custom

custom — noun

1. a pattern of behaviour shared by a group or a society over a long period, which

1.名詞B1
釋義

a pattern of behaviour shared by a group or a society over a long period, which members treat as the normal way of doing things.

例句

Quan's family follows the custom of giving red envelopes during Lunar New Year.

collocation: follow the custom of [doing sth]

In Japan, the custom of removing shoes before entering a home is widely observed.

passive: custom is observed / is followed

同義詞
  • tradition

    stronger sense of being handed down across generations; slightly more formal than 'custom'

  • practice

    more neutral and general; can refer to any repeated way of doing things

  • convention

    an accepted social rule rather than a meaningful tradition

常見錯誤

❌It is a custom for me to drink coffee in the morning.
✅It is my habit to drink coffee in the morning.
💡a personal routine is a 'habit'; 'custom' is normally used for larger social or cultural practices.

2. something that a person does regularly as part of their daily life or routine.

2.名詞B1
釋義

something that a person does regularly as part of their daily life or routine.

例句

Devika has a custom of drinking green tea first thing every morning.

collocation: have a custom of [doing sth]

It was David's custom to take a short walk along the river after dinner.

pattern: it is [someone's] custom to [verb]

同義詞
  • habit

    more common for personal routines; can be hard to break

  • routine

    focuses on the regular sequence of actions rather than the personal attachment

用法筆記

Can be used for individual routines, but 'habit' is far more common in everyday speech. 'Custom' in this sense sounds slightly formal or old-fashioned.

常見錯誤

❌Brushing your teeth is a good custom.
✅Brushing your teeth is a good habit.
💡'custom' for personal routines sounds unnatural; use 'habit' instead.

3. the regular support that customers give to a shop, restaurant, or other business

3.名詞B2
釋義

the regular support that customers give to a shop, restaurant, or other business by choosing to buy from it repeatedly.

例句

The local bakery has lost much of its custom since the supermarket opened nearby.

collocation: lose [someone's] custom / lose custom

The manager thanked the regulars for their continued custom over the past ten years.

collocation: continued custom

同義詞
  • patronage

    more formal; often used in notices or official messages

  • business

    more general and widely used in both British and American English

用法筆記

Common in British English but less frequent in American English, where 'patronage' or 'business' is used instead. Often appears in formal business contexts such as letters or notices.

常見錯誤

❌I gave my custom to that shop for years.
✅I have shopped at that store for years.
💡'give custom' is very formal; in everyday English, use 'shop at' or 'buy from'.

4. (usually plural: customs) the section of a national border, airport, or seaport

4.名詞B2
釋義

(usually plural: customs) the section of a national border, airport, or seaport where government officers examine travellers' belongings and control which items may enter the country.

例句

The officer asked Élise to open her suitcase for inspection at customs.

preposition: at customs

Beatrix had to wait for almost an hour at customs before her bags were cleared.

passive: bags are cleared / goods are checked

同義詞
  • border control

    a broader term that includes passport checks as well as goods inspection

  • duties

    refers specifically to the taxes on imported goods, not the agency itself

用法筆記

When referring to the border agency or checkpoint, 'customs' always takes a plural verb or is treated as an uncountable location name. The singular 'custom' in this meaning is extremely rare and only appears in historical or legal texts.

常見錯誤

❌I need to pass the custom at the airport.
✅I need to go through customs at the airport.
💡the word is always plural when referring to the border checkpoint.

custom — adjective