cardinal

cardinal — 名詞

1. a senior church leader in Catholicism, appointed by the Pope, who belongs to a g

1.名詞B2
釋義

樞機主教

天主教中最高級的神職人員

a senior church leader in Catholicism, appointed by the Pope, who belongs to a group that advises him and chooses a new leader when the position becomes vacant.

例句

The cardinal delivered a speech at the Vatican about helping poor communities.

那位樞機主教在梵蒂岡發表了關於幫助貧困社區的演說。

countable noun with definite article

A group of cardinals met in secret to discuss the future of the Church.

一群樞機主教祕密開會，討論教會的未來。

plural form: cardinals

同義詞
  • archbishop

    a high-ranking bishop who oversees an archdiocese, but not as high as a cardinal

  • bishop

    a lower rank than cardinal; oversees a diocese

  • prelate

    a general term for a high-ranking church official, broader than cardinal

文法句型

the + cardinal

a + cardinal + of + the Church

用法筆記

When used as a title before a name, capitalise the C: Cardinal Okafor, Cardinal Chen. The Pope appoints cardinals, who together form the College of Cardinals.

常見錯誤

❌The cardinal is a type of bishop in the Catholic church.
✅A cardinal is a priest of the highest rank in the Roman Catholic Church.
💡'Cardinal' is a specific rank above archbishop, not simply a type of bishop.

2. a counting number like 1, 2, or 3 that indicates quantity, rather than an ordina

2.名詞B1
釋義

基數

表示數量，非順序的數字

a counting number like 1, 2, or 3 that indicates quantity, rather than an ordinal number (1st, 2nd, 3rd) that shows a position in a sequence.

例句

The teacher asked the children to write the cardinal numbers from one to twenty.

老師要孩子們寫出從一到二十的基數。

cardinal + number collocation

Five is a cardinal number, but fifth is an ordinal number.

五是一個基數，但第五是一個序數。

contrasting cardinal vs. ordinal

同義詞
  • counting number

    more informal way to say the same thing; used especially in primary education

  • natural number

    a mathematical term for positive whole numbers; broader than cardinal number

反義詞
  • ordinal number

    a number showing position in a sequence (1st, 2nd, 3rd), the direct opposite of cardinal number

文法句型

cardinal number + noun

the cardinal numbers

用法筆記

Cardinal numbers are the everyday counting numbers (one, two, three...) that answer 'how many?'. Ordinal numbers (first, second, third...) answer 'which position?'. In grammar, the term 'cardinal number' is used in both Maths and English language teaching.

常見錯誤

❌Write your age as an ordinal number.
✅Write your age as a cardinal number.
💡Age is about quantity (how many years), not position.

3. a medium-sized North American bird with a pointed crest on its head and a stubby

3.名詞B1
釋義

紅雀

北美紅羽鳥類，雄鳥鮮紅色

a medium-sized North American bird with a pointed crest on its head and a stubby beak; the male's plumage is a vivid red, while the female is mostly brown with some reddish tones.

例句

A bright red cardinal landed on the feeder outside Hana's kitchen window.

一隻鮮紅色的紅雀停在 Hana 廚房窗外的餵食器上。

countable noun with colour description

Cardinals do not migrate in winter, so their red feathers stand out against the snow.

紅雀冬季不會遷徙，因此牠們紅色的羽毛在雪地中格外顯眼。

同義詞
  • redbird

    an informal alternative name for the same bird, common in everyday US speech

文法句型

a + cardinal

the + cardinal + has/feeds on

用法筆記

The name 'cardinal' is also used for a vivid red colour, named after the bird's feathers. Some US states (Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and others) have the cardinal as their official state bird. This sense is primarily used in North America.

cardinal — 形容詞