chair
chair — 名詞
1. something to sit on that has a support at the back for leaning against and four
椅子
有靠背的單人坐具
something to sit on that has a support at the back for leaning against and four legs, built for just one person to use
The old wooden chair creaked loudly when Ravi sat down after dinner.
Ravi 吃完晚餐坐下時，那張舊木椅發出很大的嘎吱聲。
collocation: wooden chair
Aiko pulled up a chair and joined everyone at the kitchen table.
Aiko 拉了一張椅子，坐到廚房餐桌旁和大家在一起。
phrasal verb: pull up a chair
Each child carried a small plastic chair to the garden for outdoor story time.
每個小孩都搬了一張小塑膠椅到花園，準備聽戶外故事。
The dining chair near the window has a soft cushion that the cat loves.
窗邊那張餐椅有一個軟坐墊，那隻貓很喜歡。
Wen's grandmother bought four matching chairs from the local furniture store.
Wen 的奶奶在當地的家具行買了四張配套的椅子。
文法句型
countable noun
常見錯誤
2. a device used by some governments to carry out a death sentence by sending a ver
電椅
以電刑處決犯人的座椅
a device used by some governments to carry out a death sentence by sending a very strong flow of electricity through a person's body, or the use of this device as punishment
The state of Georgia last used the electric chair to execute a prisoner in 2010.
喬治亞州上一次使用電椅處決囚犯是在 2010 年。
collocation: the electric chair
Farouk read a book about a death-row inmate who waited eleven years for the chair.
Farouk 讀了一本關於死刑犯的書，那位犯人在死囚牢房等了十一年坐上電椅。
informal: the chair
Many human-rights groups argue that the chair is a cruel form of punishment.
許多人權團體主張電椅是一種殘酷的刑罰方式。
The documentary traced the electric chair's history from its first use in 1890.
這部紀錄片追溯了電椅從 1890 年首次使用以來的歷史。
- electric chair
the full, formal name for this device; 'chair' is the shortened, informal version
文法句型
the + noun
用法筆記
Informal shortening of 'electric chair.' Almost always used with the definite article ('the chair'). More common in American English than British English.
3. the person who leads and directs a formal gathering, committee, or official grou
主席
會議或委員會的負責人
the person who leads and directs a formal gathering, committee, or official group, or the role that this person holds
The chair called the committee meeting to order at exactly nine o'clock.
主席在九點整宣布委員會會議開始。
collocation: chair calls a meeting
Dr. Okafor has served as board chair for the local hospital since 2019.
Okafor 醫師自 2019 年起擔任當地醫院的董事會主席。
collocation: board chair
As chair of the finance committee, Nadia reviews every budget proposal carefully.
Nadia 擔任財務委員會主席，仔細審查每一項預算提案。
The chair asked each team member to speak for no more than five minutes.
主席請每位團隊成員發言不超過五分鐘。
- chairperson
gender-neutral term for the same role, increasingly preferred in formal contexts
- chairman
traditional term, implies a male holder of the position
- chairwoman
term used specifically for a female holder of the position
- president
used for the head of a larger organization or country, carrying more authority
文法句型
the + noun + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'of' followed by the group name (chair of the committee). Can refer either to the position itself or the person holding it. Increasingly replaced by 'chairperson' in official titles to avoid gender assumptions.
常見錯誤
4. the person who leads an academic unit such as a department at a school of higher
系主任
大學系所的主管
the person who leads an academic unit such as a department at a school of higher education, or the role itself
Professor Tomás was appointed chair of the Physics Department last spring.
Tomás 教授去年春天被任命為物理學系的系主任。
collocation: chair of the [Department]
The department chair approved the new course on climate science for next term.
系主任批准了下學期的氣候科學新課程。
collocation: department chair
As department chair, Esme meets with every new teacher at the start of the year.
Esme 擔任系主任，每年學期初都會和每位新進教師面談。
Hana asked the department chair about funding for her research project.
Hana 向系主任詢問關於她研究計畫經費的問題。
- head of department
more commonly used term in British universities for the same role
- department head
alternative term, especially in US institutions
文法句型
the + noun + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Restricted to academic contexts. Equivalent to 'head of department' at many universities. Not used for non-academic departments within companies or government agencies.
5. a senior academic position at a university, especially one that has been named a
講座教授
大學中的高階教授職位
a senior academic position at a university, especially one that has been named after a person or funded by an organization
Yara was offered a chair in medieval literature at the University of Bologna.
Yara 獲得波隆那大學中世紀文學的講座教授職位。
grammar: chair in [subject]
The university created a new chair in artificial intelligence for the engineering school.
該大學為工程學院新設立了一個人工智慧的講座教授職位。
collocation: create a chair
Professor Beatriz holds the endowed chair of environmental studies at the college.
Beatriz 教授在學院擔任環境研究的捐贈講座教授。
The physics chair has been vacant since Professor Chen retired two years ago.
自從陳教授兩年前退休後，物理學講座教授的職位就一直空缺。
- professorship
more general term for any university teaching position at senior level
- endowed chair
a professorship funded by a dedicated financial donation
文法句型
a + noun + in + subject
用法筆記
Often modified by an adjective naming the type of position (endowed chair, named chair, research chair). The phrase 'chair in [subject]' specifies the academic field. Distinguished from sense 4 by focusing on the professorial rank rather than the administrative role.
6. the specific seat or position that a musician holds within an orchestra, which s
首席席位
管弦樂團中演奏者的位階
the specific seat or position that a musician holds within an orchestra, which shows their rank and role in the group
First-chair violinist Mei played the solo with remarkable skill at the concert.
首席小提琴手 Mei 在音樂會上以精湛的技巧演奏了獨奏部分。
collocation: first chair
The orchestra's principal cellist has held that chair for over twelve years.
該樂團的首席大提琴手已經擔任那個席位超過十二年了。
collocation: hold a chair
Zane earned the first trumpet chair after a difficult audition in January.
Zane 在經過一月一場困難的試音後，獲得了第一小號的席位。
The conductor asked the horn player to take a different chair in the brass section.
指揮要求那位法國號手移動到銅管組的另一個席位。
- seat
more general term; 'chair' is the specialized orchestral term for position or rank
文法句型
ordinal + noun
用法筆記
Always used with an ordinal number or the word 'principal' (first chair, second chair, principal chair). Refers to the player's rank within their instrument section — first chair is the section leader.
常見錯誤
chair — 動詞
1. to serve as the leader of a formal event such as a meeting, committee session, o
主持
擔任會議或委員會主席
to serve as the leader of a formal event such as a meeting, committee session, or discussion, ensuring the agenda is followed and the event runs smoothly
Priya chaired the weekly staff meeting every Tuesday morning at the office.
Priya 每週二早上在辦公室主持例行員工會議。
grammar: chair + [meeting]
The board asked Ines to chair the fundraising committee for the coming year.
董事會請 Ines 在未來一年主持募款委員會。
grammar: chair + [committee]
A senior judge chaired the public inquiry into safety at the railway station.
一位資深法官主持了關於火車站安全的公開調查。
The annual conference was chaired by a well-known professor from Taiwan.
年度大會由一位來自臺灣的知名教授主持。
- preside over
more formal and slightly longer, often used in legal or ceremonial contexts
- lead
broader term that can apply to any group or activity, not just formal meetings
- moderate
specifically used for discussions, debates, or panels
文法句型
chair + noun phrase (meeting/committee/event)
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice ('The meeting was chaired by...'). Objects are always formal events or groups (meeting, committee, conference, panel, session), never people or locations.