cheek

cheek — 名詞

1. each of the two soft, rounded areas on the sides of a person's face, located bel

1.名詞B1
釋義

臉頰

眼睛下方、嘴脣兩側的臉部軟組織

each of the two soft, rounded areas on the sides of a person's face, located below the eyes and beside the mouth and nose

例句

Aiko wiped a tear from her cheek after reading the letter from her grandmother.

Aiko 讀完祖母的信後，擦去臉頰上的一滴眼淚。

collocation: wipe a tear from [possessive] cheek

The old fisherman had a small scar on his left cheek from a childhood accident.

那位老漁夫的左臉頰上有一道兒時意外留下的小疤痕。

用法筆記

This countable noun is often used in the plural when referring to both sides of the face together.

常見錯誤

❌She kissed him on the cheekbone.
✅She kissed him on the cheek.
💡'cheekbone' is the bone beneath the cheek, not the soft part of the face.

2. bold or rude speech or actions that show a lack of the respect people expect, of

2.名詞B2
釋義

厚臉皮；放肆

無禮的言行或不敬的態度

bold or rude speech or actions that show a lack of the respect people expect, often delivered with annoying confidence; the quality of behaving in this way

例句

Diego had the cheek to ask for a raise after just two weeks in the job.

Diego 才上班兩週就厚著臉皮要求加薪。

pattern: have the cheek to + infinitive

I cannot believe she had the cheek to blame me for her own mistake.

我真不敢相信她竟然有臉把自己的過錯怪到我頭上。

同義詞
  • nerve

    more common in American English; similar meaning of bold rudeness

  • impudence

    more formal; suggests a child's disrespect toward an adult

  • audacity

    stronger; suggests shocking boldness that takes risks

反義詞
  • respect

    the polite behaviour that cheek opposes

  • politeness

    courteous conduct, the opposite of cheeky behaviour

文法句型

have the cheek to + infinitive

what + a + cheek

用法筆記

Most commonly used in the fixed expression 'have the cheek to do something', which emphasises the speaker's disapproval. This sense is almost always singular or uncountable — do not use 'cheeks' for this meaning.

常見錯誤

❌He has cheeks to ask for more money.
✅He had the cheek to ask for more money.
💡Use the singular form 'cheek' with the definite article 'the' before it.

3. one of the two fleshy, rounded sections that make up a person's bottom, located

3.名詞B2
釋義

臀部

屁股的兩側各一半的部位

one of the two fleshy, rounded sections that make up a person's bottom, located at the lower back of the body

例句

The doctor asked him to turn over so she could examine his left cheek.

醫生請他翻身，以便檢查他的左側臀部。

collocation: left cheek / right cheek (for BOTTOM sense)

Kofi's right cheek was sore after sitting on the hard wooden bench all afternoon.

Kofi 在硬木長椅上坐了一整個下午，右邊臀部都痠痛了。

同義詞
  • buttock

    the standard anatomical term; more formal than 'cheek' in this sense

  • bottom half

    a common paraphrase to avoid the body-part term

用法筆記

This sense is less common in everyday speech than 'FACE' sense. British speakers often use 'bottom' or 'bum' instead. The word 'cheek' here is more clinical or precise — for example, in medical or fitness contexts.

cheek — 動詞