keen
keen — adjective
1. feeling or showing a strong desire to take part in an activity or to see somethi
feeling or showing a strong desire to take part in an activity or to see something happen, often accompanied by active interest and effort.
Layla is keen to join the school debate team next term.
keen + to + infinitive for personal desire
Stefan has always been keen on cycling and rides every weekend.
keen + on + gerund for enjoying an activity
Matthew is keen to learn Japanese before his trip to Tokyo next year.
Eve's parents are keen for her to study science at the local university.
- eager
more about impatience or excitement for a future event than ongoing interest
- enthusiastic
suggests livelier, more energetic interest than keen
- avid
stronger and more consuming interest, often in a hobby
- zealous
implies intense, sometimes extreme commitment
- indifferent
showing no interest at all
文法句型
keen + to + infinitive
keen + on + gerund/noun
用法筆記
In British English, 'keen on doing something' is a common everyday pattern. In American English, 'eager to' or 'enthusiastic about' are more typical for this sense.
常見錯誤
2. having a very strong or powerful effect, such as a feeling (disappointment, desi
having a very strong or powerful effect, such as a feeling (disappointment, desire) or a situation (competition, rivalry) that involves deep intensity.
The two runners share a keen rivalry that makes every race exciting.
keen + rivalry for intense competition
Padma felt a keen sense of disappointment when her visa application was denied.
keen + sense of + emotion noun
Sayaka took a keen interest in the stars after visiting the science museum.
There was keen competition among the students for the only scholarship.
文法句型
keen + noun
用法筆記
This sense often pairs with abstract nouns describing feelings (disappointment, regret, desire) or competition (rivalry, contest, competition). It cannot describe physical sensations like pain.
常見錯誤
3. able to think quickly, notice small differences, or perceive things with great a
able to think quickly, notice small differences, or perceive things with great accuracy — for example, a person with a keen mind solves problems fast, and a keen eye spots tiny details that others miss.
Mira has a keen eye for colour and always picks the perfect paint shade.
keen + eye for perception of detail
A keen sense of smell helps the dog find food buried beneath the snow.
Hoa has a keen mind for solving complex puzzles in under five minutes.
The detective's keen observation caught the tiny clue that everyone else missed.
- sharp
more informal and common in everyday speech
- acute
more formal; often used for senses like hearing or sight
- perceptive
focuses on understanding people and situations well
文法句型
keen + noun (mind / eye / sense)
用法筆記
Keen here describes the quality of a mental ability or physical sense — you have a 'keen mind' or 'keen eyesight,' not 'a keen person' (which would mean enthusiastic).
常見錯誤
4. (of wind or cold air) blowing with sharp force and a very low temperature, often
(of wind or cold air) blowing with sharp force and a very low temperature, often cutting through clothing and making the skin feel as if it is being cut.
A keen wind blew across the beach, forcing everyone to put on their jackets.
keen + wind for strong, cold air
The keen cold of the mountain air made Amani's fingers go numb within minutes.
Élise pulled her scarf tighter as a keen wind swept through the train station.
Farmers worried about the keen frost damaging their early spring vegetables.
文法句型
keen + wind / cold / air
用法筆記
Only used for wind, cold, or frosty air. Not used for rain, snow, or other weather conditions. 'Biting' or 'piercing' are more common alternatives.
常見錯誤
5. of a cutting tool or blade — made with a thin, sharp edge that can slice through
of a cutting tool or blade — made with a thin, sharp edge that can slice through materials such as food, wood, or fabric without requiring much force, found mainly in formal or descriptive writing about knives and tools.
The old knife still has a keen blade that slices through tomatoes with ease.
Kenji sharpened the axe until its edge was as keen as a razor.
keen + edge/blade for physical sharpness
The chef tested the keen edge of his knife on a piece of paper.
A keen blade is essential for carving the turkey cleanly at dinner.
- sharp
the everyday word for cutting ability; keen is more literary
- razor-sharp
emphasises an extremely fine edge
文法句型
keen + blade / edge / knife
用法筆記
Mainly used in formal, literary, or descriptive writing. In everyday speech, 'sharp' is far more common than 'keen' for describing cutting tools.
常見錯誤
keen — verb
1. to cry out in a loud, long, high-pitched voice as a way of showing deep sadness,
to cry out in a loud, long, high-pitched voice as a way of showing deep sadness, often as part of a funeral tradition where mourners express their loss through wailing.
The women keened for the dead soldier as his body was carried through the village.
keen + for + person in funeral context
Gabriela could hear her grandmother keening softly in the next room, lost in grief.
At the funeral, the old woman began to keen in a voice that chilled everyone.
The mourners keened together in a haunting chorus that lasted until dawn.
文法句型
keen + for + person
用法筆記
A traditional practice in Irish and Scottish funeral customs, where professional or family mourners would keen loudly. Rare in modern everyday English except in historical or literary writing.
keen — noun
1. a loud, sorrowful cry or song of grief made at a funeral or in memory of someone
a loud, sorrowful cry or song of grief made at a funeral or in memory of someone who has died, especially in Irish tradition where it takes the form of a rhythmic, wailing chant.
The sound of the keen echoed through the valley as the community mourned together.
the keen as a noun for a wailing lament
The old women raised their keen as the coffin was lowered into the ground.
Visitors from abroad had never heard an Irish keen before and were moved to tears.
The keen rose and fell like a sad song, carrying the village's grief.
用法筆記
Often refers specifically to the Irish tradition ('caoineadh') of a wailing lament at a funeral, historically performed by professional mourners. Very rare in general use.