golden
golden — adjective
1. made from the precious yellow metal called gold, or coated with a thin layer of
made from the precious yellow metal called gold, or coated with a thin layer of it on the surface.
The museum displayed a golden crown from the twelfth century.
attributive: golden + noun (crown)
Mauricio received a golden brooch for his twenty years of service.
Talia's grandmother left her a pair of golden earrings in her will.
The ancient temple's walls were decorated with golden leaves.
文法句型
golden + noun
用法筆記
Attributive position is most common for this sense — a golden ring, a golden necklace. In predicative position (This ring is golden), it may be interpreted as the colour sense instead.
常見錯誤
2. having the warm, bright yellow shade that the metal gold displays; often describ
having the warm, bright yellow shade that the metal gold displays; often describes hair, sunlight, or autumn leaves.
The autumn leaves turned a beautiful golden colour before falling.
predicative: turn + golden
Reema brushed her long golden hair in front of the mirror.
The wheat fields stretched out like a golden sea under the sun.
Anna painted the walls a soft golden shade for the living room.
文法句型
golden + noun
be + golden
用法筆記
Can be used both before a noun (golden hair) and after a linking verb (Her hair is golden). For describing hair colour, 'blonde' (of European descent) or 'blond' is more common; 'golden' emphasises a warm, shiny quality.
3. exceptionally good because it creates the right conditions for someone to succee
exceptionally good because it creates the right conditions for someone to succeed, advance, or obtain something of great value — for example, a golden opportunity that should not be missed, or a golden period in history when a field flourishes.
Tuan saw the internship as a golden chance to start his career.
fixed collocation: golden chance
The golden age of cinema brought many unforgettable films to the world.
fixed phrase: golden age of [field]
Shirin's golden opportunity arrived when the company offered her a management role.
For those who work hard, these are truly golden years of growth.
- favourable
less emphatic; describes conditions that are helpful but not necessarily perfect
- superb
focuses on high quality rather than advantage or luck
- promising
suggests future potential; less immediate than 'golden'
- prime
similar to 'golden' in phrases like 'prime opportunity', but less common with 'age'
- unfavourable
conditions that work against someone
文法句型
golden + noun (opportunity, age, years, ticket)
用法筆記
Nearly always used attributively before a noun in fixed phrases (golden opportunity, golden age, golden ticket, golden years). Meaning is emphatic — it is stronger than 'good' and closer to 'perfect' or 'ideal'. The noun it modifies is typically an abstract concept (chance, age, rule), not a physical object.
常見錯誤
4. having a warm, rich, and pleasantly full sound quality, especially describing a
having a warm, rich, and pleasantly full sound quality, especially describing a person's singing voice or the sound of a musical instrument.
Hao was moved by the golden tones of the old violin's melody.
attributive: golden + tones
The radio host had a golden voice that listeners found very relaxing.
fixed phrase: golden voice
Astrid described the cello's sound as warm and golden during the performance.
The singer's golden voice filled the concert hall with warmth.
- harsh
unpleasantly rough or sharp in sound
文法句型
golden + noun (voice, tone, sound)
be + golden
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: this sense applies to sound quality only. A 'golden voice' means a beautiful, resonant voice, NOT a voice that brings advantage. Common in reviews of singers, radio hosts, and live performances.