beau

IPA/bəʊ/
KK[bˈo]IPA/bəʊ/

beau — 名詞

  • beausingular
  • beausplural

1. a woman's regular male romantic partner, especially one she is dating or in a re

1.名詞B2
釋義

男友

女性的男性戀愛對象

a woman's regular male romantic partner, especially one she is dating or in a relationship with

例句

Hana brought her beau to the family dinner on Saturday evening.

Hana 帶著她的男友參加週六的家庭晚餐。

possessive determiner + beau: 'her beau'

Yael's beau surprised her with tickets to Taipei for her birthday.

Yael 的男友在她生日時用台北的機票給她驚喜。

同義詞
  • boyfriend

    the standard modern term; used in all registers and contexts

  • sweetheart

    more romantic and can apply to either gender; also somewhat old-fashioned

  • suitor

    more formal and dated, often implies a man actively seeking marriage

用法筆記

Old-fashioned in modern conversation — boyfriend or partner is preferred in everyday speech. Commonly found in historical fiction, nostalgic contexts, or for a slightly literary effect.

常見錯誤

❌I am going to the cinema with my beau tonight.' (in a casual chat with friends)
✅I am going to the cinema with my boyfriend tonight.
💡In casual conversation, 'boyfriend' is the more natural choice. Using 'beau' is fine for a deliberately literary or old-fashioned tone, but overusing it across multiple sentences can sound affected.

2. someone, typically a man, who gives excessive attention to his clothing and pers

2.名詞C1
釋義

時髦男子

極講究服飾和外表的男人

someone, typically a man, who gives excessive attention to his clothing and personal appearance, dressing in a showy or elaborate style

例句

Asher dressed like an eighteenth-century beau, with a silk waistcoat and powdered wig.

Asher 打扮得像十八世紀的時髦男子，穿著絲質背心、戴著撲粉假髮。

historical context: eighteenth-century beau

The character in the novel is a wealthy beau who spends hours choosing his clothes.

小說中的角色是個有錢的時髦男子，花好幾個小時挑選衣服。

literary context: character described as a beau

同義詞
  • dandy

    the most common alternative for this meaning, though still old-fashioned

  • fop

    strongly British and very dated, often implying silliness in dress

  • fashion plate

    dated but emphasizes being a model of current fashion

用法筆記

Very dated in modern English — rarely used outside historical descriptions or period fiction. The word dandy, though also dated, is more widely recognized today.

常見錯誤

❌That man is such a beau' (unclear which sense).
✅For boyfriend: 'She introduced her beau at the party.' For dandy: 'He was known as a beau in fashion circles.
💡Without context, 'beau' alone can confuse the two very different meanings.