construction

construction — 名詞

1. the activity of putting up buildings, roads, bridges, or other large structures

1.名詞B1
釋義

建造；施工

建造建築物、道路等大型結構的過程或工作

the activity of putting up buildings, roads, bridges, or other large structures — including the planning, preparation, and physical work involved.

例句

The construction of the new airport runway began last spring and finished in December.

新機場的建造工程從去年春天開始，到十二月完工了。

construction + of + [structure]

All workers must wear helmets on the construction site for safety reasons.

為了安全起見，所有工人在工地都必須戴安全帽。

construction site — common compound noun

同義詞
  • building

    more general; can refer to any act of making, while construction suggests large-scale projects

  • assembly

    usually of pre-made parts; narrower than construction

  • erection

    formal and specific to putting up vertical structures like buildings or poles

反義詞
  • demolition

    the process of pulling down buildings or structures

文法句型

construction + of + noun

用法筆記

This sense is uncountable and refers to the process or industry. For an individual building, use sense 4 (a countable noun). When referring to the industry as a whole, it is often used without an article: 'She works in construction.'

常見錯誤

❌The construction of this building was completed.' (when construction is used correctly, this is fine)
✅The construction took two years.
💡Construction as a process is uncountable; don't add 'a' before it.

2. the business and all the people involved in building, repairing, and maintaining

2.名詞B1
釋義

建築業

涉及建造和維修建築物的行業

the business and all the people involved in building, repairing, and maintaining buildings, roads, and other structures — seen as an economic sector.

例句

The construction industry employs millions of workers across the country.

建築業在全國雇用了數百萬名勞工。

the construction industry — standard term for the sector

Leila's father has worked in construction for over thirty years as a project manager.

Leila 的父親在建築業擔任專案經理已經超過三十年。

in construction — working in the sector

同義詞
  • building trade

    more traditional and narrower; often refers to manual trades like bricklaying and carpentry

文法句型

in construction

the construction industry

用法筆記

Use 'in construction' (no article) when describing someone's field of work: 'She is in construction.' Use 'the construction industry' or 'the construction sector' when referring to the economic sector as a whole. This sense is uncountable.

常見錯誤

❌He works in the construction.
✅He works in construction.
💡When referring to the field or industry, use 'in construction' without 'the'.

3. the particular materials, design, or method used when something is built or made

3.名詞B1
釋義

結構；構造

物品的材質、設計或建造方式的特性

the particular materials, design, or method used when something is built or made — referring to how solid, strong, or well-designed an object is.

例句

The table has a solid wooden construction that should last for decades.

這張桌子採用實木結構，應該可以使用幾十年。

adjective + construction (solid wooden construction)

Modern construction methods use steel frames and glass panels.

現代的施工方法採用鋼架和玻璃面板。

construction methods — how something is built

同義詞
  • make

    more informal and usually about manufactured goods rather than buildings

  • structure

    focuses on the arrangement of parts rather than materials or quality

文法句型

[noun] + construction

construction + of + [material]

用法筆記

Often paired with adjectives describing quality (solid, sturdy, poor, flimsy, light) or materials (wooden, steel, concrete, brick). The phrase 'of + adjective + construction' is a common formal pattern.

常見錯誤

❌The bridge has a very strong construction about it.
✅The bridge is of very strong construction.
💡Use 'of + adjective + construction' rather than 'has a... construction'.

4. a physical structure such as a bridge, dam, tower, or stadium that people have p

4.名詞B1
釋義

建築物

已經蓋好的建築物或大型設施

a physical structure such as a bridge, dam, tower, or stadium that people have put up.

例句

The stone construction near the river was once a grain mill.

河邊那座石頭建築以前是一家磨坊。

stone construction — material + construction (a structure made of stone)

Several new constructions along the coast have changed the view of the beach.

海岸邊的幾棟新建物改變了海灘的景觀。

new constructions — plural for multiple buildings

同義詞
  • building

    the everyday word; 'construction' in this sense sounds slightly more formal or technical

  • structure

    broader — includes things that are not buildings, like platforms or towers

用法筆記

This countable sense ('a construction') is less common than simply using 'building' or 'structure'. It is often used when the speaker wants to emphasise the building's age, material, or architectural style. In everyday conversation, 'building' is more natural.

5. a patterned way that a language lets you place words together inside a statement

5.名詞B2
釋義

句法結構

詞語在句子中的特定排列方式

a patterned way that a language lets you place words together inside a statement, like the passive pattern or a conditional pattern.

例句

The passive construction is often used in formal academic writing.

被動結構常用於正式的學術寫作中。

passive construction — grammar term + construction

Students practiced the 'used to' construction to talk about past habits.

學生練習使用「used to」結構來談論過去的習慣。

同義詞
  • structure

    more general; any arrangement of parts, not just grammatical patterns

  • pattern

    less technical; a recurring form in language

文法句型

[grammatical term] + construction

用法筆記

In grammar teaching, the word is preceded by a modifier that names the type: 'passive construction', 'relative clause construction', 'comparative construction'. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌This sentence has a passive construction that I don't understand.' (correct usage) — The main mistake learners make is using 'construction' where 'structure' is more natural: ❌ 'The structure of this sentence is confusing.
✅The structure of this sentence is confusing.
💡'Construction' in grammar describes the pattern type, not the overall arrangement.

6. the way a person understands or views a situation, event, remark, or piece of in

6.名詞B2
釋義

解讀；看法

對情況、事件或話語的理解方式

the way a person understands or views a situation, event, remark, or piece of information — especially when there are different possible viewpoints.

例句

Theo put a positive construction on the manager's vague comments about the future.

Theo 對主管關於未來模糊的評論抱持正面的解讀。

put + adjective + construction + on — fixed pattern

Nadia's construction of the email made it seem like an apology, but others disagreed.

Nadia 對那封郵件的解讀讓它看起來像道歉，但其他人不這麼認為。

construction + of + noun — how someone reads a text

同義詞
  • interpretation

    more common in everyday language; less formal than 'construction'

  • reading

    informal; usually of texts or situations: 'my reading of the situation'

  • take

    informal noun: 'what's your take on this?'

文法句型

put a + adjective + construction + on + noun

construction + of + noun

用法筆記

Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'put a [adjective] construction on [something]'. The adjective indicates the type of interpretation (positive, negative, strict, generous, fair, unfair). Distinguish from sense 7: this sense focuses on interpreting a broad situation or set of facts, while sense 7 focuses on the specific meaning of words or statements.

常見錯誤

❌My construction of the problem is that we need more time.
✅My interpretation of the problem is that we need more time.
💡'Construction' in this sense is more formal and typically used with 'put a...construction on'; for everyday views, 'interpretation' is more natural.

7. the specific meaning that a person or authority gives to a word, sentence, contr

7.名詞C1
釋義

釋義；詮釋

對法律條文或語句賦予的特定含義

the specific meaning that a person or authority gives to a word, sentence, contract, law, or action — often in a legal or official context where precision matters.

例句

The judge placed a strict construction on the term 'reasonable force' in the contract.

法官對合約中「合理武力」一詞採取了嚴格的解釋。

strict construction — legal term; narrow interpretation of law

A broad construction of the safety rules allows the inspector to close any unsafe factory.

對安全規定的寬泛解釋，允許檢查員關閉任何不安全的工廠。

broad construction — wide interpretation of a rule

同義詞
  • interpretation

    broader and less formal; works in both legal and non-legal settings

  • reading

    slightly less formal; 'a reading of the text'

文法句型

put + construction + on + noun (words/statement/action)

用法筆記

Common in legal contexts: 'strict construction' (narrow, literal reading) vs 'broad/liberal construction' (wider reading that considers purpose). In non-legal contexts, sense 6 (INTERPRETATION) is more natural. The verb form 'construe' is related: 'The term is construed broadly.'

常見錯誤

❌What is your construction of this poem?
✅What is your interpretation of this poem?
💡For creative works like literature, use 'interpretation'; 'construction' in this sense sounds legal and technical.

8. the process of creating or forming something from ideas, knowledge, or mental ef

8.名詞C1
釋義

建構；形成

透過思考建立理論、論點或觀念的過程

the process of creating or forming something from ideas, knowledge, or mental effort — such as building a theory, an argument, or a worldview.

例句

The construction of a scientific theory requires years of observation and testing.

建構一個科學理論需要多年的觀察和實驗驗證。

construction of a theory — abstract mental building

Philosophers debate the social construction of gender roles in different cultures.

哲學家們探討不同文化中性別角色的社會建構。

social construction — key academic collocation

同義詞
  • formation

    implies a natural or gradual process rather than deliberate building

  • development

    suggests growth over time rather than active assembly

反義詞

文法句型

construction + of + abstract noun

用法筆記

Common in academic and formal contexts, especially in phrases like 'social construction' (sociology), 'the construction of identity/knowledge/reality'. The related verb 'construct' is more common in everyday use: 'She constructed a strong argument.'

常見錯誤

❌The construction of my weekend plan was fun.
✅Planning my weekend was fun.
💡This sense is too formal for everyday activities like making plans.