gay
gay — 形容詞
1. describes a person whose romantic or sexual feelings are directed towards people
同性戀的
對同性產生性吸引或情感吸引
describes a person whose romantic or sexual feelings are directed towards people of their own gender — for instance, a man who is drawn to other men, or a woman who is drawn to other women.
Liam came out as gay to his family after graduating from college.
Liam 大學畢業後向家人出櫃，坦承自己是同性戀。
be + gay: describing identity
The city has several cafés and bookshops that welcome gay people.
這個城市有幾間歡迎同性戀者的咖啡館和書店。
gay + noun: attributive use
My cousin brought her girlfriend to the wedding — they are both gay.
我表妹帶她的女友來參加婚禮——她們兩個都是同性戀。
A survey found that more young people now identify as gay or bisexual.
一項調查發現，現在有更多年輕人認為自己是同性戀或雙性戀。
Talia read a novel about a gay couple raising children in a small town.
Talia 讀了一本小說，內容關於一對同性戀伴侶在小鎮養育孩子。
- homosexual
more clinical and formal; considered dated by many speakers
- queer
umbrella term reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community; still seen as offensive by some older speakers
- same-sex
used before nouns only (e.g. same-sex couple); describes the relationship, not a person's identity
- straight
informal term for heterosexual; the most common everyday antonym
- heterosexual
formal, clinical term
文法句型
gay + noun
be + gay
用法筆記
This is the standard, respectful term for same-gender attraction. It can refer to both men and women, though when used alone it often refers to gay men. The term 'lesbian' is more specific to women. Using 'gay' as a noun to refer to a person ('a gay') can sound dated or dismissive in some contexts; the adjective form ('a gay person') is safer for learners.
常見錯誤
2. relating to the people, culture, organisations, or events connected with gay com
同志社群的
與同志族群文化或組織相關
relating to the people, culture, organisations, or events connected with gay communities — for example, a gay pride parade or a gay rights organisation.
Quan volunteers at a centre that offers legal advice to the gay community.
Quan 在一個為同志社群提供法律諮詢的中心擔任志工。
gay community: common noun phrase
The city's first gay pride parade took place in 1998.
這個城市的第一場同志驕傲遊行於 1998 年舉行。
gay pride: attributive phrase
Several gay bars and clubs have opened in the neighbourhood over the last five years.
過去五年內，這個街區開了好幾間同志酒吧和夜店。
Élise writes a column about gay culture and film for a local magazine.
Élise 在一份本地雜誌上撰寫關於同志文化與電影的專欄。
The library has a special section with books on gay history and literature.
圖書館有一個專門擺放同志歷史與文學書籍的區域。
文法句型
gay + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used before nouns such as 'community', 'culture', 'rights', 'pride', 'marriage', 'bar', 'club'. This attributive sense is distinct from sense 1: it describes things that belong to or are intended for gay people, rather than a person's identity.
3. describes social or legal activities that involve gay people in partnerships — f
同志伴侶
涉及同志伴侶的社會或法律活動
describes social or legal activities that involve gay people in partnerships — for example, raising children or getting married — especially where these activities are new, debated, or not yet legally accepted in some places.
The laws about gay adoption are different in every country.
關於同志領養的法律，每個國家都不一樣。
gay adoption: activity noun phrase
Caio and his partner attended a workshop for gay parents.
Caio 和他的伴侶參加了一場同志父母的工作坊。
gay parents: family context
The debate over gay marriage continues to divide public opinion across the region.
關於同志婚姻的辯論在該地區持續分裂民意。
A growing number of religious groups now support gay couples who wish to marry.
越來越多的宗教團體支持希望結婚的同志伴侶。
- same-sex
more neutral and legal-sounding; used in official documents and news reporting
文法句型
gay + noun
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with sense 2 but focuses on specific activities (adoption, parenting, marriage) that may be legally restricted or socially debated in certain countries. Use sense 2 for broader community/cultural references. This sense is increasingly used in news and policy discussions.
4. cheerful, lively, and enjoying oneself — an older meaning that is still occasion
快樂的
愉快、歡樂的（舊式用語）
cheerful, lively, and enjoying oneself — an older meaning that is still occasionally found in literary or nostalgic writing.
The children's gay laughter filled the garden on that warm summer afternoon.
在那個溫暖的夏日午後，孩子們快樂的笑聲充滿了花園。
old-fashioned literary use
A group of friends spent a gay evening dancing and singing around the campfire.
一群朋友圍著營火唱歌跳舞，度過了一個歡樂的夜晚。
The old letter spoke of a gay and carefree time long before the war.
那封舊信提到了一段戰前快樂無憂的時光。
Her diary described the festival as a gay occasion with music and colour everywhere.
她的日記形容那場節慶活動充滿了音樂與色彩，是一場歡樂的盛會。
文法句型
be + gay (with delight/happiness)
用法筆記
This meaning is now old-fashioned. In modern everyday English, 'gay' almost always relates to sexuality (sense 1). Using this older sense can confuse listeners or sound dated. In American English, 'gay' in this sense is very rarely used except in historical or literary contexts.
常見錯誤
5. bright, colourful, and cheerful in appearance — used to describe places, decorat
鮮艷的
色彩明亮豐富的（舊式用語）
bright, colourful, and cheerful in appearance — used to describe places, decorations, or clothing with many vivid colours.
The room was decorated with gay ribbons and bright paper flowers.
房間裡裝飾著鮮艷的彩帶和亮麗的紙花。
gay + ribbons/flowers: visual description
She wore a gay scarf with stripes of red, yellow, and blue.
她戴著一條有紅、黃、藍色條紋的鮮艷圍巾。
The market stalls were covered in gay fabrics that fluttered in the breeze.
市集攤位上掛滿了鮮艷的布料，在微風中飄動。
In the old painting, the village square is filled with gay banners and flags.
在舊畫作中，村莊廣場上掛滿了鮮艷的旗幟和橫幅。
文法句型
gay + noun (of colours/decorations)
用法筆記
This meaning is old-fashioned and very rare in modern English. It appears most often in classic literature or historical descriptions. Modern alternatives include 'bright', 'colourful', or 'vibrant'. Note that using this sense in speech may cause confusion with the sexuality meaning.
常見錯誤
6. an offensive and derogatory way of saying that something is bad, stupid, uncool,
爛的；遜的
冒犯性用語，形容糟糕或無聊
an offensive and derogatory way of saying that something is bad, stupid, uncool, or not worth doing — never use this meaning in serious or respectful communication.
Some teenagers used to call a boring lesson gay, but this is now widely considered offensive.
有些青少年曾用 gay 來形容無聊的課，但這種用法現在已被普遍視為冒犯。
⚠️ offensive usage warning
The character in the film calls the cheap hotel room gay to show how mean he is.
片中角色用 gay 來形容廉價旅館房間，藉此表現他的刻薄。
Teachers now explain to students that using 'gay' to mean 'bad' is hurtful and unacceptable.
老師現在會向學生解釋，用 gay 來表示「很爛」是傷人且不可接受的行為。
Using "gay" to mean "lame" spreads prejudice and hurts classmates.
用 gay 來表示「很糟」會助長偏見，並傷害同學的感受。
文法句型
be + gay
用法筆記
⚠️ STRONG WARNING: This use is highly offensive and derogatory. It treats the word 'gay' as an insult for something bad or uncool, which reinforces negative stereotypes about gay people. Many schools and workplaces have policies against this usage. Learners should never use it. The only reason it is included in this dictionary is to help learners recognise it and understand why it is harmful. If you hear someone use 'gay' this way, understand that it reflects poorly on the speaker, not on gay people.
gay — 名詞
1. a person who is gay — most often used in the plural ('gays') to refer to gay peo
同性戀者
同性戀的人（常用複數形式）
a person who is gay — most often used in the plural ('gays') to refer to gay people as a group, though the adjective form ('gay people') is generally preferred as more respectful.
The campaign was created by a group of gays and lesbians from across the city.
這個倡議活動由一群來自全市的男同志和女同志共同發起。
plural: gays and lesbians
Many gays and bisexuals report feeling safer in cities with strong anti-discrimination laws.
許多同志和雙性戀者表示，在反歧視法律完善的城市裡他們感到更安全。
The documentary tells the stories of elderly gays who lived through a time when homosexuality was illegal.
這部紀錄片講述了曾生活在同性戀非法時代的老年同志們的故事。
Brooke works for a charity that supports unemployed gays and transgender individuals.
Brooke 在一家幫助失業同志與跨性別者的慈善機構工作。
- LGBTQ+ person
broader, more inclusive term
- homosexual
more formal and clinical; less common in everyday conversation
- straight person
everyday term for a heterosexual person
- heterosexual
formal term
文法句型
the + plural noun
number + gays (rare)
用法筆記
The noun form is common in plural contexts ('gays', 'gays and lesbians'). Using the singular 'a gay' to refer to an individual can sound dismissive or old-fashioned in some contexts; 'a gay person' or 'a gay man/woman' is often preferred. In journalistic and academic writing, 'gay people', 'gay men', or 'the gay community' are more common than the bare noun.