dolphin

dolphin — noun

1. a grey sea animal with a smooth body and a long nose, known for being very intel

1.名詞A2
釋義

a grey sea animal with a smooth body and a long nose, known for being very intelligent and friendly to people

例句

Femi saw a group of dolphins jumping out of the water near the boat.

A dolphin at the aquarium turned on its side, watching the children through the glass.

preposition: on its side / through the glass

用法筆記

Dolphins are mammals, not fish. They breathe air through a blowhole on top of their head. A group of dolphins is called a pod, and the definite article is common when referring to a known group: 'the dolphins in the bay'.

常見錯誤

❌A dolphin is a kind of fish.
✅A dolphin is a mammal, not a fish.
💡Dolphins breathe air, have warm blood, and feed their babies milk, just like land mammals.

2. a large fish from warm seas that has a long body and is caught for food or sport

2.名詞B1
釋義

a large fish from warm seas that has a long body and is caught for food or sport; also called mahimahi or dolphinfish

例句

We ordered grilled dolphin with rice and salad at the beach restaurant.

collocation: grilled dolphin

Andrés caught a large dolphin while fishing off the coast of Hawaii.

同義詞
  • mahimahi

    the Hawaiian name, commonly used on restaurant menus in English-speaking countries to avoid confusion with the mammal

  • dolphinfish

    the formal compound name that explicitly marks this as a fish, not the mammal

用法筆記

On menus and in markets this fish is often called 'mahimahi' to avoid confusion with the mammal. When referring to the meat, dolphin can be used as an uncountable noun: 'We ate dolphin for dinner.'

常見錯誤

❌I ate dolphin at the sushi restaurant.' (when the listener might think of the mammal)
✅I ate mahimahi at the sushi restaurant.
💡In restaurants, use 'mahimahi' or 'dolphinfish' to prevent confusion with the protected sea mammal.