cancer
cancer — 名詞
1. a serious illness where cells inside the body multiply abnormally, forming masse
癌症
體內細胞異常增生形成的致命疾病
a serious illness where cells inside the body multiply abnormally, forming masses that attack healthy tissue and often lead to death.
Aunt Rosa's doctor told her the cancer was at an early stage and could be treated.
Rosa 阿姨的醫師告訴她，癌症還在早期階段，是可以治療的。
passive: be told cancer is at a stage
After years of heavy smoking, Ravi's father died of lung cancer at sixty-two.
Ravi 的父親吸了多年菸後，在六十二歲那年死於肺癌。
collocation: die of lung cancer
The hospital has opened a new research centre that focuses on breast cancer treatments.
這間醫院新成立了一個研究中心，專門致力於乳癌治療。
Catching the disease early gives cancer patients a much better chance of recovery.
醫師說，早期發現能讓癌症患者有更大的康復機會。
The charity raises money to help families whose children are fighting childhood cancers.
這個慈善機構募款是為了幫助正在對抗兒童癌症的家庭。
- malignancy
a medical term for a dangerous cancerous growth; more formal and technical
- benign tumor
a growth that does not spread to other parts of the body and is not life-threatening
文法句型
cancer + noun (as modifier)
diagnosed with cancer
die of/from cancer
用法筆記
Uncountable when used as a general concept ('He has cancer'). Countable when referring to specific types or instances ('several different cancers affect the liver'). Frequently modifies other nouns: cancer cell, cancer treatment, cancer research.
常見錯誤
2. a harmful activity, attitude, or problem that grows and spreads quickly within a
毒瘤；禍害
在社會或組織中迅速擴散的負面事物
a harmful activity, attitude, or problem that grows and spreads quickly within a society or group, damaging it from the inside.
The newspaper described corruption as a cancer eating away at the heart of the government.
這家報社形容貪腐是侵蝕政府核心的毒瘤。
metaphorical use: a cancer eating away at something
Racism in any form is a social cancer that destroys communities from within.
任何形式的種族主義都是一種社會毒瘤，會從內部摧毀社區。
collocation: social cancer
Leila warned that dishonesty had become a cancer in the company's culture, affecting every department.
Leila 警告說，不誠實已成為公司文化中的禍害，影響了每個部門。
Without new laws, the cancer of illegal wildlife trading will continue to spread.
如果沒有嚴格的新法律，非法野生動物交易的禍害還會繼續跨越國界蔓延。
- remedy
something that cures or solves a problem
文法句型
cancer of + noun
a cancer in/on + noun
用法筆記
Always used figuratively, not a medical term. The subject is typically a social ill: corruption, racism, hatred, dishonesty. Often followed by 'of + noun' specifying the problem.
常見錯誤
3. a group of stars in the northern sky that is said to form the shape of a crab; o
巨蟹座
北天星座之一，形狀如螃蟹
a group of stars in the northern sky that is said to form the shape of a crab; one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac.
On a clear spring night, the faint stars of Cancer appear between Gemini and Leo.
在晴朗的春夜，巨蟹座的微暗星群會出現在雙子座與獅子座之間。
astronomical location between other constellations
Yusuf pointed his telescope at the constellation Cancer and showed his sister the Beehive Cluster.
Yusuf 把望遠鏡對準巨蟹座，給妹妹看了位於其中的蜂巢星團。
Ancient astronomers named the constellation Cancer because its shape reminded them of a crab.
古代天文學家之所以命名為巨蟹座，是因為它的形狀讓他們聯想到螃蟹。
Amara learned to identify the constellation Cancer during her first astronomy class.
Amara 在天文學的第一堂課上學會了辨認巨蟹座。
- the Crab
the informal English name for the constellation, referring to its shape
文法句型
the constellation Cancer
in the constellation Cancer
用法筆記
Always capitalised as a proper noun when referring to the astronomical constellation. Often preceded by 'the constellation'.
4. the astrological sign that covers people who have a birthday between June twenty
巨蟹座
黃道第四宮的星座及出生者
the astrological sign that covers people who have a birthday between June twenty-second and July twenty-second; also refers to someone whose birthday falls in that period.
Theo was born on July 3rd, so his star sign is Cancer.
Theo 是七月三日出生的，所以他的星座是巨蟹座。
person with the sign: be + Cancer
According to her horoscope, Hana as a Cancer should focus on family matters this month.
Hana 的星座運勢說，她這個巨蟹座這個月應該把重心放在家庭事務上。
Cancers are said to be very loyal and deeply attached to their homes.
據說巨蟹座的人非常忠誠，對自己的家有著深厚的情感。
Priya read that Cancers make the best friends because they listen and care about others.
Priya 讀到巨蟹座是最棒的朋友，因為他們總是傾聽並關心他人。
Rohan checked his girlfriend's birthday — of course she was a Cancer, so emotional and sweet.
Rohan 查了女友的生日之後笑了——她果然是巨蟹座，那麼感性又溫柔。
- Cancerian
an alternative term for a person born under the sign of Cancer; more formal
- Capricorn
the opposite sign in the zodiac
文法句型
be (a) Cancer
be born under Cancer
Cancerian
用法筆記
Capitalised as a proper noun when referring to the sign or a person of that sign. A person can be called 'a Cancer' or 'a Cancerian'. The uncountable form refers to the sign itself ('she is Cancer').