crater
crater — 名詞
1. A large, bowl-shaped hollow in the ground. Such features occur at volcanic peaks
坑洞
火山、隕石或炸彈造成的圓形凹陷
A large, bowl-shaped hollow in the ground. Such features occur at volcanic peaks, created by eruptions, and can also be formed by meteorite strikes or bomb explosions.
Ari peered over the edge of the volcanic crater and watched the smoke rise.
Ari 從火山口邊緣往下看，注視著煙霧裊裊升起。
collocation: volcanic crater
A huge crater formed in the road after the gas pipeline exploded.
瓦斯管線爆炸後，馬路上形成了一個巨大的坑洞。
The team of geologists studied the impact crater left by an ancient meteorite.
地質學家團隊研究了那顆遠古隕石留下的撞擊坑。
Bomb craters from the war are still visible in the fields outside the city.
戰爭留下的炸彈坑在城外的田野中依然清晰可見。
- hole
General term for any opening; crater is more specific to large, round depressions from volcanic or impact causes.
- pit
A deep hole in the ground, often man-made (e.g., a mine pit), whereas a crater is formed by natural or explosive force.
- depression
A sunken area on a surface; more formal and less specific than crater.
- cavity
An enclosed hollow space inside something; crater is an open depression on the surface, often larger.
用法筆記
When referring to bomb damage, crater often pairs with compound nouns like bomb crater or shell crater. For volcanoes, the phrase volcanic crater is standard.
常見錯誤
crater — 動詞
1. To damage a surface by creating one or more depressions in it, typically by bomb
炸出坑洞
在表面炸出凹陷
To damage a surface by creating one or more depressions in it, typically by bombing, heavy impact, or intense force.
The heavy bombing cratered the runway, preventing any planes from landing.
猛烈轟炸在跑道上炸出坑洞，使任何飛機都無法降落。
transitive: bombing cratered [surface]
Hailstones cratered the bonnet of Nicholas's car during the storm.
暴風雨中，冰雹在 Nicholas 的汽車引擎蓋上打出一個個凹痕。
The workers cratered the old road with jackhammers before repaving it.
工人用鑿岩機在舊路面上鑿出坑洞，準備重新鋪路。
Artillery shells cratered the hillside where the soldiers were taking cover.
炮彈在士兵們藏身的山坡上炸出一個個坑洞。
文法句型
crater + noun (surface)
用法筆記
Frequently passive when the agent is unknown or unimportant: 'The road was badly cratered by the bombing.' The subject is typically an explosion, heavy object, or destructive force.
常見錯誤
2. For a surface to gradually acquire bowl-shaped hollows, often because of weather
形成坑洞
表面自然產生凹陷
For a surface to gradually acquire bowl-shaped hollows, often because of weathering, repeated impact, or general wear over time.
The asphalt on the driveway cratered after years of harsh winters.
車道的柏油路面經過多年寒冬後，出現了坑洞。
intransitive: surface + cratered (developed holes)
The surface of the moon cratered long ago from countless meteor impacts.
月球表面在很久以前因無數次隕石撞擊而布滿坑洞。
The plaster on the old ceiling cratered where water had leaked through.
舊天花板的灰泥在漏水處周圍凹陷成坑。
The dirt road cratered badly after three days of heavy rain.
那條泥土路在連續三天暴雨後，出現了嚴重的坑洞。
文法句型
surface + cratered
用法筆記
This sense is intransitive — the surface itself develops craters without specifying an external cause. It often occurs with a time phrase (over time, after) or a cause introduced by from or because of.
常見錯誤
3. For a financial measure — such as a price, stock market index, or company value
暴跌
價格或市場突然大跌
For a financial measure — such as a price, stock market index, or company value — to collapse suddenly and sharply.
The company's share price cratered after the fraud scandal broke.
那家公司的股價在詐騙醜聞爆發後暴跌。
figurative intransitive: price cratered (collapsed)
The technology market cratered when investors lost confidence in startups.
科技市場在投資人對新創公司失去信心後崩盤。
Tourism in the region cratered after the earthquake destroyed the main hotels.
該地區的旅遊業在地震摧毀主要旅館後一落千丈。
Coffee prices cratered last season because farmers produced far too much.
咖啡價格在上一個產季因為產量遠超過需求而暴跌。
- collapse
Very similar in meaning; collapse is slightly more formal and can apply to physical structures as well.
- plummet
To fall very quickly; plummet focuses on speed of descent, while crater emphasises the disastrous outcome.
- crash
Common in financial contexts (market crash); crash can also refer to computer systems or vehicles.
文法句型
price/market + cratered
用法筆記
Restricted to informal financial and commercial contexts. It implies a sudden, dramatic decline, not a gradual one. Common subjects: share prices, stock markets, currencies, revenues, and tourism figures.
常見錯誤
4. To make a financial measure — such as a price, stock market index, or company va
壓垮；打垮
使價格或市場崩跌
To make a financial measure — such as a price, stock market index, or company value — drop suddenly and sharply.
The bad harvest cratered the local grain market for the whole year.
收成不佳導致當地糧食市場在一年內崩跌。
transitive figurative: event cratered [market]
The central bank's surprise decision cratered the currency overnight.
中央銀行的突襲決策使該國貨幣一夜之間暴跌。
The failed product launch cratered the company's annual revenue targets.
失敗的產品上市使公司的年度營收目標一落千丈。
The scandal cratered Imran's business, and he had to close all his shops.
那樁醜聞讓 Imran 的生意一蹶不振，他不得不關閉所有店面。
- wreck
To damage something severely; wreck is broader and can apply to physical objects, plans, or relationships.
- devastate
To cause severe damage; more formal than crater and often used for emotional or economic impact.
- sink
To cause something to fail; sink is less dramatic than crater and can describe a slower process.
文法句型
event + crater + price/market/business
用法筆記
The subject is the event or factor causing the collapse (a decision, scandal, natural disaster). The direct object is the affected price, market, or business. Unlike sense 3, this sense requires a named cause as the grammatical subject.