advocate
advocate — 動詞
1. to speak or write in public arguing that a particular idea, plan, or method shou
提倡；倡導
公開主張某個想法或做法應被採用
to speak or write in public arguing that a particular idea, plan, or method should be accepted and put into practice.
Dr. Lin advocates a plant-based diet to lower the risk of heart disease.
林醫師提倡植物性飲食，以降低罹患心臟病的風險。
advocate + noun phrase (the proposal being supported)
The mayor of Taichung publicly advocates building more bike lanes near schools.
台中市長公開倡導在學校附近增設更多自行車道。
advocate + -ing form for ongoing actions
Many teachers advocate smaller class sizes so children can ask more questions.
許多老師提倡縮減班級人數，這樣孩子才能多問問題。
In her column, Eitan advocates for stronger laws against online bullying.
瑪雅在她的專欄中倡導制定更嚴格的法律來打擊網路霸凌。
Some economists advocate raising taxes on sugar to reduce health costs.
有些經濟學家主張對糖課徵更高的稅，以降低健康支出。
- oppose
to publicly argue against
- discourage
to try to stop people doing something
文法句型
advocate + noun
advocate + doing something
advocate for + noun
用法筆記
Often used in news writing, opinion pieces, and policy discussion. The object is typically an abstract idea (a policy, change, method), not a person — for that, use sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. to act on behalf of someone — usually a person who lacks power, money, or a stro
為⋯⋯發聲
替弱勢者出面爭取權益
to act on behalf of someone — usually a person who lacks power, money, or a strong voice — by speaking up so their needs and rights are heard.
The charity advocates for refugee children who arrive in Taiwan without their parents.
這個慈善機構為獨自抵達台灣的難民兒童發聲。
advocate for + vulnerable group
Nurses on the ward advocate for patients who cannot speak after a stroke.
病房裡的護理師會替中風後無法說話的病人發聲。
advocate for + people who cannot speak themselves
Amara has spent ten years advocating for low-income families in Taipei.
卡洛斯在台北為低收入家庭奔走發聲已經十年了。
Social workers advocate for elderly residents who feel afraid to complain about their care.
社工會替不敢抱怨照護品質的長者發聲。
- represent
neutral; common in legal and political contexts
- speak up for
everyday phrasing for the same idea
- stand up for
informal; suggests defending against attack
文法句型
advocate for + person/group
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the object after 'for' is a person or group (who needs help), not an idea or policy. Often used about lawyers, social workers, charities, and nurses.
常見錯誤
3. to argue someone's case in front of a judge — for example, presenting the reason
出庭辯護
在法庭上替當事人陳述案情
to argue someone's case in front of a judge — for example, presenting the reasons why an accused person should be found not guilty.
The young barrister advocated her client's case in the Edinburgh High Court last Tuesday.
上週二，這位年輕的出庭律師在愛丁堡高等法院為她的當事人辯護。
advocate + case (formal legal use)
Mr. Chen has advocated for defendants who could not afford a private lawyer for over twenty years.
陳先生為請不起私人律師的被告辯護已經超過二十年。
advocate for + defendant (long-term legal work)
The senior counsel advocated forcefully against the witness's account during the trial.
資深大律師在審判中極力主張，駁斥證人的說法。
Professor Brown trains law students to advocate clearly when standing before a judge.
布朗教授訓練法律系學生，要他們在法官面前能清楚地陳述論點。
- prosecute
to argue the case against the accused
文法句型
advocate + a case
advocate for + defendant
用法筆記
Specialised legal use, more common in Scotland and Commonwealth jurisdictions than in everyday American English. In US courts, 'represent' or 'argue for' is more usual.
advocate — 名詞
1. a trained lawyer whose job is to stand up in court and argue a client's side of
出庭律師
在高等法院出庭陳述案件的律師
a trained lawyer whose job is to stand up in court and argue a client's side of a case — the official title for this kind of courtroom lawyer in Scottish and South African legal systems.
The advocate questioned the witness for over an hour before the lunch break.
這位出庭律師在午休前盤問證人盤問了一個多小時。
advocate as courtroom lawyer (subject of legal action)
Edinburgh has produced many famous advocates over the past three centuries.
過去三百年來，愛丁堡培養出許多知名的出庭律師。
plural use; Scottish legal context
Her grandfather worked as an advocate at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
她的祖父曾在愛丁堡的最高民事法院擔任出庭律師。
In South Africa, an advocate may only take cases referred to them by an attorney.
在南非，出庭律師只能承接由事務律師轉介的案件。
文法句型
an advocate for + person
the advocate of the defendant
用法筆記
Geographic label: in Scotland and South Africa this is the official title. In England and Wales the equivalent is 'barrister'. American English usually uses 'attorney' or 'trial lawyer' instead.
常見錯誤
2. a person whose role is to make sure the voice and rights of someone weaker — for
權益倡議者
替弱勢族群發聲爭取權益的人
a person whose role is to make sure the voice and rights of someone weaker — for example a child, a patient, or a refugee — are taken seriously by people in power.
Maria works as an advocate for children who have been removed from unsafe homes.
瑪麗亞擔任權益倡議者，協助那些從不安全家庭中被帶走的孩子。
advocate for + vulnerable group
Every patient on the ward is assigned an advocate who can speak to the doctors on their behalf.
病房裡的每位病人都會配置一位權益倡議者，可以替他們向醫師說明情況。
patient advocate role; institutional context
Mr. Patel became a tireless advocate for disabled workers after his own accident.
派特爾先生在自己經歷意外後，成為身障勞工不懈的維權者。
The school appointed an advocate to support students who feel unsafe at home.
這所學校指派了一位權益倡議者，協助在家中感到不安全的學生。
- champion
stronger; suggests passionate, public defence
- supporter
weaker; doesn't imply an active role of speaking up
- spokesperson
narrower; focuses on speaking publicly rather than ongoing care
文法句型
an advocate for + group
advocate of + person/group
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this is a non-legal role in healthcare, education, and social services. Subjects are often children, patients, the elderly, or marginalised communities.
3. a person who is publicly known for arguing that a certain idea, plan, or change
倡議者
公開主張並推廣某個理念的人
a person who is publicly known for arguing that a certain idea, plan, or change is a good one and trying to persuade others to agree.
Ms. Wang is a leading advocate of remote learning in rural primary schools.
王女士是偏鄉小學遠距學習的主要提倡者。
leading advocate of + idea
Many advocates of clean energy spoke at the climate summit in Berlin.
許多潔淨能源的擁護者在柏林的氣候高峰會上發言。
plural use; advocates of + cause at an event
The senator has been a vocal advocate for tighter gun safety laws since 2018.
這位參議員自2018年起，就一直是強化槍枝安全法規的積極倡議者。
Once a strong advocate of nuclear power, Professor Davies now warns against it.
戴維斯教授曾經是核能的堅定擁護者，如今卻提出反對的警告。
文法句型
an advocate of + idea
an advocate for + cause
用法筆記
Both 'advocate of' and 'advocate for' appear; 'of' is slightly more formal and often pairs with abstract ideas, 'for' is preferred in American English and with named causes.