index

index — 名詞

1. an alphabetically ordered section in the final pages of a publication that shows

1.名詞A2
釋義

索引

書末按字母排序的主題與頁碼對照表

an alphabetically ordered section in the final pages of a publication that shows the page numbers for topics, names, and subjects discussed throughout the work.

例句

Mark checked the index at the back of the textbook for the page on verbs.

Mark 翻到教科書後面的索引，查詢「動詞」在哪一頁。

noun + at the back of [a book]

Eve found the entry for 'climate change' in the index of the library book.

Eve 在圖書館那本書的索引中找到「氣候變遷」這個條目。

同義詞
  • list

    broader term; not necessarily alphabetical or page-numbered

  • catalogue

    often implies a systematic collection of items, not specific to books

  • directory

    usually lists contact information or locations, not page numbers

用法筆記

Not the same as a table of contents, which lists chapters in order at the front of a book. An index is alphabetical and appears at the back.

常見錯誤

❌I looked at the index on the first page to find Chapter 3.
✅I looked at the table of contents on the first page to find Chapter 3.
💡The table of contents is at the front; the index is at the back.

2. a structured set of records kept in a computer filing system or on physical card

2.名詞B1
釋義

索引檔

電腦或卡片上幫助快速查找的資料整理結構

a structured set of records kept in a computer filing system or on physical cards, designed to make retrieval fast.

例句

Ilan searched the computer's file index to find the document from last Tuesday.

Ilan 搜尋電腦的檔案索引，想找到上週二的那份文件。

computer's file index

Rafael built an index of all the patient records on the hospital database.

Rafael 為醫院的資料庫建立了一份所有病歷的索引檔。

同義詞
  • database

    contains the actual data, while an index points to where the data is

  • filing system

    less technical; any organized method of storing records

  • catalogue

    a systematic list of items, often with descriptive details

用法筆記

In computing, an index is a data structure that speeds up searches in a database. In libraries, a physical card index serves a similar purpose.

常見錯誤

❌I saved the file in the computer index.
✅I saved the file in the computer database.
💡A database contains the actual data; an index helps locate it.

3. a set of numbers that shows how the value of a group of items, such as prices or

3.名詞B2
釋義

指數

用來衡量物價或股市變化的數字比較體系

a set of numbers that shows how the value of a group of items, such as prices or stocks, changes over time and allows comparisons against a standard.

例句

Marco watched the stock market index rise by three percent in one week.

Marco 觀察到股市指數在一週內上漲了百分之三。

stock market index rises / falls

The consumer price index showed that food costs had gone up by nearly five percent.

消費者物價指數顯示食物成本上升了將近百分之五。

同義詞
  • benchmark

    a standard against which things are compared, often in performance

  • gauge

    a measurement tool; less formal than index in economic contexts

  • scale

    a range of values; less specific about the comparative function

用法筆記

Often used in compound noun phrases: 'stock market index', 'consumer price index', 'body mass index'.

常見錯誤

❌The index of my salary is too low.
✅The index shows that salaries have not kept up with inflation.
💡An index measures a group, not an individual value.

4. a sign or piece of evidence that reveals the strength of a particular condition,

4.名詞B2
釋義

指標

反映某種狀況、感受或特質強度的徵兆

a sign or piece of evidence that reveals the strength of a particular condition, feeling, or quality, providing a clue about a broader situation.

例句

Low attendance at the meeting was an index of how tired the team felt.

會議出席率低是團隊有多疲倦的一項指標。

be an index of [something]

A child's willingness to share can be an index of their social development.

孩子願不願意分享，可以視為其社交發展的一項指標。

同義詞
  • indicator

    nearly interchangeable; more common in everyday use

  • sign

    simpler word; less formal, does not imply a systematic measure

  • measure

    focuses on the quantifiable aspect of the sign

用法筆記

Distinguish from noun sense 3 (COMPARISON SCALE): this sense points to a single observable sign, not a calculated numeric system. Common in academic writing: 'be an index of…'.

常見錯誤

❌The test score is an index for how smart you are.
✅A test score is only one index of your knowledge in a subject.
💡'Index of' suggests a partial indicator, not a complete measure.

5. a numeral placed slightly above another numeral to show the count of times the l

5.名詞B2
釋義

冪指數

數學中表示乘方次數的上標數字

a numeral placed slightly above another numeral to show the count of times the lower number is used as a factor in multiplication.

例句

In 4³, the small number 3 is the index telling you to multiply 4 three times.

在 4³ 中，小數字 3 就是冪指數，表示要把 4 連續乘以 3 次。

the index in [expression] tells you to multiply [base] [exponent] times

The teacher asked the class to find the index in two to the fifth power.

老師要全班在「二的五次方」這個式子中找出冪指數。

同義詞
  • exponent

    more common term in everyday math for the raised number

  • power

    often used for the whole operation (e.g., '4 to the power of 3')

  • superscript

    describes the position of the number, not its mathematical function

用法筆記

In mathematics, 'index' is used interchangeably with 'exponent' or 'power'. The plural is 'indices' (/'ɪndɪsiːz/) in technical contexts, though 'indexes' is also accepted.

index — 動詞