borrow

borrow — 動詞

1. to take another person's thing for a short time and later give it back.

1.動詞及物A2
釋義

借來

暫時拿別人的東西來用再歸還

to take another person's thing for a short time and later give it back.

例句

Can I borrow your blue umbrella until the rain stops after school?

我放學後雨停前，可以借你的藍色雨傘嗎？

borrow + object + until + time

Hana borrowed my bike for the market and returned it before dinner.

Hana 借了我的腳踏車去市場，晚餐前就還回來了。

borrow + object + for + purpose

同義詞
  • use

    broader; it does not suggest the thing belongs to someone else

  • take out

    common for library books or similar items

反義詞
  • lend

    to give something for a short time

  • return

    to give back what you borrowed

文法句型

borrow + noun + from + somebody

用法筆記

Object is a physical thing or item you plan to give back. The person or place you get it from usually follows 'from'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is specifically about money.

常見錯誤

❌Can you borrow me your charger?
✅Can you lend me your charger?' OR 'Can I borrow your charger?
💡the borrower takes the item; the lender gives it.

2. to get money that you promise to return later, for example from family or a bank

2.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

借錢

向銀行或他人借錢後再償還

to get money that you promise to return later, for example from family or a bank.

例句

Noa borrowed money from her uncle to fix the shop roof.

Noa 向叔叔借錢來修店裡的屋頂。

borrow money from + lender

The company may borrow twenty million dollars for the new bridge.

這家公司可能會貸款兩千萬美元來蓋這座新橋。

borrow + amount of money

同義詞
  • take out a loan

    common full phrase for borrowing from a bank

  • finance

    more formal; often used for paying for something over time

反義詞
  • repay

    to pay the money back

  • save

    to use your own money instead of borrowing

文法句型

borrow money from + lender

borrow from + lender

用法筆記

Object is usually money or an amount, and the lender may be named with 'from'. This sense is also common without a direct object when the money context is already clear. Distinguish from sense 1, where the borrowed thing is not money.

常見錯誤

❌I borrowed a loan from the bank.
✅I borrowed money from the bank.' OR 'I took out a loan from the bank.
💡English usually borrows money, not 'a loan'.

3. to adopt a word, image, or idea first used somewhere else and use it in your own

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

借用

把別處的字詞或點子拿來用

to adopt a word, image, or idea first used somewhere else and use it in your own language or work.

例句

In class, Mei borrowed the word 'karaoke' from Japanese.

在課堂上，Mei 從日語借用了 karaoke 這個字。

borrow + word + from + language

The young director borrowed a chase scene from old detective films.

這位年輕導演從老偵探片借用了一段追逐場面。

borrow + ideas from + source

同義詞
  • adopt

    neutral and common for words, methods, or customs

  • draw on

    highlights using another source for inspiration

  • copy

    stronger and often negative; suggests little originality

反義詞
  • invent

    to create something new rather than take it from elsewhere

  • coin

    used especially for making a new word or phrase

文法句型

borrow + noun + from + source

用法筆記

The object is usually a word, tune, style, or idea rather than a physical object. Unlike sense 1, nothing is literally returned; the meaning is about taking influence or material from a source.

常見錯誤

❌The writer borrowed this idea and gave it back later.
✅The writer borrowed this idea from an older novel.
💡with ideas or words, 'borrow' means using material from another source, not returning it.

4. to take one unit from the column on the left in subtraction so you can work out

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

借位

做減法時從左邊位數拿一位

to take one unit from the column on the left in subtraction so you can work out the smaller column.

例句

In 52 minus 38, borrow one ten from the tens column.

52 減 38 時，要先從十位借一個十。

borrow + one + from + column

The teacher showed the class when to borrow one from the next column.

老師向全班示範什麼時候要從下一欄借位。

classroom explanation of subtraction

同義詞
  • regroup

    common in some school maths books, especially in American English

文法句型

borrow + one + from + column

用法筆記

Common in school maths when teaching subtraction with columns. It often appears with 'from' plus the next column. Distinguish from the other senses: nobody lends anything here.

常見錯誤

❌I borrowed the number to the next column.
✅I borrowed one from the next column.
💡in subtraction, English says you borrow from a column, not borrow a column.