flex
flex — 名詞
1. a bendable wire covered in plastic or rubber that connects an electrical device
電線；電源線
連接電器的軟電線
a bendable wire covered in plastic or rubber that connects an electrical device to the mains power supply
Tamar replaced the damaged flex on her desk lamp after it started sparking.
Tamar 更換了桌燈上受損的電線，因為它開始冒出火花。
collocation: damaged flex
The vacuum cleaner's flex was too short to reach the far side of the room.
吸塵器的電線太短，搆不到房間另一側。
Maja coiled the extension flex neatly and stored it under the stairs.
Maja 整齊地盤好延長線，收在樓梯下方的櫃子裡。
A three-metre flex should be long enough to connect the printer to the wall socket.
一條三公尺長的電源線應該足夠把印表機接到牆上的插座。
用法筆記
In British English, flex is the ordinary word for the cord that supplies electricity to an appliance. American English prefers cord or power cord.
2. the act of making a joint bend or a muscle become tight and firm
收縮；屈曲
彎曲關節或繃緊肌肉的動作
the act of making a joint bend or a muscle become tight and firm
The physiotherapist asked Hamza to hold the flex of his bicep for five seconds.
物理治療師請 Hamza 維持二頭肌的收縮姿勢五秒鐘。
hold the flex of [body part]
Each flex of her calf muscle helped Soraya push harder on the bicycle pedal.
Soraya 每次收縮小腿肌肉，都能更用力地踩下自行車踏板。
flex of [body part]
A slow and controlled flex of the knee joint is part of the warm-up routine.
緩慢而受控的膝關節屈曲是暖身動作的一部分。
Benjamin felt a sharp pain during the flex of his wrist after the fall.
Benjamin 摔倒後，手腕一彎就感到一陣劇痛。
- contraction
focuses on the muscle shortening, not the joint bending
- bend
less specific; used for both joints and materials
- extension
the straightening of a joint, opposite of bending
3. the quality that lets a solid material be curved many times without getting dama
柔韌度
材料可彎曲而不斷裂的特性
the quality that lets a solid material be curved many times without getting damaged
The engineers tested the flex of the new composite material under extreme heat.
工程師測試了這種新型複合材料在高溫下的柔韌度。
test the flex of [material]
This type of rubber has excellent flex and returns to its original shape quickly.
這種橡膠的柔韌度極佳，能迅速恢復原狀。
excellent flex
Ayana checked the flex of the plastic tube before using it in the water system.
Ayana 檢查了塑膠管的柔韌度，才將它用於供水系統。
Repeated flex of the metal strip caused tiny cracks to appear along its surface.
金屬條反覆彎折後，表面開始出現細微的裂縫。
- flexibility
more common and general term; flex is often used in technical contexts
- pliability
emphasises the ability to be shaped without springing back
4. a flat or room that has a light movable wall put in so it has an additional livi
隔間房
用輕隔間牆增加的房間
a flat or room that has a light movable wall put in so it has an additional living space
The homeowners turned the one-bedroom flat into a flex by adding a lightweight dividing wall.
屋主加裝了一道輕型隔間牆，把一房公寓改成了隔間房。
turn [room] into a flex
The landlord advertised the property as a two-bedroom flex with a removable partition.
房東將該物件刊登為兩房隔間房，附有可拆式隔板。
Esteban rented a flex in the city centre as it was cheaper than an apartment.
Esteban 在市中心租了一間隔間房，因為比一般公寓便宜。
Local building rules do not allow owners to create a flex without a permit.
當地建築法規不允許屋主在未取得許可的情況下增設隔間房。
- partition
a lightweight wall, not necessarily creating a separate room
用法筆記
This term is used mainly in British property advertisements and housing regulations. It is rare in everyday conversation or in American English.
5. something a person owns or has achieved that they proudly draw attention to, oft
炫耀點
引人反感的高調炫耀
something a person owns or has achieved that they proudly draw attention to, often in a way that irritates other people
Showing everyone his new watch was just another flex that annoyed his colleagues.
到處給同事看他的新手錶，不過是另一個讓人生厭的炫耀點。
Sari's biggest flex is that she ran a marathon without any training beforehand.
Sari 最得意的炫耀點是她沒經過訓練就跑了一場馬拉松。
biggest flex
Posting photos of the private jet felt like an unnecessary flex to her followers.
把私人飛機的照片發到網上，對她的粉絲來說根本是不必要的炫耀。
His main flex is his favourite band's signed guitar, kept in a glass case.
他最值得炫耀的東西是他最喜歡的樂團的簽名吉他，放在玻璃展示櫃裡。
- status symbol
an object that shows wealth or high social position, not necessarily annoying
用法筆記
This sense is informal and frequently used in social media and casual conversation. It often carries a slightly negative or mocking tone.
常見錯誤
flex — 動詞
1. to bend a joint or press a muscle so that it becomes tight and hard, especially
屈曲；繃緊
彎曲關節或收縮肌肉
to bend a joint or press a muscle so that it becomes tight and hard, especially to prepare for physical activity or to show strength
The trainer told the class to flex their ankles before starting the running drills.
教練要全班在開始跑步訓練前先屈曲腳踝。
flex + [body part]
Felipe flexed his injured shoulder slowly to check if it still hurt.
Felipe 慢慢地屈曲受傷的肩膀，測試是否還會痛。
flex slowly
Aoi flexed her fingers to loosen them up before the piano exam.
Aoi 在鋼琴考試前屈曲手指，讓它們放鬆。
Christopher flexed his arm and felt the muscle tighten under his shirt sleeve.
Christopher 繃緊手臂，感覺到肌肉在襯衫袖口下鼓起。
His leg muscles flexed automatically as he braced himself for the landing.
他準備落地時，腿部的肌肉自動繃緊了。
文法句型
flex + [body part]
flex [body part] + adverb
常見錯誤
2. to press or push a solid substance so that it curves without breaking, or for a
彎折
材料彎曲而不斷裂
to press or push a solid substance so that it curves without breaking, or for a substance to curve in this way
The plastic ruler flexed easily when Eli tried to fit it into his school bag.
Eli 想把塑膠尺放進書包時，尺輕易地彎折了。
[material] flexes + adverb
Nicholas gently flexed the fishing rod to test its strength before casting.
Nicholas 輕輕彎折釣竿，測試它在拋竿前的強度。
flex + [material noun]
The bridge deck is designed to flex slightly in strong winds without breaking.
這座橋面被設計成能在強風中稍微彎曲而不斷裂。
Reema flexed the cardboard sheet back and forth until it tore along the fold line.
Reema 將紙板前後彎折，直到它沿摺線裂開。
- bend
more general; flex suggests controlled bending that does not damage the material
- snap
break suddenly rather than bending
文法句型
flex + [material noun]
[material] flexes + adverb
3. to make small changes to established rules, plans, or standards so that they fit
通融；變通
稍微調整規則以適應需求
to make small changes to established rules, plans, or standards so that they fit a particular person or situation more fairly
The teacher decided to flex the deadline for students who provided medical certificates.
老師決定對提供醫生證明的學生通融繳交期限。
flex + [deadline]
Michael's manager agreed to flex the dress code during the summer heatwave.
Michael 的主管同意在夏季熱浪期間放寬服裝規定。
flex + [rule/standard]
The festival organisers flexed the noise restrictions to allow the concert to run late.
音樂節主辦單位放寬了噪音限制，讓演唱會可以進行到深夜。
Tendai asked if the company could flex its remote work policy for new parents.
Tendai 詢問公司是否可以為新手父母彈性調整遠距工作政策。
- enforce
to apply a rule strictly without making allowances
文法句型
flex + [rule/policy/deadline]
用法筆記
This sense often appears in workplace, educational, or institutional settings where rules or schedules are made more lenient for a specific reason.
常見錯誤
4. to talk with pride about or show something you have or have achieved, often maki
炫耀；顯擺
高調展示成就或財物
to talk with pride about or show something you have or have achieved, often making others feel bothered by it
Dylan could not stop flexing about his promotion at every team meeting.
Dylan 在每次團隊會議上都忍不住炫耀自己的升遷。
flex about + [topic]
Tamar flexed her new language skills by ordering the meal entirely in Mandarin.
Tamar 全程用中文點餐，藉機炫耀她的新語言能力。
Ayana was not trying to flex — she genuinely wanted to share her travel photos.
Ayana 並不是在炫耀——她只是真心想分享旅遊照片。
The teenager flexed on his classmates by wearing the most expensive sneakers to school.
那名青少年穿全校最貴的運動鞋上學，在同學面前顯擺了一番。
Posting your salary online just to impress people is a cheap way to flex.
把薪資條貼上網只是為了讓別人羨慕，這種炫耀方式很低級。
- hide
keep one's achievements or possessions private
文法句型
flex about + [noun/gerund]
flex on + [person]
flex + [possession/skill]
用法筆記
This sense is highly informal and originated in hip-hop and African American Vernacular English. It is very common on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The preposition on (flex on someone) carries a competitive or aggressive tone, meaning to show superiority.