum

反義詞

文法句型

chum + personal pronoun

old chum + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Chum is less common in American English than British English for referring to a friend. It sounds slightly old-fashioned or jokey in casual conversation.

常見錯誤

She is my best chum ever.
She is my best friend ever.
💡'best chum' is not a natural collocation; use 'best friend' for close friendship.
I made a new chum today.
I made a new friend today.
💡'chum' is used for established friendships, not new acquaintances.

2. small pieces of fish or meat that are dropped into the water to attract wild fis

2.名詞C1
釋義

small pieces of fish or meat that are dropped into the water to attract wild fish such as sharks or tuna

例句

The captain ordered a bucket of chum tossed over the side of the boat.

bucket of chum

As soon as the chum hit the water, dark shapes began circling below the surface.

同義詞
  • bait

    more general term for anything used to attract and catch fish or animals

  • lure

    usually refers to an artificial object that imitates prey

文法句型

chum + noun (chum bucket, chum line)

throw/spread chum

用法筆記

This sense is highly specialised and appears almost exclusively in the context of sport fishing or wildlife documentaries. The term 'chum line' refers to the trail of bait particles drifting in the water current.

常見錯誤

We used bread as chum for catching carp.
We used bread as bait for catching carp.
💡'chum' refers specifically to fish or meat scraps used at sea for larger fish, not general bait for freshwater fish.

3. a salmon species native to the cold waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, with p

3.名詞C1
釋義

a salmon species native to the cold waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, with pink-coloured flesh that people commonly eat

例句

Jisoo grilled chum salmon fillets with lemon and herbs for dinner.

Every autumn, chum salmon swim up rivers in Alaska and northern Japan to lay eggs.

chum salmon swim up rivers — spawning migration

同義詞
  • keta salmon

    the preferred commercial name for this fish

  • dog salmon

    common nickname referring to the dog-like teeth males develop during spawning

文法句型

chum salmon + verb

chum + noun (chum salmon)

用法筆記

Also called 'keta salmon' or 'dog salmon'. In commercial contexts, the name 'keta' is often used to distinguish it from other salmon varieties.

chum — verb