landing
landing — noun
1. The act of an aircraft, helicopter, or spaceship coming down onto a runway, land
The act of an aircraft, helicopter, or spaceship coming down onto a runway, landing pad, or another solid surface after a journey through the air.
The captain announced their landing in ten minutes, so Soraya put her tray table up.
countable noun for a specific arrival event
Fog delayed the helicopter's landing on the hospital roof.
The spacecraft's smooth landing on the Moon amazed viewers around the world.
Bao watched his brother's plane make a safe landing at the Beijing airport.
Pilots train for emergency landings many times before flying real passengers.
- takeoff
the action of leaving the ground to begin a flight
文法句型
countable noun
uncountable noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with adjectives describing the quality of the arrival: 'smooth landing', 'safe landing', 'emergency landing', 'forced landing'. Rarely used as an uncountable noun outside technical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. The manner in which someone or something strikes a surface after falling, jumpin
The manner in which someone or something strikes a surface after falling, jumping, or being dropped from a higher point.
Yasmin twisted her ankle on the hard landing after jumping off the wall.
hard landing / soft landing — opposite adjectives for impact force
The cat's soft landing surprised everyone when it fell from the tree.
Joaquín practised his landing from the skateboard ramp until he felt confident.
The delivery box split open on landing because nothing protected the contents.
Élise was lucky her landing was soft when she fell off the bicycle.
- jump
the upward or forward action that precedes a landing
文法句型
countable noun
usually singular
用法筆記
Object modified by adjectives describing impact force: 'hard landing', 'soft landing', 'clumsy landing', 'gentle landing'. Distinct from sense 1 (aircraft) and sense 3 (sports technique).
常見錯誤
3. The controlled technique with which an athlete brings their feet to a surface at
The controlled technique with which an athlete brings their feet to a surface at the end of a jump, somersault, or other sporting move.
The gymnast's perfect landing earned her the highest score of the competition.
perfect landing — high-frequency sports collocation
Emre hurt his knee with a bad landing after the basketball dunk.
Coaches tell young athletes to bend their knees for a safer landing.
Anjali's landing in the long jump was measured and recorded by the officials.
Haruto practised his landing on the mat until every movement felt natural.
- takeoff
the initial push or jump that begins the movement
文法句型
countable noun
usually singular
用法筆記
Specific to sports and performance contexts — gymnastics, long jump, figure skating, basketball, parkour. Not used for ordinary falls (sense 2). The landing is judged on technique, stability, and control.
常見錯誤
4. A flat section of flooring situated where a staircase changes direction or finis
A flat section of flooring situated where a staircase changes direction or finishes, connecting different levels or rooms.
Tyler left his school bag on the landing between the first and second floors.
on the landing — fixed prepositional phrase for location
A large mirror hung above the staircase landing.
The children played on the wide landing while their parents unpacked downstairs.
James placed a small table on the landing to hold a vase of flowers.
The old house had a narrow landing where two doors led into separate bedrooms.
- stairhead
less common; refers specifically to the top of a staircase
- platform
more general; can refer to any raised flat surface, not just in stairs
- half-landing
a landing between two flights of stairs where the stairs change direction
文法句型
countable noun
用法筆記
Preposition typically 'on' (not 'at' or 'in'). A landing is a flat area — it is not a step, not a hallway, and not the stairs themselves. Common in house descriptions and real estate contexts.