hero

hero — 名詞

1. A person who does an unusually brave act or reaches a remarkable goal, earning t

1.名詞A2
釋義

英雄；勇士

因勇敢或成就而受敬仰的人

A person who does an unusually brave act or reaches a remarkable goal, earning the admiration of others — for instance, a firefighter who pulls people from a burning building, or an activist who stands up for what is right.

例句

The firefighter who ran into the burning building was hailed as a hero.

衝進失火建築的消防員被譽為英雄。

hailed as a hero — common collocation

The soldier received a medal for bravery and was treated like a hero when he returned home.

那位士兵因英勇行為獲頒勳章，回到家鄉時受到英雄般的對待。

同義詞
  • champion

    focuses on fighting for a cause or defeating opponents, often in sports or social movements

  • brave person

    literal and less formal; lacks the admiration component of 'hero'

反義詞
  • coward

    a person who lacks the courage to do what is right or necessary

  • villain

    a person who does evil or harmful things, opposite in moral standing

用法筆記

Frequently paired with 'hailed as', 'treated like', or 'made into'. The feminine form 'heroine' exists but is less common in modern use.

常見錯誤

❌He became a hero celebrity after the rescue.
✅He became a hero after the rescue.
💡'hero' already implies admiration; adding 'celebrity' is redundant and shifts the meaning to fame rather than bravery.
❌She is a hero for being a movie star.
✅She is her fans' hero because of her charity work.
💡'hero' implies brave or noble actions, not just fame.

2. The character at the heart of a story, movie, play, or game — often but not alwa

2.名詞B1
釋義

主角

故事或電影的中心人物

The character at the heart of a story, movie, play, or game — often but not always male — who typically fights for good and must overcome difficult obstacles.

例句

The hero of the novel discovers a hidden world behind a bookshelf in his grandmother's attic.

這部小說的主角在祖母閣樓的書櫃後面發現了一個隱藏的世界。

the hero of [story] — identifies the main character

Quinn plays the hero in the school play — a young prince who must save his kingdom from an evil sorcerer.

Quinn 在學校話劇中飾演主角——一位必須從邪惡巫師手中拯救王國的年輕王子。

同義詞
  • protagonist

    more formal and technical; can refer to any main character regardless of moral alignment

  • lead character

    less formal and more general; does not imply goodness

反義詞
  • villain

    the evil character who opposes the hero in a story

  • antagonist

    the character who works against the protagonist, not necessarily evil

用法筆記

Traditionally refers to a male protagonist; the feminine form 'heroine' is used for female main characters, though 'hero' is increasingly used for any gender. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about fictional characters, not real people.

常見錯誤

❌The book has two heros.
✅The book has two heroes.
💡the plural of 'hero' is 'heroes', not 'heros'.

3. Someone you respect greatly because of an ability or personal trait they possess

3.名詞A2
釋義

偶像；榜樣

因某種特質而深受景仰的人

Someone you respect greatly because of an ability or personal trait they possess, and whose example you try to follow — such as a favourite athlete, musician, or teacher who inspires you.

例句

Mizuki has always been my hero because of her patience and willingness to help others.

Mizuki 一直是我心目中的偶像，因為她很有耐心又樂於助人。

my hero — used for personal role models

For many young players on the team, Coach Ayesha is a hero both on and off the court.

對隊上許多年輕球員來說，Ayesha 教練不論在球場上還是場外都是他們的榜樣。

同義詞
  • idol

    stronger admiration, often suggesting the person is seen as perfect; common in fan culture

  • role model

    focuses on the person's behaviour as something to copy; more about guidance than brave deeds

用法筆記

Often used with a possessive adjective ('my hero', 'her hero', 'their hero') or the pattern 'a hero to [group]'. The focus is on personal admiration rather than brave actions (contrast with sense 1).

4. A type of sandwich that uses a firm, elongated bread roll sliced lengthwise and

4.名詞B1
釋義

潛艇堡

長條三明治，美式用語

A type of sandwich that uses a firm, elongated bread roll sliced lengthwise and stuffed with cold cuts, cheese, and vegetables. Known by various regional names across the US such as sub, hoagie, or grinder.

例句

I stopped at the deli and ordered a hero with ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomato.

我在熟食店停下來，點了一份夾火腿、起司、生菜和番茄的潛艇堡。

regional US usage — 'hero' for a long sandwich

Élise packed two heroes for the road trip — one with turkey and one with roasted vegetables.

Élise 為公路旅行準備了兩個潛艇堡——一個夾火雞肉，一個夾烤蔬菜。

同義詞
  • sub

    short for 'submarine sandwich'; the most widespread US equivalent

  • hoagie

    regional term used mainly in the Philadelphia area

用法筆記

Chiefly US informal. Not used in British English, where 'hero' does not refer to food. Regional synonyms vary: 'sub' (common in much of the US), 'hoagie' (Philadelphia), 'grinder' (New England), 'torpedo' (parts of the Northeast).

常見錯誤

❌I bought a hero for lunch.' (in the UK)
✅I bought a sandwich for lunch.' (in the UK)
💡the food sense of 'hero' is not understood in British English.

5. In ancient myths and legends, a figure born from a god and a mortal, or a person

5.名詞B2
釋義

神話英雄

神話中具有超凡力量的人物

In ancient myths and legends, a figure born from a god and a mortal, or a person of superhuman strength and courage who performs incredible feats — such as Hercules, Achilles, or Gilgamesh.

例句

In Greek mythology, the hero Hercules completed twelve impossible tasks as punishment for his past actions.

在希臘神話中，英雄 Hercules 為了贖罪完成了十二項不可能的任務。

Greek mythology context — classical hero

Ancient stories about heroes like Achilles and Odysseus taught people lessons about courage, honor, and pride.

關於 Achilles 和 Odysseus 等英雄的古老故事，教導人們有關勇氣、榮譽和驕傲的道理。

同義詞
  • demigod

    more specific: a being who is half-god, half-human; most classical heroes are demigods

  • mythic warrior

    describes the heroic fighter role without implying divine parentage

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers specifically to classical mythological figures of divine or semi-divine origin, not real people who do brave things. Common in academic discussions of literature and mythology.

常見錯誤

❌Hercules was a real hero who lived in Greece.
✅Hercules is a mythological hero from Greek legend.
💡mythological heroes are not historical figures.