couple
couple — 名詞
1. around two or three things or people that belong together in some way.
幾個；一些
數量不多的人或事物，約兩三個
around two or three things or people that belong together in some way.
Megan borrowed a couple of novels from the library to read over the weekend.
Megan 從圖書館借了幾本小說，打算週末閱讀。
a couple of + plural noun (novels)
Karim spent a couple of weeks in Ho Chi Minh City learning Vietnamese.
Karim 在胡志明市待了幾週，學習越南語。
a couple of + time period (weeks)
Padma added a couple more chairs to the table before the guests arrived.
Padma 在客人到來前多加了幾張椅子到桌邊。
Lin spotted a couple of spelling errors in her essay and fixed them before class.
Lin 在她的作業中發現幾個拼寫錯誤，上課前修正了。
Quinn invited a couple of old friends to the housewarming party last Saturday.
Quinn 上週六邀請了幾位老朋友來參加喬遷派對。
- many
a large number, the opposite of a small indefinite amount
文法句型
a couple of + plural noun
a couple + of + us/them
用法筆記
When used in positive statements, 'a couple of' usually means two or three. In casual speech, some speakers treat it as roughly equivalent to 'a few'. The 'of' is often dropped before certain words like 'more' ('a couple more minutes') but is standard before other nouns.
常見錯誤
2. a pair joined through marriage, romance, or a common objective.
伴侶；搭檔
處於戀愛、婚姻或共同活動中的兩個人
a pair joined through marriage, romance, or a common objective.
A young couple sat holding hands on the bench near the fountain.
一對年輕情侶手牽手坐在噴泉旁的長椅上。
noun phrase: young couple
Rodrigo and Élise are a married couple who run a small bakery together.
Rodrigo 和 Élise 是一對夫妻，他們一起經營一家小麵包店。
married couple + relative clause
The elderly couple next door have lived in that house for forty years.
隔壁那對老夫妻已經在那棟房子裡住了四十年。
Every dance competition features a talented couple performing the tango.
每場舞蹈比賽都會有一組才華洋溢的搭檔表演探戈。
Joon and Megan have been a couple since they met in art school.
Joon 和 Megan 從在藝術學校認識後就一直是一對情侶。
- individual
a single person, the opposite of two people together
文法句型
couple + singular/plural verb
a couple + of + noun
用法筆記
In British English, 'couple' can take a singular or plural verb (e.g., 'the couple is / are expecting a baby'). Plural verb emphasises the individuals; singular verb emphasises the unit. In American English, singular verb is preferred.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The couple are happy.' (written without context where AmE singular expected) — In AmE, use 'The couple is happy' when referring to them as a single unit. In BrE, both are acceptable.
couple — 動詞
1. to connect, combine, or link two things — such as objects, ideas, systems, or qu
連接；結合
將兩樣東西連接或搭配在一起
to connect, combine, or link two things — such as objects, ideas, systems, or qualities — so that they work together or are considered together.
High unemployment coupled with rising prices created serious hardship for many families.
高失業率加上物價上漲，讓許多家庭陷入嚴重的困境。
be coupled with — passive for linking two factors
The recipe couples fresh basil with ripe tomatoes to make a simple pasta sauce.
這份食譜將新鮮羅勒和成熟的番茄搭配在一起，做成一款簡單的義大利麵醬。
couple + noun + with + noun — active voice for combining ingredients
The wooden table, coupled with a set of matching chairs, created a warm dining area.
那張木桌配上成套的椅子，營造出溫馨的用餐區。
Diego coupled the garden hose to the outdoor tap and turned on the water.
Diego 把花園水管接上戶外水龍頭，然後打開了水。
Liang coupled the portable speaker to his laptop so everyone could hear the presentation.
Liang 把可攜式喇叭連到筆電上，這樣房間裡每個人都能聽到簡報。
文法句型
couple + noun + with + noun
be coupled with + noun
用法筆記
By far the most common form in everyday use is the passive participle 'coupled with', meaning 'combined with' or 'together with'. The active transitive form ('couple A with B') is more formal or technical. The intransitive form ('A and B couple') is rare in modern English outside technical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to engage in sexual union with a partner — used primarily in formal, scientific,
交配；性交
進行性行為，多用於動物或正式科學語境
to engage in sexual union with a partner — used primarily in formal, scientific, or technical writing about animals and sometimes humans.
The researchers observed the birds coupling in the early spring mornings.
研究人員觀察到這些鳥類在早春時節進行交配。
animals — birds coupling during mating season
Salmon swim far upstream before coupling in the gravel beds where they were born.
鮭魚游數百英里逆流而上，在牠們出生的同一片礫石床上進行交配。
salmon — migration before coupling
The documentary showed how sea turtles couple in the warm coastal waters at night.
這部紀錄片展示了海龜如何在夜間於溫暖的沿海水域交配。
Zoologists recorded the frequency with which the captive pandas coupled during breeding season.
動物學家記錄了圈養熊貓在繁殖季節交配的頻率。
文法句型
two + noun + couple
noun + and + noun + couple
用法筆記
In everyday conversation about humans, 'couple' in this sense sounds overly clinical or old-fashioned. For animals, 'mate' is far more common than 'couple'. Use 'have sex', 'sleep together', or 'make love' for humans in neutral or informal contexts.
常見錯誤
couple — 形容詞
1. referring to roughly two things when placed before a noun in informal American E
差不多兩個
置於名詞前，非正式美語用法，省略 of
referring to roughly two things when placed before a noun in informal American English, without the word 'of'.
Mauricio ordered a couple beers while waiting for his friend to arrive.
Mauricio 在等朋友來的時候點了幾杯啤酒。
a couple + noun (beers) — AmE informal, no 'of'
Hoa bought a couple tickets for the concert before they sold out.
Hoa 在演唱會門票售罄之前買了兩張。
Zola read a couple chapters of the novel before falling asleep on the sofa.
Zola 在沙發上睡著前讀了幾章小說。
Quinn packed a couple sandwiches for the long hike through the forest.
Quinn 打包了幾個三明治，準備在森林裡長途健行時吃。
Rin grabbed a couple chairs from the kitchen so everyone would have a seat.
Rin 從廚房拿來幾張椅子，這樣大家都有位子坐。
- a couple of
the standard form in both BrE and AmE, including 'of' before the noun
- two
exact and unambiguous; 'a couple' is more casual and approximate
文法句型
a couple + noun (without 'of')
用法筆記
This attributive use ('a couple [noun]' without 'of') is considered informal and is most common in American English. In formal writing or in British English, 'a couple of [noun]' is the standard form. Do not use this in academic essays or professional correspondence. The noun after 'couple' must be countable and plural.
常見錯誤
❌ 'She bought a couple of drinks.' (marked as 'wrong' — actually correct in BrE and formal AmE) — This is standard English. The attributive 'a couple drinks' is just one informal variant, not a replacement.