eclipse
eclipse — 名詞
1. A sky event in which one heavenly body moves into another's shadow, blocking the
日蝕；月蝕
天體被遮蔽的自然現象
A sky event in which one heavenly body moves into another's shadow, blocking the light so that the hidden body becomes partly or fully invisible to viewers on Earth.
The total solar eclipse drew thousands of visitors to the small town in Oregon.
那次日全食吸引了數千名遊客來到奧勒岡州的小鎮。
total solar eclipse — complete blocking of the sun
Jisoo's class watched the partial lunar eclipse through special telescopes at the school observatory.
Jisoo 的班上透過學校天文台的望遠鏡觀看了月偏食。
partial lunar eclipse — Earth's shadow covers part of the moon
Ancient Chinese records describe a solar eclipse that occurred more than three thousand years ago.
中國古代文獻記載了三千多年前發生的一次日食。
During a lunar eclipse, the moon often takes on a deep reddish colour.
月食期間，月亮往往呈現深紅色。
The astronomer warned everyone not to look directly at the solar eclipse without special glasses.
那位天文學家警告大家，沒有專用眼鏡絕對不要直視日食。
- occultation
technical astronomy term; narrower, refers to one object hiding another completely
- shadow
more general; eclipse is a specific type of shadow event
文法句型
eclipse + of + noun phrase
solar eclipse / lunar eclipse
用法筆記
Often paired with the adjectives solar (for the sun being blocked) or lunar (for the moon being blocked). Total eclipse means the body is fully hidden; partial eclipse means only a portion is covered.
常見錯誤
2. The process by which a person, organization, activity, or tradition gradually lo
衰微；沒落
重要性或影響力逐漸衰退
The process by which a person, organization, activity, or tradition gradually loses its former influence, popularity, or power.
The eclipse of the once-powerful empire took place over several decades.
那個曾經強大帝國的衰微歷經了數十年的時間。
eclipse of + [entity] — figurative decline
Fans mourned the eclipse of the beloved newspaper after the digital takeover.
在數位化浪潮之後，讀者們為那份深受喜愛報紙的沒落感到惋惜。
Imran studied the gradual eclipse of traditional crafts by factory-made goods in his history class.
Imran 在歷史課上研究了傳統工藝被工廠製品逐步取代的沒落過程。
The novel traces the eclipse of old aristocratic families in post-war Europe.
這本小說描寫了戰後歐洲舊貴族家族的式微。
- rise
increase in importance or power
- ascendancy
a position of growing influence
文法句型
eclipse + of + noun phrase
in eclipse
fall into eclipse
用法筆記
Subject is usually an abstract noun referring to an institution, tradition, or field of activity. Common in academic and literary writing. Unlike verb sense 2, this noun sense focuses on the decline itself rather than on an active act of surpassing.
常見錯誤
eclipse — 動詞
1. To move into a position that blocks the light from a star, planet, or moon, maki
遮蔽；掩蓋
遮住天體發出的光線
To move into a position that blocks the light from a star, planet, or moon, making it partly or completely invisible from a particular viewpoint.
The moon began to eclipse the sun shortly after noon.
正午過後不久，月亮開始遮蔽太陽。
eclipse + direct object (celestial body)
Astronomers predicted that Jupiter would partially eclipse one of its moons.
天文學家預測木星將會部分遮蔽它的一顆衛星。
The satellite's orbit was disrupted when the planet eclipsed its solar panels.
當行星遮住了衛星的太陽能板，衛星的軌道因而受到干擾。
From the hillside, Adina watched the Earth slowly eclipse the moon during the lunar eclipse.
Adina 從山坡上觀看地球在月食期間慢慢遮蔽月球的景象。
文法句型
eclipse + noun phrase (celestial body)
be eclipsed by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently occurs in passive constructions (the sun was eclipsed by the moon). The subject of the active sentence is the body that does the blocking, not the one that is hidden.
常見錯誤
2. To be so clearly superior in quality, fame, or success to a rival that the rival
超越；凌駕
使對方相形失色
To be so clearly superior in quality, fame, or success to a rival that the rival appears less important or impressive as a result.
The young pianist's performance completely eclipsed that of the more experienced musician.
那位年輕鋼琴家的演出完全超越了經驗更豐富的音樂家。
eclipse + [achievement] — surpass in skill
Online streaming services have eclipsed traditional television among younger viewers.
在年輕觀眾中，線上串流服務已經超越了傳統電視。
Baraka's latest invention quickly eclipsed all previous models in sales within the first year.
Baraka 的最新發明在銷售上迅速超越了所有舊款。
Dr. Elena Vasquez's research achievements have eclipsed those of many older scientists in her field.
Elena Vasquez 醫師在研究上的成就已超越了她領域中許多資深的科學家。
The new skyscraper will eclipse the nearby buildings in both height and design.
這棟新建的摩天大樓在高度和設計上都將超越附近的建築。
- surpass
more neutral; eclipse adds a sense of making the rival seem unimportant by comparison
- outshine
more informal; eclipse is more formal and carries the metaphorical weight of the astronomical image
- overshadow
focuses on making another seem less important, without necessarily being better; eclipse implies clear superiority
- outdo
focuses on performing better; eclipse suggests a wider gap in reputation or achievement
- pale in comparison to
to seem less impressive when compared with something else
文法句型
eclipse + noun phrase (person/achievement)
be eclipsed by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Common in contexts involving competition, performance comparisons, and technological change. Object can be a person, an institution, or an achievement. Often used with an adverbial modifier (completely, quickly, soon). Distinguish from overshadow which implies making something seem less important without necessarily surpassing it in quality.