rates

rates — noun

1. the number of times something happens, or the speed at which it changes, measure

1.名詞B1
釋義

the number of times something happens, or the speed at which it changes, measured against a fixed unit such as time, distance, or population size

例句

Heart rates between 60 and 100 beats per minute are normal for healthy adults.

collocation: heart rate / birth rate / recovery rate

Birth rates in Japan have fallen sharply over the past thirty years.

同義詞
  • speed

    focuses on how fast something moves, not how often it happens

  • pace

    suggests a steady, ongoing speed rather than a statistical measure

  • frequency

    specifically about how often something occurs, not speed

用法筆記

Common in compound nouns: birth rate, heart rate, growth rate, success rate, unemployment rate. Also used in the pattern 'rate of + noun' (rate of change, rate of increase). To distinguish from sense 2, note that this sense does NOT involve money or payment.

2. the amount of money charged or paid for a service, product, or loan, usually cal

2.名詞B1
釋義

the amount of money charged or paid for a service, product, or loan, usually calculated according to a fixed scale

例句

Banks in Taiwan currently offer very low interest rates on savings accounts.

collocation: interest rates

Hotel rates near the beach double during the summer holiday season.

同義詞
  • charge

    the general amount asked for a service, less tied to a scale or ratio

  • fee

    a fixed payment for a professional service, often a flat amount rather than a unit-based charge

  • price

    what you pay to buy something once; rate implies ongoing or scaled pricing

用法筆記

Very common in financial and commercial contexts: interest rates, exchange rates, tax rates, insurance rates, shipping rates. Unlike sense 1, this sense always involves money. The pattern 'rates for [service]' is standard.

常見錯誤

❌I got a good rate on my new phone.
✅I got a good price on my new phone.
💡'rate' implies an ongoing or unit-based charge; 'price' is better for a one-time purchase amount.