butterfly
butterfly — 名詞
1. a small flying creature that has a thin body, two pairs of wide wings that are u
蝴蝶
翅膀寬大、常有鮮豔花紋的飛行昆蟲
a small flying creature that has a thin body, two pairs of wide wings that are usually marked with bright colours and patterns, and feeds on the nectar of flowers.
A yellow butterfly landed on the lavender bush in Grandma's garden.
一隻黃色蝴蝶停在奶奶花園的薰衣草叢上。
subject + landed on [flower]
Maya watched a blue butterfly flap its wings slowly in the morning sun.
Maya 看著一隻藍蝴蝶在晨光中緩緩拍動翅膀。
watch + butterfly + flap its wings
The children chased butterflies through the long grass behind the school.
孩子們在學校後面的長草叢裡追蝴蝶。
The green caterpillars on the cabbage plants will turn into white butterflies by July.
高麗菜上那些綠色毛毛蟲，到了七月就會變成白色蝴蝶。
A small orange butterfly fluttered past Sofia's window and landed on a sunflower.
一隻橘色小蝴蝶從 Sofia 的窗邊飛過，停在一朵向日葵上。
用法筆記
Often appears as a symbol of beauty, fragility, or change in literature, because the insect transforms from a caterpillar.
常見錯誤
2. someone who moves quickly from one interest, group, or activity to another, usua
花蝴蝶
興趣多變、不肯定下心來的人
someone who moves quickly from one interest, group, or activity to another, usually because they enjoy fun and attention more than steady commitment.
At every party Lina is a real social butterfly, chatting happily with strangers all evening.
在每場派對上，Lina 都是個十足的交際花，整晚都和陌生人開心地聊天。
social butterfly (fixed phrase)
Marcus is too much of a butterfly to finish any project he starts.
Marcus 太愛東摸西摸，連一件事都沒辦法做完。
be a butterfly + cannot finish
Grandpa called my cousin a butterfly because she changed her major three times.
爺爺說我表姊像隻花蝴蝶，因為她改了三次主修。
Grandma worried that Daniel was becoming a butterfly, jumping from one girlfriend to another every month.
奶奶擔心 Daniel 越來越像花蝴蝶，每個月都換一個女朋友。
- playboy
stronger, usually male, with a focus on romance and pleasure
- dilettante
formal; stresses shallow interest in arts or hobbies rather than fun-seeking
- homebody
someone who prefers staying home over chasing new scenes
用法筆記
Mildly critical when used alone; the fixed compound 'social butterfly' is more neutral and even friendly. Often refers to women in older texts, but applies to any gender today.
常見錯誤
3. a tiny metal clip that slides onto an earring's post from behind, holding the je
耳針扣
套在耳針後面固定耳環的小金屬片
a tiny metal clip that slides onto an earring's post from behind, holding the jewellery firmly against the ear so it cannot drop off.
Sarah lost the butterfly from her gold earring while she was running for the bus.
Sarah 在追公車的時候，把金耳環的耳針扣弄丟了。
lose the butterfly from [earring]
The jeweller gave Mei a pair of silver butterflies to replace the missing ones.
珠寶店老闆給了 Mei 一對銀色耳針扣，補上她遺失的那兩個。
plural: butterflies = earring backs
Press the butterfly firmly onto the post until you hear a tiny click.
把耳針扣用力壓進耳針，直到聽見「喀」一聲。
The pearl earring kept slipping because the butterfly was too loose.
因為耳針扣太鬆，那只珍珠耳環一直滑下來。
- earring back
the everyday name; 'butterfly' is the shop term for the small bowtie-shaped type
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (the insect): this sense always refers to a small piece of jewellery hardware, not a living creature, and is countable.
4. a swimming style done face-down, where both arms swing forward together above th
蝶式
雙臂同時划水、雙腿上下擺動的泳姿
a swimming style done face-down, where both arms swing forward together above the surface and the legs kick in a smooth wave-like motion.
Carlos won gold in the 200-metre butterfly at the school swimming meet.
Carlos 在學校游泳賽的兩百公尺蝶式拿下金牌。
the 200-metre butterfly (race)
Coach Tanaka taught the team how to swim the butterfly without getting tired.
Tanaka 教練教隊員怎麼游蝶式才不會累。
swim the butterfly
Maya struggled with the butterfly during her first swim lesson at the city pool last summer.
Maya 去年夏天在市立游泳池上第一堂游泳課時，蝶式游得很吃力。
Sofia prefers freestyle to butterfly because her shoulders ache after only one lap.
Sofia 比較喜歡自由式而不是蝶式，因為才游一趟肩膀就會痠。
- fly
informal short form used by swimmers themselves
- backstroke
swum on the back, not the front
- breaststroke
arms stay underwater and sweep outwards
文法句型
do/swim + the butterfly
用法筆記
Often shortened from 'butterfly stroke'. Takes 'the' when naming the stroke ('the butterfly') but no article when contrasted with other strokes ('butterfly is harder than backstroke').
常見錯誤
butterfly — 動詞
1. to slice almost all the way through a thick piece of meat, fish, or chicken so t
切開攤平
把肉或海鮮從中間幾乎切穿並攤開成片
to slice almost all the way through a thick piece of meat, fish, or chicken so that it can be folded out flat and cooks more quickly and evenly.
Chef Gomez butterflied the chicken breasts before brushing them with garlic oil.
Gomez 主廚先把雞胸肉切開攤平，再刷上蒜油。
butterfly + [meat] + before cooking
Ask the butcher to butterfly the leg of lamb so it grills in twenty minutes.
請肉販把整隻羊腿切開攤平，這樣二十分鐘就能烤好。
ask someone to butterfly + [cut]
Dad butterflied a dozen prawns and packed them in a lemon marinade.
爸爸把十幾隻蝦切開攤平，再用檸檬醃料醃起來。
Butterfly the pork tenderloin so the herbs can reach the centre of the meat.
把豬里肌切開攤平，香料才能滲到肉的中心。
- spatchcock
specifically for poultry; involves removing the backbone, not just slicing through
文法句型
butterfly + [meat / fish / shrimp]
用法筆記
Almost always used in cooking contexts. Usually transitive with a meat or seafood object; the past participle 'butterflied' is also used as an adjective (see adjective sense 1).
常見錯誤
butterfly — 形容詞
1. (of meat, fish, or seafood) sliced almost in half along the centre and spread ou
切開攤平的
從中間幾乎切穿並攤平的（食材）
(of meat, fish, or seafood) sliced almost in half along the centre and spread out so it lies flat and looks like an open pair of wings.
The menu listed butterfly prawns served with a sweet chilli dip.
菜單上有切開攤平的蝦，搭配甜辣醬一起上桌。
butterfly prawns (attributive)
Maria ordered a butterfly pork chop with mashed potatoes and peas.
Maria 點了一份切開攤平的豬排，配上馬鈴薯泥和豌豆。
butterfly pork chop (food item)
The butterfly chicken cooked in less than fifteen minutes on the hot grill.
切開攤平的雞肉在熱烤架上不到十五分鐘就熟了。
At the steakhouse, Ben asked for a butterfly sirloin so his dinner would arrive faster.
在牛排館裡，Ben 點了切開攤平的沙朗牛排，這樣晚餐會比較快上桌。
- butterflied
past-participle form, more common in recipe writing
- whole
uncut and not opened up
文法句型
butterfly + [meat noun]
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributively). The fuller form 'butterflied' (past participle) appears in similar positions: 'butterflied chicken'. Distinguish from adjective sense 2, which is about shape rather than how the food is cut.
2. having the form of a butterfly, or made to open from the centre into two matchin
蝶形的
外形像蝴蝶或像翅膀向兩側張開的
having the form of a butterfly, or made to open from the centre into two matching halves that look like spread wings.
The cottage had pretty butterfly shutters that swung open from the middle.
那間小屋有漂亮的蝶形窗扉，從中間往兩邊打開。
butterfly shutters (open from middle)
Nina fastened her thick ponytail with a pink butterfly clip from the gift shop.
Nina 用一個從禮品店買的粉紅色蝶形髮夾，把厚厚的馬尾夾起來。
butterfly clip (shape resemblance)
Eva wore a silver butterfly mask to the costume ball, with painted wings spreading across her cheeks.
Eva 戴著一副銀色蝶形面具去化妝舞會，兩片彩繪翅膀延伸到雙頰。
Lina chose a delicate butterfly necklace with two enamel wings as her birthday gift to her sister.
Lina 挑了一條精緻的蝶形項鍊，兩片翅膀以琺瑯製成，作為送給妹妹的生日禮物。
- wing-shaped
more general; not tied to butterflies specifically
文法句型
butterfly + [object noun]
用法筆記
Used before a noun (attributively) for objects that visually resemble a butterfly or open like its wings. Distinguish from adjective sense 1: that one is specifically about food cut open for cooking; this one is about shape and visual resemblance.