median
median — 形容詞
1. describing the number found at the middle position of a set of numbers after the
中位數的
一組按大小排列的數值中，位於中間位置的
describing the number found at the middle position of a set of numbers after they have been arranged from smallest to largest — often used to show what is typical or average without being distorted by unusually high or low values
The median age in Naoko's neighbourhood is thirty-four, meaning half the residents are younger than that and half are older.
Naoko 住的社區年齡中位數是 34 歲，也就是說一半居民比她小，一半比她大。
collocation: median age, median income, median price
The median score was higher than the average because three low grades skewed it.
中位數分數高於平均分，因為三個低分把平均拉低了。
Economists prefer the median income because a few high salaries can make the average misleading.
經濟學家比較關注中位數收入，因為少數高薪資會讓平均值失真。
The median price of a small house in this district has risen to $250,000.
這個區域小房子的中位數價格已經漲到 25 萬美元。
- extreme
at one end of the ordered set rather than the middle
文法句型
median + noun (median age, median income, median score)
用法筆記
Often used in contrast with 'mean' (the mathematical average) when discussing data — the median is less affected by extreme values.
常見錯誤
2. located on or near the imaginary line running down the middle of the human torso
中線的
靠近身體左右對稱面中線的
located on or near the imaginary line running down the middle of the human torso that splits it into left and right halves — used in medical descriptions of where a nerve, organ, or cut is found
The median nerve runs through the forearm and controls movement in the thumb and fingers.
正中神經沿前臂延伸，控制拇指和手指的動作。
collocation: median nerve
The median plane divides the human body into left and right halves.
正中面將人體分為左右兩半。
collocation: median plane
The surgeon cut along the median line of the abdomen to reach both sides of the cavity.
外科醫生沿腹部正中線切開，以便到達腹腔兩側。
The nurse felt for the pulse at the median side of the patient's wrist.
護士在病人手腕內側尋找脈搏。
- lateral
toward the sides of the body rather than the midline
文法句型
median + noun (median nerve, median plane, median line)
用法筆記
Primarily used in medical and biological contexts. The opposite of 'median' in anatomy is 'lateral' (toward the sides of the body).
3. situated somewhere between the two ends of a range — not at the highest or lowes
中間的
處於兩個極端之間的中間位置的
situated somewhere between the two ends of a range — not at the highest or lowest level, and not at one extreme or the other
Joaquín's house is at the median point between the two schools his children attend.
Joaquín 家正好位於兩個孩子就讀學校的中間點。
collocation: median point
The company divided its products into low-end, median, and premium price categories.
這家公司將產品分為低價、中價和高端三個價格類別。
On the grading scale, a score of 75 falls in the median range — not excellent, but not poor either.
在評分標準中，75 分屬於中等範圍——不算優秀，但也不差。
Students with median scores were placed on a waiting list for the programme.
成績中等的學生被列入該計畫的候補名單。
- middle
more common and interchangeable in most non-technical contexts
- intermediate
emphasises being between two stages or levels
- mid-level
often used for ranks, quality, or skill categories
文法句型
median + noun (median point, median category, median range)
median — 名詞
1. the number at the middle position within a sorted set of numbers; when the set c
中位數
一組數值排序後位於中間的那個數
the number at the middle position within a sorted set of numbers; when the set contains an even number of items, the median is the average of the two central values
The median test result was 85, showing the teacher that most students understood the material.
測驗成績的中位數是 85 分，顯示大部分學生都理解課程內容。
grammar pattern: the median of + noun phrase
When Rohan looked at the housing prices in his city, the median was $320,000 — far more realistic than the average of $480,000.
Rohan 看了他所在城市的房價後發現，中位數是 32 萬美元——遠比 48 萬美元的平均值來得實際。
Saira graded thirty students and found the median was 72, exactly as she predicted.
Saira 批改了 30 名學生的考卷，發現中位數是 72 分，和她預測的完全一樣。
The median of the yearly temperatures in Taipei is about 24 degrees Celsius.
台北全年氣溫的中位數大約是 24 攝氏度。
- middle value
plain-English equivalent; less technical
- midpoint
can mean the point halfway between two numbers, not necessarily the median of a data set
- outlier
a value far away from the middle of the set
文法句型
the median of + noun phrase (the median of the data set)
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'mean' (the arithmetic average) and 'mode' (the most frequent value). The median is preferred when a set contains extreme values that would distort the average.
常見錯誤
2. a strip of land, often covered with grass or plants, that separates traffic movi
中央分隔帶
分隔雙向車道的道路中央地帶
a strip of land, often covered with grass or plants, that separates traffic moving in opposite directions on a wide road or highway
A car crossed the median on Highway 101 and caused a three-vehicle collision in the oncoming lane.
一輛車在 101 號公路上越過中央分隔帶，造成對向車道三車連環撞。
verb collocation: cross the median
In some states, the median is planted with wildflowers to make the highway more pleasant for drivers.
有些州的中央分隔帶種滿了野花，讓高速公路對駕駛來說更賞心悅目。
The construction crew built a concrete barrier along the median to prevent drivers from drifting into oncoming traffic.
施工隊沿中央分隔帶建造了一道混凝土護欄，防止駕駛偏離車道衝入對向車流。
Running across the median of a busy highway is extremely dangerous.
跑著穿越高速公路的中央分隔帶極度危險。
- median strip
the full term; more formal and specific
- central reservation
British English equivalent
- divider
informal shortening
文法句型
the median of + road name
cross + the median
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in the United States. In British English, the same thing is called the 'central reservation' or just 'reservation'.