girl
girl — noun
1. A young female person, from birth through the teenage years.
A young female person, from birth through the teenage years.
Minh and her younger sister are both girls at the local primary school.
Countable noun referring to a female child
A group of girls from the neighbourhood take dance classes together.
The little girl in the red raincoat was searching for her lost cat.
Eli's daughter was the first girl in her school to win the science prize.
- child
neutral term covering both genders and a wider age range
- kid
informal; can refer to a child of either gender
- young lady
polite or formal term, often used by adults addressing a girl
- boy
male child of similar age
文法句型
adjective + girl
the girls (plural group)
用法筆記
null
常見錯誤
2. A female person in relation to her parents; a daughter.
A female person in relation to her parents; a daughter.
Our girl just started kindergarten this year and loves it.
Possessive determiner + girl for 'daughter'
The neighbour's girl helps at the family bakery every Saturday morning.
Felipe and Rania's eldest girl is studying veterinary science in college.
A postcard arrived from their girl who is volunteering in Tanzania.
文法句型
possessive + girl
the/their + girl
用法筆記
Used mostly in informal or family contexts; 'daughter' is more formal and preferred in official writing.
常見錯誤
3. A woman who does a particular job, especially when referred to as part of a grou
A woman who does a particular job, especially when referred to as part of a group of workers.
The office girls at the front desk handle all customer enquiries by phone.
the + workplace + girls for a group of female workers
Marta started as a shop girl in a small boutique in the city centre.
The factory girls went on strike to demand better safety equipment.
Vivek trained the new girls in the kitchen during their first two weeks.
- woman worker
more neutral and respectful
- employee
formal; gender-neutral
文法句型
noun + girl (compound)
the + job + girls
用法筆記
This usage can sound dated or patronising. In modern English, 'woman' (e.g. 'office worker', 'sales assistant') is often preferred unless the group of workers referred to is clearly using the term informally among themselves.
常見錯誤
4. A woman's close female friends, thought of together as a group.
A woman's close female friends, thought of together as a group.
Jabari's wife is meeting the girls for brunch at a new cafe on Saturday.
the girls for a woman's female friendship group
Hugo heard the girls laughing loudly from the other side of the house.
Zayd's partner has her girls' night out every first Friday of the month.
The girls from university still go on holiday together every summer.
- gal pals
informal, modern slang
- girlfriends
can also mean female friends; avoid confusion with romantic sense
文法句型
the girls (group reference)
girls' night / girls' night out
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural ('the girls') to refer to a group. The singular form ('she is one of my girls') exists but is less common.
常見錯誤
5. A woman with whom someone has a romantic relationship.
A woman with whom someone has a romantic relationship.
Andrew brought his new girl to meet the family last Sunday afternoon.
Possessive his + girl for romantic partner
Sahil and his girl are saving up to buy a flat together next year.
A young man at the wedding introduced his girl to the bride's parents.
Eri is going to meet her brother's girl for the first time this weekend.
- girlfriend
standard term, works in both formal and informal contexts
- partner
gender-neutral; common for serious or long-term relationships
- boyfriend
male romantic partner
文法句型
possessive + girl
his girl
用法筆記
Used mainly by young people in informal conversation. In more formal or neutral situations, 'girlfriend' is clearer and more widely understood.