granite
granite — 名詞
1. a hard natural stone with small shiny crystals in it, usually light grey or pink
花崗岩
堅硬、結晶明顯的建築用石材
a hard natural stone with small shiny crystals in it, usually light grey or pink in colour, that is cut and used for making buildings, kitchen worktops, and monuments.
Rafael installed new granite worktops in the kitchen before selling the house.
Rafael 在廚房裝了新花崗岩檯面之後才出售房子。
collocation: granite worktops
The old bridge was built from local granite and has lasted over two hundred years.
這座老橋是用當地的花崗岩建造的，已經使用了超過兩百年。
passive: be built from granite
Quan ran his hand over the smooth, polished granite surface of the memorial wall.
Quan 用手撫摸紀念牆光滑拋光的花崗岩表面。
Granite from this quarry has a distinctive pink colour that architects love.
來自這座採石場的花崗岩帶有獨特的粉紅色，建築師們很喜歡。
Sana chose dark grey granite for the bathroom floor as it resists scratching.
Sana 選了深灰色花崗岩鋪在浴室地板，因為它不易刮傷。
- stone
a broader term; granite is one specific kind of stone
- rock
even broader; granite is an igneous rock, but 'rock' is used in everyday speech for any hard natural material from the ground
- marble
a different type of stone that is softer and has veins rather than crystals; often confused with granite in kitchen design
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when referring to the material in general ("a countertop made of granite"). When countable, it means a specific type or variety ("different granites are used for different purposes").
常見錯誤
2. the quality of being extremely strong and determined in character, so that nothi
堅毅；剛強
像花崗岩般不可動搖的特質
the quality of being extremely strong and determined in character, so that nothing can change or weaken a person's attitude or beliefs — like the rock itself.
Ife faced the hostile questions with granite composure and refused to be rattled.
Ife 以花崗岩般堅定的沉著面對敵意的質問，絲毫不為所動。
figurative: granite composure
The coach's granite determination inspired the team to keep training through the winter.
教練如花崗岩般堅毅的決心激勵了球隊在整個冬天堅持訓練。
figurative: granite determination
Léa showed a granite resolve that her colleagues had never seen in her before.
Léa 展現出一種花崗岩般堅定的決心，這是同事們以前從未在她身上見過的。
The judge's granite stance silenced the whole courtroom.
那位法官花崗岩般堅定的立場讓整個法庭鴉雀無聲。
Christopher held a granite will to rebuild the village after the flood destroyed everything.
Christopher 懷著花崗岩般堅定的意志，要在洪水摧毀一切之後重建村莊。
- resolve
focuses more on determination to achieve a goal; less metaphorical than 'granite'
- fortitude
suggests patient endurance of hardship; more about suffering than about firmness
- tenacity
emphasises refusing to give up; 'granite' adds a sense of being unaffected by external pressure
- steel
similar figurative use (nerves of steel); 'granite' implies heaviness and immovability, while 'steel' suggests sharpness and strength
- weakness
granite implies unyielding strength; weakness is its direct opposite
- flexibility
granite suggests rigidity; flexibility means the ability to bend or adapt
文法句型
granite + noun (will, determination, resolve, composure, stance)
用法筆記
This is a figurative or metaphorical extension of the literal meaning. It appears most often before abstract nouns such as will, determination, resolve, composure, and stance. It is not used in everyday conversation; it belongs to formal or literary registers. The standalone construction 'something granite about [person/thing]' is less common but acceptable.