greatness
greatness — 名詞
1. the state of being very important, famous, or powerful — used of people, achieve
偉大
極其重要、出名或具有影響力的狀態
the state of being very important, famous, or powerful — used of people, achievements, or ideas whose influence lasts across time.
It took years of hard work for Asher to achieve greatness as a concert pianist.
Asher 花了多年努力，才成為偉大的音樂會鋼琴家。
achieve greatness in [career/field]
The poet Wren achieved greatness not with money but with verses that still comfort readers today.
詩人 Wren 的偉大不在於金錢，而是來自他至今仍撫慰讀者的詩句。
achieved greatness through [lasting contribution]
Journalists still argue about the greatness of leaders like Nelson Mandela, whose legacy divides opinion.
記者們仍在辯論像 Nelson Mandela 這類領袖的偉大之處，其遺產引發了不同的看法。
Min received a national award for her greatness in the field of medical research.
Min 因其在醫學研究領域的偉大貢獻而獲得國家級獎項。
Rachid never expected greatness from his pottery hobby, but galleries asked to sell his work.
Rachid 從未想過自己的陶藝興趣能成就偉大，但當地畫廊開始爭取販售他的作品。
- eminence
more formal, often used for scholars or experts who are widely respected in their field
- stature
emphasises moral or intellectual standing rather than fame or power
- prominence
focuses on being widely known or visible rather than on inherent importance
- insignificance
the opposite of being important or influential
- obscurity
the opposite of being famous or well known
用法筆記
Often used with possessive determiners (his greatness, her greatness) or in the pattern 'greatness of [person/achievement].' Typically uncountable — do not use with an indefinite article.
常見錯誤
2. how exceptionally good or impressive someone or something is in ability, talent,
卓越
技能、才華或品格極其出色的狀態
how exceptionally good or impressive someone or something is in ability, talent, or character — said of skilled people, outstanding performances, or admirable personal qualities.
Emily's greatness as a chef showed in the perfect taste of every dish she made.
Emily 身為廚師的卓越才華，從她做的每道菜完美的味道中展現出來。
possessive: greatness as a [role]
When a fire destroyed Tariq's shop, neighbours rebuilt it in a week — for him, that kindness was true greatness.
一場火災燒毀了 Tariq 的店鋪後，鄰居們一週內就幫他重建——對他來說，那分善心就是真正的卓越。
collocation: true greatness shown by [concrete act]
The pianist's performance moved the audience to tears, a moment of pure artistic greatness.
那位鋼琴家的演奏令全場觀眾感動落淚，那是純粹的藝術卓越時刻。
At seventy-two, Gabriel ran his first half-marathon — personal greatness meant proving he could do it.
Gabriel 在七十二歲時完成了人生第一場半程馬拉松——所謂個人卓越，不過就是證明自己做得到。
Ife showed greatness of character by forgiving those who had treated her unfairly.
Ife 展現了品格上的卓越，她原諒了那些曾不公平對待她的人。
- excellence
the closest synonym; slightly less formal and more widely used across contexts
- brilliance
emphasises outstanding intelligence, creativity, or talent
- distinction
focuses on being noticeably better than others in a particular area
- mediocrity
the opposite of being exceptionally good or impressive
- inferiority
emphasises being below average in quality or ability
用法筆記
Commonly paired with a role or domain via 'as a [role]' (greatness as a teacher) or 'of [quality]' (greatness of spirit) to specify the area of excellence.
常見錯誤
3. the degree to which something is large or extreme in size, number, or intensity
巨大
事物在規模、數量或程度上極大的性質
the degree to which something is large or extreme in size, number, or intensity — used of physical objects, natural forces, or quantities.
The greatness of the Sahara amazed Wei, who had never imagined sand stretching so far.
撒哈拉沙漠的浩瀚讓 Wei 感到驚嘆，他從未想像過沙子可以延伸到這麼遠。
collocation: greatness of [vast landscape]
Hikers stopped in awe at the canyon cliffs whose greatness rose a thousand metres above them.
健行者們停下腳步，敬畏地仰望峽谷峭壁的巨大——千米高的岩壁聳立在他們面前。
collocation: greatness of [natural feature] with measurement
No one expected the dam wall's greatness — it stretched across the entire valley.
沒有人料到那道水壩的牆會如此巨大——它橫跨了整座山谷。
The greatness of the crowd that filled the square surprised even the event organisers.
擠滿廣場的人群之多，連活動主辦方都感到意外。
Standing on the cliff, Diego looked out at the greatness of the ocean before him.
Diego 站在懸崖上，眺望著眼前浩瀚的海洋。
用法筆記
Typically appears in the structure 'the greatness of [something]' when describing physical scale or degree. Less common in everyday speech; prefer more specific nouns (height, width, volume) for exact measurements.