harp
harp — 名詞
1. A large instrument that stands on the floor, built from wood with strings runnin
豎琴
三角形框架的大型弦樂器
A large instrument that stands on the floor, built from wood with strings running down its tall triangular frame. The player pulls the strings gently to make musical notes.
Faisal sat at the back of the orchestra and played the harp with great care.
Faisal 坐在樂團後方，小心翼翼地彈奏豎琴。
collocation: play the harp
A small harp stood in the corner of the music room for student practice.
音樂教室的角落裡放著一把小豎琴，供學生練習使用。
countable: a harp / the harp
Cyrus gently pulled the harp strings and a warm, soft note filled the concert hall.
Cyrus 輕輕撥動豎琴的琴弦，溫暖柔和的音符充滿了音樂廳。
Layla listened to recordings of Celtic harp music every evening before bed.
Layla 每晚睡前都會聽凱爾特豎琴音樂的錄音。
When the harp strings broke during the concert, the audience waited quietly.
豎琴的琴弦在音樂會中斷掉時，觀眾都安靜地等待著。
文法句型
a harp
the harp
用法筆記
Often preceded by 'the' when referring to the instrument as a category ('She plays the harp'). Countable when referring to individual instruments ('Three harps were on stage').
常見錯誤
2. A small metal musical instrument that you hold against your mouth and blow or su
口琴
一種小型吹奏樂器
A small metal musical instrument that you hold against your mouth and blow or suck air through to make sounds. In informal use, this word means the same as a harmonica.
Andrés pulled a harp from his coat pocket and played a short folk tune.
Andrés 從外套口袋拿出一把口琴，吹了一小段民謠。
informal register: 'harp' for harmonica
The old blues singer carried a harp everywhere he went.
那位老藍調歌手走到哪裡都隨身帶著口琴。
Hyun learned three new songs on the harp after only two weeks of practice.
Hyun 練習口琴才兩個星期就學會了三首新歌。
At the jazz club, Beatrix played a bright solo on her harp while the band smiled around her.
在爵士俱樂部裡，Beatrix 用口琴吹奏了一段明亮的獨奏，樂團成員們都微笑著圍在她身邊。
- harmonica
the standard formal name for this instrument
- mouth organ
another informal name, more common in British English
文法句型
a harp
on the harp
用法筆記
This sense is most common among blues, folk, and jazz musicians. In general English, 'harmonica' is the usual term; learners should use 'harmonica' unless they know the context is informal or music-specialist.
常見錯誤
harp — 動詞
1. To produce music by pulling the strings of a harp with your fingers.
彈豎琴
演奏豎琴
To produce music by pulling the strings of a harp with your fingers.
Wren learned to harp at a young age and performed in many concerts.
Wren 從小就學習彈豎琴，並在多場音樂會中演出。
The musician harped softly while the guests walked around the gallery.
那位音樂家輕輕彈著豎琴，賓客們則在畫廊裡走動欣賞。
intransitive: no direct object needed
Daichi practiced the harp each evening in his grandfather's workshop until calluses formed on his fingers.
Daichi 每天傍晚都在祖父的工作室裡練習彈豎琴，練到手指長出繭來。
Amihan harped at the festival and received loud applause from the crowd.
Amihan 在音樂節上彈奏豎琴，贏得了觀眾的熱烈掌聲。
- pluck
more general — you can pluck any stringed instrument, not just a harp
文法句型
harp + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
This is an uncommon verb. The noun phrase 'play the harp' is much more frequent in everyday English than the verb 'to harp'.
常見錯誤
2. To keep talking about one particular subject for too long, in a way that becomes
喋喋不休
反覆提起同一話題
To keep talking about one particular subject for too long, in a way that becomes boring or annoying for others. Often used with 'on' or 'about'.
Grandpa kept harping on about the price of eggs when he was young.
爺爺一直嘮叨他年輕時的雞蛋價格。
pattern: harp on about + topic
Yael's teacher would harp on the same grammar rule until everyone understood.
Yael 的老師反覆講同一個文法規則，直到大家都懂了為止。
pattern: harp on + noun phrase
During meetings, Ife always harps on about the need for more staff training.
開會時，Ife 總是喋喋不休地談論需要更多員工培訓的事。
Allison wished her friend would stop harping on past mistakes that could not be changed.
Allison 希望她的朋友不要再對過去無法改變的錯誤喋喋不休。
The manager harped on safety rules at every company gathering.
經理每次公司聚會都要嘮叨安全規則。
- dwell on
more neutral — can be internal/mental, not necessarily spoken aloud
- go on about
equally informal, very common in British English
- labour
more formal, as in 'labour the point'
- drop
as in 'drop the subject' — to stop talking about it
文法句型
harp on + topic
harp about + topic
用法筆記
Almost always used with the particle 'on' ('harp on') or 'on about' ('harp on about'). 'Harp about' alone is possible but less common. The tone is mildly disapproving — the speaker feels the repetition is excessive.
常見錯誤
3. To annoy someone by repeatedly telling them what to do or complaining about what
糾纏；煩擾
不斷催促或責備某人
To annoy someone by repeatedly telling them what to do or complaining about what they have done, like being a nag.
Astrid's mother harped at her all morning to clean the kitchen.
Astrid 的母親整個早上都在催她打掃廚房。
pattern: harp at + person + infinitive
Justin felt the supervisor was always harping at him for small mistakes.
Justin 覺得主管總是為了一點小錯而糾纏他。
The children grew tired of hearing their aunt harp at them about table manners.
孩子們聽煩了姑姑一直嘮叨他們的餐桌禮儀。
Tuan's coach harped at him about keeping his elbow up during every baseball practice.
Tuan 的教練每次棒球練習時都要嘮叨他的手肘要保持抬高。
- leave alone
to stop bothering someone
文法句型
harp at + person
用法筆記
Used with the preposition 'at' ('harp at someone'). This sense overlaps with sense 2 (DWELL ON), but differs by directing the complaint AT a person rather than dwelling ON a topic. Less common in modern English than 'nag' or 'harp on'.