buffer
buffer — 名詞
1. a person, thing, or arrangement that takes some of the danger, pressure, or trou
保護傘
代擋風險、壓力或麻煩的人事物
a person, thing, or arrangement that takes some of the danger, pressure, or trouble before it reaches someone or something else.
The thick hedge acts as a buffer against wind from the sea.
這道濃密的樹籬成了擋海風的緩衝物。
act as a buffer against + noun
Marta's assistant acted as a buffer, keeping rude callers away from her.
Marta 的助理成了她的保護傘，把粗魯的來電都擋在外面。
person as buffer from annoyance
A savings account gave the family a buffer during three months without work.
存款帳戶在那三個月沒工作期間，給了這家人一個緩衝。
The charity fund is a buffer against sudden rises in heating bills.
這筆慈善基金是對抗暖氣費突然上漲的緩衝物。
文法句型
a buffer against + noun
act as a buffer
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 2: this sense can be a person, a service, or money kept ready, not only a physical strip or space. It often appears with 'against' plus the danger or problem.
常見錯誤
2. a strip, layer, or empty space left around something, or placed between two thin
隔離帶
設在周圍或中間的保護空間
a strip, layer, or empty space left around something, or placed between two things, so they do not touch or affect each other directly.
Workers left a grass buffer between the river and the new road.
工人們在河流和新道路之間留了一條草地緩衝帶。
buffer between + two places
Each young tree needs a ring of mulch as a buffer around its trunk.
每棵小樹都需要在樹幹周圍鋪一圈覆蓋物當緩衝帶。
buffer around + noun
The council kept a buffer zone of shrubs between homes and the highway.
市政府在住家和高速公路之間保留了一帶灌木隔離帶。
Fire crews cleared a wide buffer between the houses and the flames.
消防人員在房子和火焰之間清出一大片緩衝帶。
文法句型
a buffer between + two things
a buffer around + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a strip of land, a fence, plants, or open space. Distinguish from noun sense 1, where the buffer may be a person or a financial arrangement rather than a physical gap.
常見錯誤
3. a part of computer memory where data waits briefly before the machine uses it or
暫存區
電腦短暫存放資料的記憶體區域
a part of computer memory where data waits briefly before the machine uses it or sends it on.
The video paused because the buffer was empty for a moment.
影片暫停了，因為暫存區有一小段時間是空的。
the buffer was empty
Large photos sat in the buffer before the printer started.
大張照片先待在暫存區裡，印表機才開始動作。
sit in the buffer
The app clears its buffer when you close the upload window.
當你關掉上傳視窗時，這個應用程式會清除自己的暫存區。
A bigger buffer lets the stream play smoothly on slow Wi-Fi.
比較大的暫存區能讓串流在慢速 Wi-Fi 上也播得順。
- cache
another kind of temporary storage, usually for faster access rather than data flow timing
- queue
focuses on the ordered line of data rather than the memory area itself
- temporary memory
plain explanatory phrase rather than a technical term
文法句型
data in the buffer
clear/fill the buffer
用法筆記
Computing only. Unlike noun sense 5, this is not extra physical supply; it is temporary memory used to smooth the flow of data between devices or stages.
常見錯誤
4. a supply of goods or raw materials kept ready so work can continue if fresh supp
緩衝庫存
為防缺料而預留的額外存貨
a supply of goods or raw materials kept ready so work can continue if fresh supplies are delayed or suddenly run short.
The printer keeps a paper buffer so orders can still go out.
這家印刷廠會保留紙張緩衝庫存，好讓訂單照樣能出貨。
keep a paper buffer
A buffer stock of rice helped the store during last month's delivery strike.
上個月那場運送罷工期間，米的緩衝庫存幫這家商店撐了過去。
buffer stock collocation
Managers ordered a larger buffer after two flour trucks arrived late.
兩輛麵粉卡車都晚到後，主管們訂了更大的緩衝庫存。
Without a flour buffer, the bakery closed before lunchtime.
沒有麵粉緩衝庫存，這家麵包店在中午前就關門了。
- reserve
general word for something kept ready for later use
- stockpile
usually larger and more deliberate, often for emergencies
- safety stock
technical business term for extra inventory kept to avoid shortages
- shortage
a situation where there is not enough supply
文法句型
keep a buffer of + materials
buffer stock
用法筆記
Common in business, factory, and supply-chain contexts. Often appears in the fixed phrase 'buffer stock', but it can also be a cash buffer or time buffer in planning.
常見錯誤
5. a heavy metal piece on a railway vehicle, or fixed at the track end, that absorb
緩衝器
火車或軌道末端吸收撞擊的金屬裝置
a heavy metal piece on a railway vehicle, or fixed at the track end, that absorbs force in a crash.
Before dawn, the mechanic checked both buffers on the empty passenger car.
天還沒亮時，技工就檢查了那節空車廂上的兩個緩衝器。
check both buffers on a rail car
At coupling time, the front buffers met before the wagons locked together.
要連掛時，前方的緩衝器會先碰上，車廂才會扣在一起。
front buffers meet during coupling
The old wagon's buffer cracked when the cars joined too fast.
那節舊車廂的緩衝器在車輛接得太快時裂開了。
Children watched the train stop short of the track buffer.
孩子們看著火車停在離軌道末端緩衝器不遠的地方。
- bumper
broader everyday word for the impact-reducing part on a vehicle; less rail-specific
- stop block
refers specifically to the structure at the end of the track, not the part on the train
文法句型
front/rear buffer
track buffer
用法筆記
Used mainly in British rail contexts. In everyday American English, people are more likely to say 'bumper' for road vehicles; this rail sense is specific to trains and tracks.
6. a substance added to a liquid to stop its level of acid or alkali from changing
緩衝液
讓液體酸鹼度不易改變的物質
a substance added to a liquid to stop its level of acid or alkali from changing too easily.
The teacher added a buffer so the blue liquid stayed at the same pH.
老師加入了緩衝液，讓藍色液體維持在同樣的 pH 值。
add a buffer to keep pH steady
Without a buffer, the test liquid soon became too acidic to use.
沒有緩衝液，這份測試液很快就會變得太酸，不能用了。
without a buffer
The lab team added buffer drops so the sample did not turn too acidic.
實驗室人員加了幾滴緩衝液，讓樣本不要變得太酸。
Dr. Okafor explained that blood has natural buffers that keep its pH steady.
Okafor 醫師解釋說，血液裡有天然的緩衝物質，能讓 pH 保持穩定。
- buffer solution
more exact term when the substance is already prepared as a solution
- stabilizer
broader scientific word; not limited to acidity
文法句型
add a buffer to + liquid
buffer solution
用法筆記
Common in chemistry and biology. The object being protected is usually a liquid or body fluid, and the point is to keep the acidity level steady within limits.
7. an old man spoken of in a mocking or mildly rude way.
老糊塗
帶輕蔑語氣地稱呼老男人
an old man spoken of in a mocking or mildly rude way.
Listen to that old buffer, still telling school stories after lunch.
聽那個老糊塗，又在午餐後講起學校時代的故事了。
old buffer as dismissive label
At the bus stop, Aunt Jo muttered that the old buffer never stopped grumbling.
在公車站時，Aunt Jo 小聲嘀咕那個老糊塗一直碎碎念。
The boys laughed when the actor played a forgetful old buffer.
那名演員演一個健忘的老糊塗時，男孩們都笑了。
Don't call Grandpa a silly buffer in front of the guests.
別在客人面前叫爺爺老糊塗。
文法句型
old/silly buffer
用法筆記
British and old-fashioned. Usually said with little respect, often together with adjectives like 'old', 'silly', or 'stupid', so learners should avoid using it about real people.
buffer — 動詞
1. if a computer buffers data, or if data buffers, it keeps it in temporary memory
暫存
電腦先把資料短暫存進記憶體
if a computer buffers data, or if data buffers, it keeps it in temporary memory while it is being processed, played, or sent.
The phone buffered the song before the train entered the tunnel.
火車進隧道前，手機先把那首歌暫存好了。
buffer + file/song before playback
During the storm, the live stream buffered whenever the Wi-Fi slowed down.
暴風雨時，只要 Wi-Fi 變慢，直播就會先跑一下緩衝。
intransitive computing use
The app buffers each file before it uploads it to the server.
這個應用程式會先暫存每個檔案，再把它上傳到伺服器。
Live comments buffered on screen, then appeared all at once.
即時留言先卡了一下，接著才一次全部跳出來。
文法句型
buffer + data/file/song
data buffers before + verb
用法筆記
Computing only. It can be transitive ('the app buffers the file') or intransitive ('the video is buffering'), and it refers to short-term holding in memory rather than long-term saving.
常見錯誤
2. to reduce the effect of a hit, change, or problem by putting something protectiv
擋下；緩衝
替某人某物擋下衝擊或壓力
to reduce the effect of a hit, change, or problem by putting something protective in the way.
Tall trees buffer the house from winter winds off the hill.
高大的樹木替房子擋下從山坡吹來的冬季強風。
buffer + object + from + noun
The charity buffers low-income families against sudden rent increases.
這個慈善機構替低收入家庭緩衝房租突然上漲帶來的壓力。
buffer + object + against + noun
Omar's deputy buffered the director from angry calls all morning.
Omar 的副手整個早上都在替主管擋掉憤怒的來電。
Foam panels buffer the studio against noise from the street.
泡棉板能替錄音室擋掉街上的噪音。
- expose
to leave someone or something open to harm
文法句型
buffer + object + from + noun
buffer + object + against + noun
用法筆記
Usually followed by the person or thing being protected, then 'from' or 'against' plus the force or problem. Distinguish from verb sense 2, which is a computing use about temporary data storage.