day

day — noun

1. a unit of time equal to 24 hours, starting at midnight and ending at the followi

1.名詞A1
釋義

a unit of time equal to 24 hours, starting at midnight and ending at the following midnight — the length of one full rotation of the Earth.

例句

There are seven days in every normal week.

Chidi's birthday party will start in three days.

day + in + future time period

同義詞
  • 24 hours

    more precise and technical; used in medical or scientific contexts

反義詞
  • night

    refers to the dark period, while 'day' here includes both day and night

文法句型

day + of + month/event

number + day(s) + ago/later

per day / a day

用法筆記

The most basic sense of 'day'. When counting days, no preposition is needed before 'day' with time expressions: 'I'll be there Monday' (not 'on Monday' in informal use), but 'in three days' refers to the future, and 'three days ago' refers to the past.

常見錯誤

❌I will come after three days.
✅I will come in three days.
💡In English, 'after three days' is unusual for future plans; use 'in three days' to mean 'three days from now'.
❌I stayed there for three days ago.
✅I stayed there for three days.' or 'I was there three days ago.
💡Do not combine 'for' and 'ago' in the same time expression.

2. the light part of a 24-hour day, when the sun is up and the sky is bright — used

2.名詞A2
釋義

the light part of a 24-hour day, when the sun is up and the sky is bright — used to contrast this period with the night or the dark.

例句

Owls sleep during the day and hunt at night.

during the day / at night contrast

The museum is open every day from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon.

同義詞
  • daylight

    specifically the natural light of the day, not the period itself

  • daytime

    interchangeable with 'day' in this sense; slightly more formal

反義詞
  • night

    the dark period between sunset and sunrise

文法句型

during the day

by day

all day (long)

用法筆記

Use 'during the day' or 'in the daytime' to refer to the light period. 'By day' is a slightly more formal or literary alternative. 'All day' means the entire daylight period, often with an implication of continuous activity.

常見錯誤

❌I work at day.
✅I work during the day.
💡The preposition 'at' is not used with 'day' in this sense; use 'during the day' or 'in the daytime'.
❌The whole day I was tired.
✅I was tired all day.' or 'The whole day, I was tired.
💡In natural English, 'all day' is more common than 'the whole day' as an adverb.

3. the hours that a person spends at their job or in classes, as opposed to their f

3.名詞A2
釋義

the hours that a person spends at their job or in classes, as opposed to their free time or time spent sleeping.

例句

Sari has a very long day at school on Mondays.

a + adjective + day + at + [place]

After a hard day at the office, Emre likes to go for a run.

同義詞
  • working day

    specifically a day spent at work, not school

  • workday

    American English term for working hours at a job

文法句型

a + long/busy/hard + day

day + of/at + [place]

my/your/his + day

用法筆記

'How was your day?' is a very common A1 greeting used between people who know each other, especially family members or colleagues. 'A hard day' and 'a long day' are fixed collocations meaning a tiring day.

常見錯誤

❌How is your day?' (as a greeting after the day is finished).
✅How was your day?
💡Use past tense when asking about a day that has already happened or is ending.
❌I have a busy day today.' (grammatically correct but less natural).
✅I have a busy day ahead.' or 'It's a busy day for me.
💡These are more natural ways to describe a currently busy day.

4. a day when a person does not have to go to work, attend school, or do their usua

4.名詞B1
釋義

a day when a person does not have to go to work, attend school, or do their usual duties, often for rest or personal activities.

例句

Bao took a day off to go to the dentist.

take + a day off + to + [verb]

Fridays are Maja's day off from the café.

day off + from + [place/work]

同義詞
  • holiday

    British English: a day off from work or school; in American English, 'holiday' means a special celebration day

  • time off

    broader term that can cover hours, days, or weeks away from work

反義詞

文法句型

a + day + off

have/take + a day off

my/your/his + day off

用法筆記

The phrase 'day off' uses 'off' as an adverb, not a preposition. When specifying the place, use 'from': 'a day off from work/school'. 'Have a day off' is more common in British English; 'take a day off' is common in both British and American English.

常見錯誤

❌I have a rest day.
✅I have a day off.
💡'Day off' is the standard expression for a non-working day. 'Rest day' is only used for sports training schedules.
❌I had a day-off yesterday.
✅I had a day off yesterday.
💡Do not hyphenate 'day off' as a noun phrase.

5. a short time in the recent past, usually two to five days before the present mom

5.名詞B1
釋義

a short time in the recent past, usually two to five days before the present moment, used in fixed phrases like 'the other day' or 'a few days ago'.

例句

I saw Lukas at the train station the other day.

the other day = a few days ago

Otis called me a few days ago about the school reunion.

a few days ago — exact time reference

同義詞
  • recently

    can refer to any time in the recent past, from hours to weeks ago

  • a short time ago

    more general than 'the other day'; can refer to hours or minutes ago

文法句型

the other day

a few days ago

these past few days

用法筆記

'The other day' is an indefinite reference meaning 'a few days ago' — the speaker does not need to specify which day. 'A few days ago' is more precise. Both are used with past tense verbs. This sense does not have a plural form.

常見錯誤

❌I met him the other day ago.
✅I met him the other day.
💡'The other day' already implies a past time; do not add 'ago'.
❌I saw her in these days.
✅I saw her the other day.
💡'In these days' is not used for recent past events in English.

6. the present period of time or the modern age, used especially when comparing how

6.名詞A2
釋義

the present period of time or the modern age, used especially when comparing how life is now with how it was in an earlier time.

例句

Kids these days spend a lot of time on their phones.

kids/people + these days — comparing to past

In my grandmother's day, people sent letters by post.

in + someone's + day — past era reference

同義詞
  • nowadays

    interchangeable with 'these days' but slightly more formal

  • today

    broader; can mean 'on this current day' or 'in modern times'

反義詞
  • in the past

    refers to earlier periods, the opposite of modern times

文法句型

these days

in those days

in my day

back in the day

用法筆記

'These days' contrasts the present with the past. 'In my day' refers to a period when the speaker was younger and is nostalgic or critical. 'Back in the day' is informal and nostalgic, common in American English. 'In those days' points to a specific past period.

常見錯誤

❌In these days, technology is changing fast.
✅These days, technology is changing fast.
💡Do not use 'in' before 'these days' when it means 'nowadays'.
❌It was very different in my days.
✅It was very different in my day.
💡'In my day' is a fixed singular phrase, even though it refers to a period of many years.

7. used to refer to a period in the past, especially one that the speaker remembers

7.名詞B2
釋義

used to refer to a period in the past, especially one that the speaker remembers or that older people have described — for example, talking about life before modern technology.

例句

In those days, people had to walk miles to fetch water from the nearest well.

in those days + past-era collocation

Christopher's grandmother says that in the old days, children ate whatever was put on the table.

in the old days expressing remembered past

同義詞
  • era

    more formal and denotes a longer, well-defined historical period

  • time

    broader and less specific; 'in my time' overlaps but sounds slightly older in style

反義詞
  • present

    the current period, contrasted with past eras

文法句型

in those days

in the old days

in those + noun + days

用法筆記

Frequently paired with a possessive determiner or noun modifier: 'in my day', 'in those days', 'in the old days'. Not typically used alone as a simple adverb — the phrase structure is required.

常見錯誤

❌Day, people walked everywhere.
✅In those days, people walked everywhere.
💡'in those days' or 'in the old days' is the required fixed phrase, not just 'day' alone.

8. used to say that something is expected to happen soon, usually in the coming day

8.名詞B2
釋義

used to say that something is expected to happen soon, usually in the coming days — for example, waiting for news, a delivery, or a natural event.

例句

The baby is due any day now, so Camila has packed her hospital bag.

any day now for expected events

The repair crew said they would come any day now to fix the broken pipe.

同義詞
  • soon

    sooner range is vaguer; 'any day now' adds a concrete sense of days, not weeks

  • momentarily

    more formal and suggests happening at any moment, not necessarily within days

反義詞
  • never

    complete opposite of expected future event

文法句型

any day now

用法筆記

Almost always used with future or present tense. Never used for past events. The phrase carries a tone of hopeful or confident expectation.

常見錯誤

❌I graduated any day now.
✅I expect to graduate any day now.
💡'any day now' refers to a future event, not a past one.

9. the outdoor period when there is natural sunlight, thought of as the time for be

9.名詞B1
釋義

the outdoor period when there is natural sunlight, thought of as the time for being outside, travelling, or doing activities without needing artificial light.

例句

Feng prefers to study by day and relax in the evening.

by day as adverbial phrase

The museum is open during the day but closes at five o'clock.

during the day for opening hours

同義詞
  • daytime

    the noun form; used in 'in the daytime' adverbial phrases

  • daylight hours

    more formal and emphasizes the natural-light aspect

反義詞
  • night

    the period after sunset

文法句型

by day

during the day

用法筆記

Distinguish from noun sense 2 (DAYTIME HOURS): sense 2 contrasts day-as-light with night-as-dark within a single 24-hour cycle; this sense treats daylight as the outdoor-activity window. 'By day' and 'during the day' are the most common adverbial patterns.

常見錯誤

❌I work in day.
✅I work during the day.
💡'in day' is ungrammatical; use 'during the day' or 'by day'.

10. happening every single day, especially in a way that feels boring, tiring, or un

10.名詞B1
釋義

happening every single day, especially in a way that feels boring, tiring, or unpleasantly repetitive.

例句

Eleni got tired of eating the same lunch day after day.

day after day expressing boredom with repetition

Nkechi walked the same route to the factory day after day for twelve years.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

day after day

day after day + clause

用法筆記

This fixed phrase carries a negative or weary tone — it emphasizes monotony or hardship. Use 'every day' for neutral repetition. 'Day after day' can appear at the start or end of a clause.

常見錯誤

❌I go to school day after day and I enjoy it.
✅I go to school every day and I enjoy it.
💡'day after day' sounds complaining; use 'every day' for neutral or positive contexts.

11. throughout the whole time from morning until night, without stopping or taking a

11.名詞A2
釋義

throughout the whole time from morning until night, without stopping or taking a break.

例句

Dario sat at his desk all day long finishing the report for his manager.

all day long for continuous work

The children played outside all day long and came home covered in mud.

同義詞
反義詞
  • briefly

    for a short period, opposite of the whole day

文法句型

all day long

all day

用法筆記

'All day long' is more emphatic than 'all day' and often appears in informal or narrative contexts. Both forms are interchangeable in most situations.

常見錯誤

❌I was studying all the day long.
✅I was studying all day long.
💡'the' is not used between 'all' and 'day' in this pattern.

12. happening slowly and continuously, so that a change is more noticeable from one

12.名詞B2
釋義

happening slowly and continuously, so that a change is more noticeable from one day to the next — often used for improvements, growth, or gradual decline.

例句

Owen's health improved day by day after he started the new treatment.

day by day describing gradual improvement

The pile of paperwork on Eli's desk grew day by day.

day by day describing gradual increase

同義詞
  • gradually

    adverb that captures the slow-change aspect without the daily rhythm

  • little by little

    more informal and can apply to any unit of time, not just days

反義詞
  • suddenly

    implying an immediate change, the opposite of gradual

文法句型

day by day

day by day + clause

用法筆記

Emphasizes a gradual, cumulative change — unlike 'every day', which can imply a repeated identical action. 'Day by day' is often used with verbs of change: improve, grow, rise, weaken, recover.

常見錯誤

❌I brush my teeth day by day.
✅I brush my teeth every day.
💡'day by day' emphasizes change over time, not simple daily repetition.

13. Used to describe something that varies or keeps changing, so that it is not the

13.名詞B2
釋義

Used to describe something that varies or keeps changing, so that it is not the same on any two days in a row.

例句

The weather in this mountain city changes from day to day, so always carry an umbrella.

change (from) day to day — variability

Noor's appetite varies from day to day, which makes meal planning difficult.

同義詞
  • vary

    Broader term — can apply to any kind of difference, not limited to time

  • fluctuate

    More formal; implies alternating up-and-down movement

  • shift

    Suggests movement from one state to another, often gradually

反義詞

文法句型

(from) day to day

change (from) day to day

vary (from) day to day

用法筆記

The subject of this phrase is typically something variable: weather, mood, prices, conditions, or other changing situations. The word 'from' is often dropped, especially in informal speech: 'changes day to day'.

常見錯誤

❌The menu changes from day to day to day' (extra 'to day').
✅The menu changes from day to day.
💡The fixed phrase contains only two occurrences of 'day'.

14. The day that comes immediately before a particular date, event, or point in time

14.名詞B1
釋義

The day that comes immediately before a particular date, event, or point in time.

例句

Amihan studied all afternoon the day before the final chemistry exam.

the day before + [event]

The shop closes at noon on the day before a national holiday.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

the day before + [event]

the day before + [date]

the day before yesterday

用法筆記

This phrase functions as an adverbial noun phrase — no preposition (in/on) is needed. It is often followed by 'of' plus a specific event: 'the day before of the wedding' is incorrect; use 'the day before the wedding'.

常見錯誤

❌I met her the day before of the party.
✅I met her the day before the party.
💡Do not insert 'of' after 'the day before'.

15. A past era or memorable stage in history or in someone's life, especially one th

15.名詞C1
釋義

A past era or memorable stage in history or in someone's life, especially one that feels quite different from the present.

例句

Back in the day, people relied on paper maps instead of phone apps for directions.

back in the day — informal time reference

Lisa recalls that back in the day, her neighbourhood had only one small grocery store.

同義詞
  • era

    Typically refers to a longer, named period (e.g. 'the Victorian era')

  • age

    More formal; often used with a specific label (e.g. 'the digital age')

  • times

    Informal plural; 'in those times' is similar to 'back in the day'

反義詞
  • the present day

    The current period, in contrast with a past era

  • today

    Simple, direct antonym for 'back in the day'

文法句型

back in the day

in those days

in someone's day

in the days of

用法筆記

'Back in the day' is informal and used for nostalgic recollection. More formal alternatives include 'at that time' or 'in that era'. 'In someone's day' refers to the period when that person was active or young. Distinguished from noun/7 'in the past' which is a general time reference without nostalgic or era-specific connotations.

常見錯誤

❌Back in the days, we walked to school.
✅Back in the day, we walked to school.
💡The fixed phrase uses the singular 'day', not 'days'.

16. Still true or continuing right up to the current time, even though a long period

16.名詞B2
釋義

Still true or continuing right up to the current time, even though a long period has passed.

例句

To this day, no one knows what started the fire that destroyed the old library.

to this day — sentence-initial position

Christopher feels guilty to this day about breaking his sister's favourite doll.

同義詞
  • still

    Simpler and less emphatic; common in everyday speech

  • even now

    Similar emphasis to 'to this day', slightly more dramatic

  • yet

    Used only in negative or question contexts: 'has not happened yet'

反義詞

文法句型

to this day

用法筆記

Often used at the start or end of a clause for emphasis. Stronger and more emphatic than 'still' because it stresses the entire duration that has passed. Works in both positive statements and negative ones.

常見錯誤

❌I to this day haven't finished reading that book.' (awkward placement).
✅To this day, I have not finished reading that book.
💡'To this day' is typically placed at the beginning or end of a clause, not in the middle.

day — biographical name