great
great — 形容詞
1. much bigger in size, amount, or physical extent than what is normal or typical f
巨大
規模或數量遠高於一般標準的
much bigger in size, amount, or physical extent than what is normal or typical for something of its kind.
A great crowd of people gathered in the square to hear the results of the election.
一大群人聚集在廣場上，等待聽到選舉結果。
a great + collective noun for a large gathering
The storm caused a great deal of damage to houses along the coast last night.
昨晚的風暴對沿海的房屋造成了大量損害。
a great deal of + uncountable noun
The Watanabe family has great hopes for their eldest daughter's future.
Watanabe 家對大女兒的未來寄予厚望。
There was a great difference between what the manager promised and what he actually delivered.
經理承諾的與他實際做到的之間存在巨大差異。
The great hall of the palace could seat more than a thousand dinner guests at once.
皇宮的大廳可以同時容納一千多位晚宴賓客。
- big
more common in everyday speech for physical size; less formal than 'great'
- large
neutral in register; preferred in measurements and statistics
- huge
stronger than 'great' in expressing surprising size; more informal
- enormous
much stronger than 'great'; suggests something is surprisingly or shockingly large
文法句型
great + noun
a great + noun
a great deal of + uncountable noun
用法筆記
This sense is the broadest and most general use of 'great'. It applies to physical size (a great hall), countable quantities (a great crowd), and uncountable amounts (a great deal of damage). Distinguish from SENSE 2 (EXTREME DEGREE), which is limited to abstract qualities like care, importance, or concern.
常見錯誤
2. used before abstract nouns to describe a very high level of a feeling, quality,
極大
用於抽象名詞前表示程度極高
used before abstract nouns to describe a very high level of a feeling, quality, or state — such as care, importance, pride, or concern.
The nurse showed great care when treating the frightened child in the emergency room.
那位護士在治療受驚嚇的孩子時表現出極大的關懷。
great + abstract noun: care, importance, concern, pride
Hassan took great pride in his vegetable garden, which won first place at the county fair.
Hassan 對自己的菜園感到非常自豪，它在縣展中贏得了第一名。
The discovery of the new treatment is of great importance to the future of medical science.
新療法的發現對醫學科學的未來具有重大意義。
Aylin listened with great attention while the guest speaker described her travels through South America.
Aylin 非常專注地聆聽那位客座講者描述她在南美洲的旅行。
The safety of the children was a matter of great concern to everyone in the community.
孩子們的安全是社區裡每個人都非常關切的事。
- immense
stronger than 'great'; more formal in tone
- tremendous
informal and emphatic; common in spoken English
- enormous
similar strength to 'tremendous'; slightly more formal
- profound
limited to intellectual or emotional depth; more formal than 'great'
文法句型
great + abstract noun (care, importance, concern, pride, detail)
用法筆記
Unlike SENSE 1 (LARGE IN AMOUNT), this sense only combines with abstract, non-physical nouns. You cannot say 'great care' to mean 'large in size.' The nouns that follow are nearly always uncountable: care, importance, concern, pride, detail, accuracy, pleasure, difficulty, interest.
常見錯誤
3. of a very high quality, standard, or ability — causing a feeling of admiration,
很棒
品質或表現非常好的
of a very high quality, standard, or ability — causing a feeling of admiration, satisfaction, or pleasure.
You got the job? That's great news! I knew you would succeed.
你得到那份工作了？真是好消息！我就知道你會成功。
exclamation: 'That's great!' for positive reaction
The film we watched last night was really great — Linh wants to see it again this weekend.
我們昨晚看的電影真的很棒——Linh 這個週末還想再看一次。
Nora is a great cook; her homemade pasta with fresh basil is the best I have ever tasted.
Nora 是一位很棒的廚師；她親手做的羅勒義大利麵是我吃過最好吃的。
The hotel offered great service and a wonderful view of the Pacific Ocean from every room.
那家旅館提供一流的服務，每個房間都能看到太平洋的美景。
The children thought it was a great idea to plant vegetables in the school garden this spring.
孩子們覺得在學校花園裡種菜是個很棒的主意。
文法句型
great + noun
be great
That's great!
Great!
用法筆記
Also used as a casual exclamation: 'Great!' can express genuine satisfaction. However, with sarcastic intonation, 'Oh, great!' means the opposite — that something annoying or disappointing has happened. This ironic use is very common in spoken English.
常見錯誤
❌ 'This is a great problem.' (meaning 'This is a very good problem') — 'Great' meaning 'excellent' with 'problem' is confusing because 'great problem' usually means 'big problem'. Use 'wonderful opportunity' or 'great chance' instead.
4. having a very high level of influence, fame, or historical significance in a par
偉大
具有影響力或崇高地位的
having a very high level of influence, fame, or historical significance in a particular field or period.
Marie Curie is remembered as one of the greatest scientists of the modern era.
Marie Curie 被銘記為現代最偉大的科學家之一。
the great + field-specific noun: scientist, leader, writer
The museum has a special exhibition about the great civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.
博物館舉辦了一個關於古代美索不達米亞和埃及偉大文明的特展。
Baraka dreamed of becoming a great writer whose stories would inspire people around the world.
Baraka 夢想成為一位偉大的作家，用他的故事激勵世界各地的人們。
One of the greatest challenges facing the city government is the shortage of affordable housing.
市政府面臨的最大挑戰之一是可負擔住房的短缺問題。
The great works of Renaissance art still attract millions of visitors to Florence every year.
文藝復興時期的偉大藝術作品每年依然吸引數百萬遊客前往佛羅倫斯。
- eminent
more formal; suggests respect from peers in a particular field
- distinguished
focuses on long-term achievement and recognition
- illustrious
very formal; suggests a glorious and impressive career
- insignificant
opposite in terms of influence or importance
- minor
opposite in terms of scale or status
文法句型
great + noun (leader, work, achievement, challenge)
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with SENSE 3 (EXCELLENT) when applied to people — a 'great scientist' is both highly skilled and historically important. The key difference: SENSE 4 adds the dimension of fame or historical weight, not just quality. When describing a living person, 'great' in this sense is usually reserved for people of established influence.
常見錯誤
5. used informally before another adjective of size to make the description stronge
好大
置於形容詞前加強語氣
used informally before another adjective of size to make the description stronger and more vivid, without adding precise meaning.
The family lived in a great big house at the top of the hill with a red front door.
那戶人家住在山頂上一棟好大的房子裡，有一扇紅色的大門。
pattern: great + big + noun
A great long line of cars was waiting at the entrance to the theme park before opening time.
遊樂園開門前，入口處就已經排了好長一列的車。
The children found a great huge mushroom growing under the old oak tree in the forest.
孩子們在森林裡的老橡樹下發現了一顆好大的蘑菇。
Ramón gave a great loud cheer when his favourite team scored the winning goal in the final minute.
Ramón 最喜歡的球隊在最後一分鐘踢進致勝一球時，他發出了一聲好大的歡呼。
Grandmother kept a great thick book of fairy tales on the shelf beside her favourite armchair.
奶奶最喜歡的扶手椅旁邊的書架上，放著一本好厚的童話故事書。
文法句型
great + (big/long/huge/thick/tall) + noun
用法筆記
In this construction, 'great' does not add factual information — its role is emotional and rhetorical, making the description more colourful. It almost always pairs with an existing size adjective (big, long, huge, thick, tall, wide). It cannot be used with non-size adjectives (*a great beautiful house is unnatural).
常見錯誤
6. having a very strong interest in something or doing something with noticeable en
熱衷
對某事物極感興趣的
having a very strong interest in something or doing something with noticeable energy and enjoyment.
Rania is a great fan of jazz music and goes to live concerts at least twice a month.
Rania 是爵士樂的狂熱粉絲，每個月至少去聽兩次現場演唱會。
pattern: great + fan/lover/believer + of
Vivek was a great reader as a child and finished two library books every single week.
Vivek 小時候是個熱衷閱讀的孩子，每週都能看完兩本圖書館借來的書。
Élise is a great believer in morning exercise and runs three kilometres before breakfast every day.
Élise 非常信奉晨間運動的好處，每天早餐前都會跑三公里。
The Hassan children are great lovers of animals and visit the city farm every Saturday afternoon.
Hassan 家的孩子們非常喜愛動物，每個星期六下午都會去城裡的農場。
Emre was a great walker who knew every trail and shortcut in the national park near his home.
Emre 是個熱衷健行的人，他家附近的國家公園裡的每一條步道和小徑他都熟門熟路。
- keen
more common in British English; 'a keen football fan'
- avid
slightly more formal; suggests deep commitment ('an avid reader')
- passionate
stronger emotional tone than 'great'; 'a passionate believer in'
- reluctant
opposite in terms of willingness or enthusiasm
- indifferent
suggests lack of interest
文法句型
great + noun + of (fan of, lover of, believer in)
用法筆記
This sense appears in the fixed pattern 'great + role noun + of/at (+ activity)'. The role nouns are limited to about a dozen common ones: fan, lover, believer, supporter, reader, walker, talker, thinker, believer, admirer. It always carries a tone of enthusiasm, not just skill.
常見錯誤
7. showing a generous, kind, or morally admirable quality of character, especially
崇高
品德高尚、寬厚大度的
showing a generous, kind, or morally admirable quality of character, especially in a difficult situation that calls for courage or self-sacrifice.
Anna was a woman of great heart who always helped neighbours in trouble.
Anna 是一位心胸寬大的女性，總是不求回報地主動幫助有困難的鄰居。
formal/literary register; noun of character: heart, soul, spirit, kindness
The old king was remembered for his great soul and generous, forgiving nature.
那位老國王以他高尚的靈魂和寬宏的氣度而為人所銘記。
The general showed great mercy to the defeated army by letting the soldiers go home.
將軍對戰敗的軍隊展現了極大的寬容，讓士兵們得以返家。
The principal praised the great spirit of the students who volunteered overseas.
校長讚揚了那些曾到海外擔任志工的學生的崇高精神。
The volunteers' great kindness towards the refugees moved everyone who heard their story.
志工們對難民展現的偉大善心感動了每一個聽到這個故事的人。
- noble
direct synonym; emphasises moral superiority and honour
- admirable
focuses on the quality being worthy of respect
- magnanimous
very formal; specifically means generous in forgiving
文法句型
great + noun of character (heart, soul, spirit, kindness, mercy, courage)
用法筆記
This sense is formal and appears mostly in literary or ceremonial contexts. The nouns it modifies are restricted to abstract character qualities (heart, soul, spirit, courage, mercy, kindness, generosity). In modern everyday speech, this sense of 'great' sounds old-fashioned or poetic. Contrast with SENSE 2 (EXTREME DEGREE), which combines with a wider range of abstract nouns in ordinary contexts.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He showed great heart by eating all his dinner.' — Using 'great heart' for a trivial action sounds unnatural and comical. Reserve 'great + character noun' for genuinely serious or admirable actions.
8. added after the name of a ruler or historical leader to indicate that they are c
大帝；偉大的
冠於統治者姓名後的尊稱
added after the name of a ruler or historical leader to indicate that they are considered the most significant or powerful person of that name in history.
Alexander the Great built one of the largest empires in the ancient world.
亞歷山大大帝在古代世界建立了最遼闊的帝國之一。
title 'the Great' after a ruler's name
Catherine the Great's reign is often called the golden age of Russia.
凱薩琳大帝的統治時期常被稱為俄羅斯的黃金時代。
Students read about Alfred the Great and his efforts to promote education in England.
學生們學習了阿爾弗雷德大帝如何致力於在英格蘭推廣教育。
Historians still debate whether Ramesses the Great deserved his magnificent reputation.
歷史學家仍在爭論拉美西斯大帝是否配得上他輝煌的名聲。
Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg in 1703 and turned Russia into a major European power.
彼得大帝於 1703 年建立了聖彼得堡，將俄羅斯轉變為一個歐洲強國。
文法句型
[Name] the Great
用法筆記
This is not a productive adjective pattern — you cannot invent new uses (e.g., *Einstein the Great would sound odd). 'The Great' is a fixed historical epithet attached to certain rulers by tradition. The article 'the' is always required, and the phrase follows the name as a title.
常見錯誤
great — 副詞
1. in a very good, successful, or satisfactory way — used informally after verbs de
順利
非常順利或成功地
in a very good, successful, or satisfactory way — used informally after verbs describing performance, progress, or state.
I am doing great, thanks — my new job is going very well.
「我過得很好，謝謝——我的新工作進展得很順利。」
colloquial: 'doing great' after verb 'do'
The team played great in the second half of the match and scored three goals.
球隊在下半場表現得很好，踢進了三個球。
Everything is going great with the new coffee shop since it opened downtown last month.
新咖啡店上個月在市中心開幕以來，一切都很順利。
Despite the heavy rain all afternoon, the outdoor wedding turned out great in the end.
儘管整個下午都在下大雨，戶外婚禮最後還是很成功。
The two sisters get along great now that they share an apartment in Brooklyn.
那兩姐妹現在一起住在布魯克林的一間公寓裡，相處得非常融洽。
- well
standard form; acceptable in all registers
- really well
emphatic but still neutral in register
- wonderfully
more formal and expressive
文法句型
do/go/play/work + great
用法筆記
In formal writing, use 'very well' instead of 'great' as an adverb. 'Great' as an adverb is accepted in everyday speech and informal writing but may be marked as incorrect in tests or academic contexts. It is most common in North American English; British speakers often prefer 'really well'.
常見錯誤
great — 名詞
1. a highly famous, deeply respected, or outstandingly skilled individual in a part
偉人；大師
在特定領域非常有成就的人
a highly famous, deeply respected, or outstandingly skilled individual in a particular line of work, most often the arts or sports.
The museum has a permanent collection of paintings by the greats of modern French art.
該博物館永久收藏了法國現代藝術大師們的畫作。
pattern: the greats of + field
Young musicians travel to New Orleans hoping to learn from the jazz greats.
年輕音樂家前往紐奧良，希望能向爵士樂大師們學習。
Feng studied the philosophical greats during his final year at university.
Feng 在大學最後一年研讀了哲學大師們的著作。
Serena Williams is widely considered one of the all-time greats of tennis.
Serena Williams 被廣泛認為是網壇史上最偉大的選手之一。
The awards ceremony gathered the greats of Hollywood together under one roof.
頒獎典禮將好萊塢的傳奇人物齊聚一堂。
文法句型
the greats of + field
one of the greats
all-time greats
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural ('the greats'). Singular use ('he is a great') is rarer and sounds slightly old-fashioned or self-consciously formal. The field is introduced by 'of' (the greats of cinema) or implied by context. This noun is also used in informal sports contexts to mean 'legendary players' (one of the all-time greats).
常見錯誤
great — 字首
1. placed before a family-relationship term such as 'grandfather' or 'aunt' to indi
曾
用於家庭稱呼前表示隔一代
placed before a family-relationship term such as 'grandfather' or 'aunt' to indicate that the person is one generation more distant — either older or younger — than the base term alone would express.
Iris's great-grandfather came to Taiwan from Fujian province more than a hundred years ago.
Iris 的曾祖父一百多年前從福建省來到臺灣。
prefix: great-grandfather (two generations above)
The old family photograph shows four generations together from the baby to her great-grandmother.
那張老的家庭照片中展示了四代人，從嬰兒到她的曾祖母。
Nicholas's great-aunt still lives in the same village where she was born in 1945.
Nicholas 的姑婆仍然住在她 1945 年出生的那個村子裡。
Anna's great-nephew just started primary school and loves drawing animals with crayons.
Anna 的甥孫才剛開始上小學，很喜歡用蠟筆畫動物。
Priya's great-great-grandmother sailed from Ireland to New York in 1892 and settled in Brooklyn.
Priya 的曾曾祖母於 1892 年從愛爾蘭乘船來到紐約，並在布魯克林定居。
文法句型
great- + family noun (grandfather, aunt, nephew, grandchild)
用法筆記
The prefix can be repeated (great-great-grandfather) to go further generations back. The same prefix also works for descending generations: great-grandchild, great-granddaughter, great-grandson. In informal family conversation, people may use 'great-grandma' or 'great-auntie' as affectionate forms.
常見錯誤
❌ 'My great-grandfather's brother' (when meaning 'great-great-uncle') — The prefix works consistently: one 'great-' per generation away from the base relation.