instinct
instinct — 名詞
1. a natural ability or tendency that makes a person or animal react or act in a pa
本能
不經思考的天生反應或行為
a natural ability or tendency that makes a person or animal react or act in a particular way without needing to think or be taught
When the fire alarm rang, Ilan's first instinct was to head for the nearest exit.
火災警報響起時，Ilan 的第一本能就是朝最近的出口跑去。
'instinct + to-infinitive' showing natural impulse
Without any training, Isabela's instinct told her how to calm the frightened horse.
Isabela 沒有受過任何訓練，她的本能卻告訴她如何安撫那匹受驚的馬。
Naoko trusted her instinct and chose the winding path instead of the main road.
Naoko 相信自己的本能，選擇了蜿蜒的小路而非大馬路。
A mother bear's protective instinct drives her to guard her cubs from any threat.
母熊的保護本能驅使她守護幼熊，不讓牠們受到任何威脅。
Quan's business instinct warned him the deal was too good to be true.
Quan 的商業本能告訴他那筆交易好得令人難以置信。
- intuition
more about a feeling or knowing that arises without reasoning; less about inborn biological behaviour
- impulse
a sudden, strong urge to act; less permanent and less innate than instinct
- gut feeling
informal; a strong personal sense about a situation without clear reasons
- reasoning
the process of thinking through facts and logic, the opposite of acting by instinct
- learned behaviour
actions acquired through experience or training rather than inborn
文法句型
instinct + to-infinitive
possessive + instinct
instinct + for + noun
用法筆記
Instinct can be countable (an instinct, the instinct) or uncountable (by instinct). The possessive form is very common: my instinct, her instinct, a cat's instinct. Frequently modified by adjectives such as natural, basic, strong, protective, maternal, or gut.
常見錯誤
instinct — 形容詞
1. always used after 'be' with 'with'; describes something that is deeply filled wi
充滿
充滿某種特質、情感或氛圍的
always used after 'be' with 'with'; describes something that is deeply filled with a particular quality, feeling, or atmosphere, as though the quality has soaked into it entirely
The garden was instinct with the sweet smell of jasmine after the evening rain.
夜晚的雨過後，花園裡充滿了茉莉花的甜香。
'instinct with' + sensory quality (smell)
Christopher's final novel was instinct with the fears and hopes of a society in crisis.
Christopher 的最後一部小說充滿了一個身處危機中的社會的恐懼與希望。
Ayana's voice was instinct with a quiet joy as she described her childhood home.
Ayana 在描述她的童年故居時，聲音裡充滿了安靜的喜悅。
The old theatre was instinct with the echoes of a thousand long-forgotten performances.
這座老劇院充滿了千場早已被遺忘的表演所留下的迴響。
- filled with
much more common and neutral in register; not restricted to literary use
- imbued with
similar formality; suggests the quality has been deliberately or thoroughly impressed
- permeated with
suggests complete diffusion through every part; slightly more physical than instinct with
- devoid of
completely lacking a quality; the opposite of being full of it
文法句型
be + instinct + with + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is always predicative — it cannot come before a noun (❌ 'an instinct garden'). It must be followed by 'with.' The register is formal and literary; you will find it in novels, essays, and criticism far more often than in speech. The construction 'be + instinct with + [abstract noun]' is the only grammatical pattern.