martial

martial — adjective

1. connected with armies, combat, or the everyday life and customs of people who se

1.形容詞B1
釋義

connected with armies, combat, or the everyday life and customs of people who serve as soldiers.

例句

The government declared martial law after the earthquake to keep order.

fixed phrase: martial law

Hao joined a martial arts club to learn self-defence and discipline.

fixed phrase: martial arts

同義詞
  • military

    broader in scope; refers to armed forces generally rather than the quality of being war-related

  • combat

    more specific to active fighting; 'martial' also covers non-combat military life

  • service

    informal and narrower; describes being in the armed forces without the war-like connotation

文法句型

martial + noun

court-martial (compound noun)

用法筆記

Almost always used attributively (before a noun). The word appears most often in set phrases such as martial law, martial arts, and court-martial. Outside these fixed phrases, it is less common in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌They signed a martial agreement before the wedding.
✅They signed a marital agreement before the wedding.
💡'martial' relates to war or the military; 'marital' relates to marriage.

2. having a fierce, combative nature or the physical and mental qualities that peop

2.形容詞B2
釋義

having a fierce, combative nature or the physical and mental qualities that people associate with a warrior.

例句

The old warrior's martial spirit impressed every young soldier in the camp.

collocation: martial spirit

Jabari's martial stance warned everyone in the room not to challenge him.

collocation: martial stance

同義詞
  • warlike

    more direct synonym; suggests eagerness to fight, while 'martial' can also imply dignified warrior qualities

  • combative

    focuses on the readiness to argue or fight, often in everyday situations, not necessarily with warrior dignity

  • bellicose

    stronger and more negative; suggests aggressive hostility rather than admirable warrior traits

  • valiant

    emphasises bravery in battle rather than a general combative nature

反義詞
  • peaceful

    direct opposite of a warlike nature

  • gentle

    opposite in terms of demeanour and behaviour

文法句型

martial + noun (personal quality)

be + martial

用法筆記

This sense is literary or formal. It describes a person's character or demeanour, not their profession — a civilian can have a martial spirit, and a soldier may lack one.

常見錯誤

❌The martial parade passed through the city centre.' (when describing a military parade)
✅The military parade passed through the city centre.
💡For parades and ceremonies, 'military' is the ordinary word; 'martial' in this sense describes personal qualities, not formal institutions.