remain
remain — verb
1. to keep being in a particular place, situation, or state, without moving away or
to keep being in a particular place, situation, or state, without moving away or changing into something different
Sora remained at his desk, working quietly on his assignment until lunchtime.
remain + prepositional phrase (location)
The old theater remained empty for years before the city finally restored it.
remain + adjective (state/condition)
Madison remained calm when she discovered her luggage had been lost at the airport.
João asked everyone to remain seated until the train came to a complete stop.
The kitchen floor remained wet for hours after Ravindra scrubbed it clean.
文法句型
remain + adjective
remain + noun phrase
remain + prepositional phrase
remain + past participle
用法筆記
Frequently used as a linking verb — the word or phrase that follows describes the subject's state or location. Common with adjectives (remain calm, remain open) and prepositional phrases (remain in place, remain at home).
常見錯誤
2. to describe something that is still there or still available after other parts h
to describe something that is still there or still available after other parts have ended, been removed, or been consumed
After the fire destroyed most of the building, only the stone walls remained.
remain indicating survival after destruction
Very few original photographs of the artist's early work remain today.
remain with time reference (today)
The old wedding customs still remain in some of the mountain villages of Taiwan.
Although the company closed in 2015, some of its business records remain in the city archive.
All that remains of the ancient temple is a single stone pillar covered in moss.
文法句型
remain + prepositional phrase
remain (no object)
all that remains of... is...
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense does NOT describe a subject staying in the same state — it describes something continuing to exist after other things have disappeared. The subject is typically an object, custom, record, or structure, not a person's emotional state.
常見錯誤
3. to express that an action, decision, or piece of information is not yet finished
to express that an action, decision, or piece of information is not yet finished or settled and is still waiting to happen
It remains to be seen whether the new policy will actually reduce traffic accidents.
it remains to be seen whether... (fixed expression)
Several important questions remain to be answered before the investigation is complete.
remain + passive infinitive (to be answered)
The exact date of the next election remains to be confirmed by the committee.
Much work remains to be done before the new hospital can open its doors.
It remains to be decided who will take over the leadership of the department.
文法句型
it remains + to-infinitive
remain + to be + past participle
noun phrase + remains + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Typically used with a to-infinitive passive structure (remain + to be + past participle) or the fixed expression 'it remains to be seen whether...'. The subject is often 'it' (dummy subject) or a noun phrase like 'questions', 'work', or 'details'. This sense is more formal than senses 1 or 2.
常見錯誤
remain — noun
1. the physical body of a person who has died, especially when it is discovered, ex
the physical body of a person who has died, especially when it is discovered, examined, or prepared for burial after some time has passed
The remains of the soldier were returned to his hometown for a proper burial.
the remains of + person (formal register)
Archaeologists working near Taipei discovered the remains of a woman from the Bronze Age.
Human remains were found in the cave by a team of university researchers.
The funeral home carefully prepared the remains of the elderly woman for the viewing ceremony.
文法句型
the remains of + person
possessive + remains
human remains
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'remains', even when referring to a single person. Avoid the singular 'remain' for this sense — it is not standard English.
常見錯誤
2. the parts or traces of something that are left after the rest has been used, eat
the parts or traces of something that are left after the rest has been used, eaten, destroyed, or has disappeared over time
The remains of the castle can still be seen on the hill above the village.
the remains of [structure] (physical remnants)
Adina found the remains of a Roman road buried beneath the modern street.
The remains of last night's dinner were thrown into the compost bin.
Only the remains of the ancient city walls show where the market once stood.
文法句型
the remains of + noun
remains + are
用法筆記
Like sense 1 (DEAD BODY), this sense is almost always used in the plural. The singular 'remain' is not standard for this meaning. The subject is usually a building, meal, object, or historical trace — NOT a person.
常見錯誤
3. a place where a person lives or stays for a period of time, especially a simple
a place where a person lives or stays for a period of time, especially a simple or temporary shelter
The old mountain lodge served as a remain for hikers traveling through the remote area.
remain as a temporary shelter
The shepherd built a simple remain at the pasture's edge for the summer months.
The family kept a small remain near the river where they stayed during fishing season.
In those days, travelers could find a remain at the monastery for the night.
文法句型
a remain
adjective + remain
用法筆記
This sense is very rare in modern English. It is mainly found in historical or literary texts describing simple dwellings. Most speakers use 'dwelling', 'lodging', or 'shelter' instead.