pupil

pupil — noun

1. A young person who studies at a school or learns from a private teacher.

1.名詞A2
釋義

A young person who studies at a school or learns from a private teacher.

例句

The teacher asked the pupils to hand in their homework by Friday.

be asked to + infinitive (classroom instruction)

Yuki was one of the top pupils in her class last semester.

one of the top pupils + in [class/school]

同義詞
  • student

    used for learners of any age; more common in American English and for higher education

  • learner

    focuses on the process of learning rather than the institution setting

  • schoolchild

    more specific to primary/elementary school age; less formal

反義詞

文法句型

pupil + at/in [school]

be a pupil

用法筆記

In British English, 'pupil' is the standard word for a child at school. In American English, 'student' is more common for all ages of learners.

常見錯誤

❌The pupils at Harvard are studying for exams.
✅The students at Harvard are studying for exams.
💡In British English, 'pupil' is mainly for school children, not university students.
❌She is a pupil of maths.
✅She is a pupil at the local school.' / 'She is a student of maths.
💡'Pupil' is tied to a school or teacher, not a subject alone.

2. Someone who learns a specific skill or art from a famous or highly skilled perso

2.名詞B1
釋義

Someone who learns a specific skill or art from a famous or highly skilled person, often in a one-on-one or small-group setting.

例句

The famous pianist took on only three new pupils each year.

take on + pupil (accept as a student)

Sade studied painting in Paris as a pupil of a well-known artist.

pupil of [expert]

同義詞
  • student

    more general; used for any kind of learning, including in schools and universities

  • disciple

    stronger emotional or ideological commitment; also used in religious contexts

  • apprentice

    learning a trade or craft through hands-on work, often paid

反義詞

文法句型

pupil of [expert]

be a pupil

用法筆記

This sense is often followed by 'of' to name the expert teacher (e.g. 'a pupil of Rembrandt'). The word 'student' can be used similarly, but 'pupil' suggests a closer, more personal teaching relationship with the master.

常見錯誤

❌She is a pupil at Harvard.
✅She is a student at Harvard.
💡'Pupil' in this master-apprentice sense is for learning from an individual expert, not for enrolling at a university.

3. The dark opening in the middle part of the eye that grows bigger or smaller to c

3.名詞B1
釋義

The dark opening in the middle part of the eye that grows bigger or smaller to control how much light enters.

例句

The doctor shone a small light into each eye to check if my pupils were working normally.

check if pupils are working (medical exam context)

When Sven walked out into the bright sunlight, his pupils quickly became very small.

pupils become small in bright light

同義詞

文法句型

the pupil of [someone's] eye

pupils + dilate/contract

用法筆記

In everyday conversation, people may say 'the black part of your eye' instead of 'pupil'. The word 'pupil' is the standard term in medical and scientific contexts.

常見錯誤

❌Her pupils are green.
✅Her irises are green.
💡The pupil is always black; the coloured part of the eye is the iris.
❌The doctor checked my pupil.
✅The doctor checked my pupils.
💡Both eyes have pupils, so the plural is very common.