sugar
sugar — noun
1. a sweet-tasting ingredient that comes in small grains or powder and is produced
a sweet-tasting ingredient that comes in small grains or powder and is produced from specific crops to add sweetness to meals and beverages
Do you take sugar in your coffee every morning?
uncountable: 'sugar' as a mass noun in drinks
Élise stirred a spoonful of brown sugar into her oatmeal.
brown sugar as a common type
Walid bought a large bag of white sugar at the supermarket.
The cake recipe calls for two cups of sugar and one cup of butter.
Ife decided to cut down on sugar after visiting the dentist.
- salt
a salty seasoning rather than a sweet one; opposite taste category
用法筆記
Sugar is an uncountable noun when referring to the substance as a whole. Do not say 'a sugar' for the general substance — that is only used in sense 4 (a unit of sugar).
常見錯誤
2. one of several kinds of sweet-tasting chemical found in living things, used by t
one of several kinds of sweet-tasting chemical found in living things, used by the body to produce energy
Fruit contains natural sugars that give you energy without the crash.
natural vs. refined sugar distinction
Tomás learned about glucose and fructose in his biology class.
Eve checks the label for added sugars before buying breakfast cereal.
The doctor told Harper to keep an eye on her blood sugar levels.
Many processed foods contain hidden sugars under different names.
- carbohydrate
a broader category that includes sugars, starches, and fiber; 'sugar' is one type of carbohydrate
- glucose
a specific simple sugar that is the main energy source for cells; more technical
- fructose
a specific simple sugar found naturally in fruit; more technical
用法筆記
In this sense, 'sugar' can be countable ('simple sugars' refers to different types) or uncountable ('sugar occurs naturally in fruit'). 'Blood sugar' is a fixed health collocation — it is uncountable and always singular.
常見錯誤
3. a word used when speaking in a warm, friendly way to somebody you feel close to,
a word used when speaking in a warm, friendly way to somebody you feel close to, like 'dear' or 'sweetheart'
Don't worry, sugar, everything is going to be just fine.
informal affectionate address
Naoko smiled warmly and said, "Thanks for carrying my bags, sugar!"
Come here, sugar, and give your grandmother a hug.
The waitress smiled and said, "What can I get for you, sugar?"
- sweetheart
more widely used as a term of endearment across regions; similar in meaning
- dear
common in British English; less regional than 'sugar'
- honey
similar register and usage; popular in American English
文法句型
used as a form of address
用法筆記
Used mainly in informal American and Southern U.S. speech. It can sound friendly or patronising depending on the context and relationship. Not common in British English — British speakers are more likely to use 'love' or 'dear'.
常見錯誤
4. a single serving of sugar, for example one spoonful or one cube, put into a hot
a single serving of sugar, for example one spoonful or one cube, put into a hot drink
How many sugars do you take in your tea?
countable: 'how many sugars' in drinks
Adina takes two sugars in her coffee every morning.
The cafe puts small packets of sugar in a basket near the counter.
Dario asked for just one sugar in his hot chocolate, not two.
用法筆記
In this sense 'sugar' is a countable noun and can be used with numbers: 'one sugar', 'two sugars', etc. This is the only sense where 'a sugar' is correct and natural. The unit is usually a teaspoonful, a cube, or a small packet — the exact amount depends on context.
常見錯誤
sugar — exclamation
1. a polite word used to express annoyance, frustration, or disappointment when som
a polite word used to express annoyance, frustration, or disappointment when something goes wrong, as a milder alternative to a stronger swear word
Oh sugar! I left my keys inside the locked car.
mild exclamation for minor frustrations
Sugar! The bus pulled away just as Layla reached the stop.
Christopher dropped his phone and muttered, "Oh, sugar."
Sugar! The train left without her even though she arrived on time.
用法筆記
A euphemistic substitute for the swear word 'shit'. Suitable in situations where you want to express frustration without using offensive language — for example, around children or in a workplace. Still informal; not appropriate in very formal writing.
常見錯誤
sugar — verb
1. to add sugar to a food or drink, often by sprinkling or stirring it in
to add sugar to a food or drink, often by sprinkling or stirring it in
Layla sugared her tea and then took a careful sip.
transitive: sugar + [drink]
Christopher always sugars his morning cereal with brown sugar.
The baker sugared the top of the cake before serving it to guests.
Should I sugar the lemonade or leave it without any sweetener?
- sweeten
more common in modern English; can mean adding any sweetener, not just sugar
- unsweeten
rare; more commonly expressed as 'leave unsweetened'
文法句型
sugar + noun phrase
用法筆記
This verb is less common in everyday conversation than the phrase 'add sugar'. It is often used in cooking instructions or descriptive writing. The past participle 'sugared' can also be used as an adjective: 'sugared almonds'.