thong

thong — noun

1. a narrow strip of leather or other strong material, used as a fastener or as the

1.名詞B2
釋義

a narrow strip of leather or other strong material, used as a fastener or as the flexible length of a whip

例句

Niran used a leather thong to tie the tent poles together before packing them.

countable noun + prepositional phrase to tie

A thick leather thong under the horse's belly held the old saddle in place.

modified: thick leather thong + passive construction

同義詞
  • strap

    broader term; a strap is usually wider than a thong

  • strip

    more general; does not imply leather or a fastening purpose

  • lace

    narrower; usually refers to cord or string, not a strip of leather

文法句型

thong + of + noun

leather/rubber thong

用法筆記

Commonly modified by material (leather, rubber, rawhide) or function (whip thong, strap thong). Often paired with verbs like 'tie', 'attach', 'fasten', 'pull'.

常見錯誤

He threaded a thin thong of string through the hole.
He threaded a thin thong of leather through the hole.
💡'thong' strongly implies a strip of leather or hide, not ordinary string or thread.
The shoelace is a kind of thong.
The shoelace is a kind of lace or cord.
💡Ordinary shoelaces are not called thongs; thongs are wider, stronger strips typically made of leather.

2. a type of underwear or swimsuit bottom whose back section is a very narrow strip

2.名詞B1
釋義

a type of underwear or swimsuit bottom whose back section is a very narrow strip of fabric that sits between the buttocks, leaving the buttocks largely uncovered

例句

Sofia bought a pack of cotton thongs at the department store near her apartment.

countable noun: 'a pack of cotton thongs'

Esme wore a thong under her tight white dress to hide any underwear lines.

purpose: worn under tight clothing to avoid visible lines

同義詞
  • G-string

    similar but usually has a thinner string-like back; often associated with lingerie or performance wear

  • cheeky underwear

    covers slightly more of the buttocks than a thong; a moderate alternative

反義詞
  • briefs

    full-coverage underwear that covers the entire buttocks

  • boxers

    loose-fitting men's underwear with full coverage

文法句型

a pair of thongs

thong underwear

thong bikini

用法筆記

Often worn to avoid visible underwear lines under tight clothing (called 'VPL' — visible panty lines). In swimwear contexts, a 'thong bikini' and a 'G-string' are similar but not identical: a G-string has a thinner string-like back. The word is also used as a modifier: 'thong underwear', 'thong swimsuit'.

常見錯誤

I wore a thong pant to the pool.
I wore a thong to the pool.
💡'thong' already means the garment; do not add 'pant' or 'pants'.
He bought a thong swimsuit that looked like shorts.
He bought a thong swimsuit with a thin back strap.
💡A thong swimsuit has a narrow back; if it looks like shorts, it is not a thong.

3. a flat, open-toed sandal whose V-shaped strap passes between the first and secon

3.名詞B1
釋義

a flat, open-toed sandal whose V-shaped strap passes between the first and second toes to keep it on the foot, typically made of rubber or plastic and worn in warm weather or at the beach

例句

Benjamin slipped off his rubber thongs before stepping onto the wooden deck of the pool.

variety: British/Australian usage — 'rubber thongs'

Blue plastic thongs protected Tunde's feet from the hot beach sand.

同義詞
  • flip-flop

    the dominant term in American English for this style of shoe

  • sandal

    broader category; not all sandals have the toe strap

  • slide

    similar slip-on style but does not have the toe strap

  • slipper

    usually worn indoors; not the same as a rubber thong

反義詞
  • closed shoe

    any shoe that fully covers the foot

  • boot

    covers the foot and ankle, opposite of open sandal

文法句型

a pair of thongs

wear thongs

rubber/plastic thongs

用法筆記

The word 'thong' for this type of shoe is common in British English, Australian English, and New Zealand English. In American English, this shoe is more commonly called a 'flip-flop'. In Australian English, 'thongs' is the default term — do not confuse with the underwear sense, which is clear from context. The singular form ('a thong') exists but is less common than the plural ('thongs').

常見錯誤

I packed my thong for the gym.
I packed my thongs for the beach.
💡'thongs' (sandals) are for casual warm-weather wear, not for the gym. 'thong' (singular) more often refers to underwear.
He walked through the office wearing thongs.
He walked through the office wearing flip-flops.
💡In American English, 'thongs' refers to underwear; use 'flip-flops' or 'sandals' for the shoe sense in the US.