make-up

make-up — 片語動詞

1. to apply coloured products like powder, lipstick, or eyeshadow to a person's fac

1.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

化妝

在臉上塗抹化妝品

to apply coloured products like powder, lipstick, or eyeshadow to a person's face, especially to improve how they look or to get ready for appearing on stage or on screen.

例句

Adina made up her face with dark lipstick and red powder for the theatre show.

Adina 為了劇院演出，在臉上塗了深色口紅和紅色粉底。

The makeup artist made Christopher up to look like an old man for the film.

化妝師把 Christopher 化裝成老人模樣來拍電影。

separable phrasal verb: pronoun object goes between 'make' and 'up'

同義詞
  • apply

    more general; does not carry the same sense of cosmetic preparation

  • put on

    less specific to theatrical or heavy application

文法句型

make + noun phrase + up

make up + noun phrase

用法筆記

Commonly used with a reflexive pronoun (make yourself up) or a body part (make up your eyes). When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'make' and 'up': 'made her up', not 'made up her'.

常見錯誤

❌The artist made up her for the show.
✅The artist made her up for the show.
💡With pronoun objects, the pronoun must separate 'make' and 'up'.

2. to be the parts or people that together produce a particular group, total, or re

2.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

組成

構成整體的一部分

to be the parts or people that together produce a particular group, total, or result.

例句

Women make up more than half of the students in this medical school.

這所醫學院的學生當中，女性佔了一半以上。

The ten short stories make up the writer's first published collection.

這十篇短篇小說構成了這位作家的第一本出版作品集。

同義詞
  • constitute

    more formal; common in official or academic writing

  • comprise

    formal; can be used in either active or passive voice

  • form

    simpler and more general than 'make up'

文法句型

make up + noun phrase

be made up of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Always transitive. The passive form 'be made up of' is very common and is the usual way to describe the composition of something. This sense does NOT use 'for' after 'up'.

常見錯誤

❌The team makes of five players.
✅The team is made up of five players.
💡The passive form 'be made up of' is the correct pattern, not 'make of'.

3. to create something by bringing together different parts, items, or ingredients.

3.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

拼湊；準備

將不同部分組合在一起

to create something by bringing together different parts, items, or ingredients.

例句

The chef made up a new sauce from leftover herbs and fresh spices.

主廚用剩下的香草和新鮮香料調配出一種新醬汁。

Amani made up a gift basket with cookies, tea, and a handwritten letter.

Amani 準備了一個禮物籃，裡面放了餅乾、茶葉和一封手寫信。

make up + object constructed from parts

同義詞
  • put together

    synonymous in most contexts; slightly less formal

  • assemble

    more formal; implies fitting physical parts together

反義詞

文法句型

make up + noun phrase

make + noun phrase + up

用法筆記

The object is created from separate parts — a meal, a pack, a schedule, etc. Distinguish from Sense 4 (INVENT): this sense involves physically or practically assembling real things, not creating fictional stories.

常見錯誤

❌She made up a nice dinner with chicken.
✅She made a nice dinner with chicken.
💡For cooking a meal from scratch, use 'make' alone, not 'make up', unless you are assembling from leftovers.

4. to create a story, explanation, or piece of information that is not true, usuall

4.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

編造

編造故事或藉口

to create a story, explanation, or piece of information that is not true, usually in order to deceive someone or to amuse them.

例句

The child made up a funny story about a rabbit who could speak three languages.

那個小孩編了一個有趣的故事，講一隻會說三種語言的兔子。

make up + story (for entertainment)

Lauren made up an excuse about missing the bus because she felt too shy.

Lauren 編了一個錯過公車的藉口，因為她太害羞不想參加。

同義詞
  • invent

    more formal; can be neutral or positive

  • fabricate

    strongly negative; implies deliberate lying

  • concoct

    often used for stories or excuses; slightly humorous

反義詞

文法句型

make up + noun phrase

make + noun phrase + up

用法筆記

The object is always something created by the imagination — a story, excuse, reason, explanation, or song. Carries a negative connotation when the purpose is deception. For neutral or positive creativity, prefer 'come up with' or 'create'.

常見錯誤

❌He made up a new recipe for dinner.
✅He came up with a new recipe for dinner.
💡'Make up' for invented recipes sounds unnatural; use 'come up with' for new ideas.

5. to add something to a group or total so that the required number, amount, or tar

5.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

補足

湊齊所需數量或金額

to add something to a group or total so that the required number, amount, or target is reached.

例句

We need one more player to make up the team for Saturday's match.

我們還需要一名選手才能湊齊週六比賽的隊伍。

Mei worked extra hours to make up the time she had lost during the holiday.

Mei 加班來補足假期期間損失的工作時間。

同義詞
  • complete

    simpler; does not imply filling a gap

  • supplement

    more formal; suggests adding to an existing amount

文法句型

make up + noun phrase

make up the difference

用法筆記

Frequently used in financial or logistical contexts about reaching a target. The object is a quantity, amount, or group — not a person. For compensating a person for a loss, see Sense 6.

常見錯誤

❌I made up my friend after the argument.' — This sense does NOT mean 'reconcile' (that meaning is in the sibling senses).
✅I made up the missing money from my own pocket.

6. to do something good for someone because you have caused them trouble, inconveni

6.片語動詞不及物B1
釋義

補償

補償損失或過失

to do something good for someone because you have caused them trouble, inconvenience, or loss, or to balance a negative situation with a positive action.

例句

Christopher tried to make up for his rude comment by buying flowers for his colleague.

Christopher 試圖買花送給同事，來為自己無禮的言論道歉。

The hotel offered a free night to make up for the noisy room.

旅館提供一晚免費住宿，以補償房間噪音問題。

make up for + problem being compensated

同義詞
  • compensate for

    more formal; used in official and business contexts

  • make amends for

    implies a moral or relational repair, not just financial

  • offset

    neutral; often used in technical or financial writing

文法句型

make up for + noun phrase

make up for + -ing verb

用法筆記

This sense REQUIRES the preposition 'for' after 'up'. The object of 'for' is the problem, loss, or mistake being balanced. Does NOT take a direct object. Commonly used in apologies, customer service, and relationship repair.

常見錯誤

❌He made up the mistake by apologising.
✅He made up for the mistake by apologising.
💡The preposition 'for' is required after 'made up' with this meaning.

7. to mix different substances together in order to create a medicine, treatment, o

7.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

調配；配製

混合不同成分製成藥品

to mix different substances together in order to create a medicine, treatment, or remedy according to a formula or prescription.

例句

The pharmacist made up the prescription while Mateo waited at the counter.

藥劑師在 Mateo 等候的時候調配好了處方藥。

collocation: make up a prescription / make up a medicine

Aylin watched the chemist make up a soothing cream for her grandmother's dry skin.

Aylin 看著藥劑師為奶奶的乾性皮膚調配舒緩乳霜。

separable phrasal verb: make up + object

同義詞
  • compound

    more technical; used mainly by pharmacists and chemists

  • prepare

    more general; neutral register without the pharmacy-specific feel

文法句型

make up + [medicine/prescription]

用法筆記

Commonly used in pharmacy and healthcare contexts. The object is usually a medicine, cream, or prescription — not general food or drink mixtures.

常見錯誤

❌The chef made up a sauce for the pasta.
✅The chef made a sauce for the pasta.
💡'make up' for mixing medicines is not used for cooking or food preparation.

8. to arrange sheets, blankets, and pillows on a bed so that someone can sleep in i

8.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

鋪床；整理

鋪好床單被褥供人睡覺

to arrange sheets, blankets, and pillows on a bed so that someone can sleep in it; also, to fashion a makeshift sleeping spot from whatever is available.

例句

Yuna made up the sofa bed for her overnight guest.

Yuna 為留宿的客人鋪好了沙發床。

collocation: make up a sofa bed / make up a bed

The hotel staff make up all the beds in each room every morning.

飯店員工每天早上為每個房間鋪好所有床鋪。

同義詞

文法句型

make up + [bed/sofa bed/cot]

用法筆記

More common in British English than American English, where 'make the bed' is preferred. This sense is the only one where the object is furniture (bed, cot, sofa bed) rather than a substance or a room.

常見錯誤

❌I made up my bed this morning' (in American English).
✅I made my bed this morning.
💡American English prefers 'make the bed' without 'up'; 'make up a bed' is more common in British English or when creating a temporary bed.

9. to freshen up a hotel room, put on clean sheets, and leave everything tidy for t

9.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

打掃(客房)

清潔並整理旅館房間

to freshen up a hotel room, put on clean sheets, and leave everything tidy for the person staying there.

例句

The housekeeper made up Room 204 while the guests were at breakfast.

房務人員趁 204 號房的客人吃早餐時打掃了房間。

collocation: make up a room

Could someone make up my room before the next guest arrives this afternoon?

今天下午下一位客人入住前，可以請人打掃一下我的房間嗎？

同義詞
  • tidy up

    more general; used for any room, not just hotels

  • clean

    simpler and more general; no implication of making the bed

  • service (a room)

    formal hotel-industry term

文法句型

make up + [room]

用法筆記

Almost exclusively used in the hospitality industry. The object is always a room or a hotel room number, not a bed — that is sense 8 (MAKE A BED). Distinguish from sense 8 by checking whether the full room cleaning or only the bed is being prepared.

常見錯誤

❌I made up my bedroom at home.
✅I cleaned my bedroom at home.
💡'make up a room' is only used for hotels and guest accommodation, not personal bedrooms.

10. to stop feeling angry or upset with someone after a disagreement or argument and

10.片語動詞不及物B1
釋義

和好；和解

爭吵後不再生氣，恢復友好

to stop feeling angry or upset with someone after a disagreement or argument and become friendly with them again.

例句

After their big fight, Mateo and Aylin finally made up over coffee.

大吵一架之後，Mateo 和 Aylin 終於喝杯咖啡就和好了。

intransitive: make up (no object needed)

It took the sisters two weeks to make up after the quarrel about the holiday.

這對姊妹為了假期的事吵架，過了兩星期才和好。

同義詞
反義詞
  • fall out

    to stop being friends because of an argument

  • quarrel

    to have an angry disagreement

文法句型

make up (with + person)

make up after + [event]

用法筆記

Intransitive — you never 'make up someone' in this sense. To name the person you reconcile with, use 'make up with [someone]'. To name the cause of the argument, use 'make up after [event/disagreement]'.

常見錯誤

❌I made up my friend after the argument.
✅I made up with my friend after the argument.
💡'make up' is intransitive; the other person is introduced with 'with'.
❌We made it up after the fight.
✅We made up after the fight.
💡'make it up' means 'compensate', not 'reconcile'.