mole

mole — 名詞

1. a small furry animal with weak eyesight that lives almost entirely underground,

1.名詞B1
釋義

鼴鼠

在地下挖洞生活的哺乳動物

a small furry animal with weak eyesight that lives almost entirely underground, digging tunnels and feeding on insects and worms

例句

Zayd's garden had several mole tunnels running just beneath the soil surface.

Zayd 的花園裡有幾個鼴鼠隧道，就在土壤表層下方。

collocation: mole tunnels

The mole's dark fur helps it slide through narrow tunnels without getting dirty.

鼴鼠深色的毛皮有助於牠在狹窄的隧道中滑行，而不會弄髒。

possessive: mole's dark fur

同義詞
  • shrew

    a similar small burrowing mammal, but shrews are smaller and have visible eyes

用法筆記

The plural form is moles. The piles of earth pushed up by moles at tunnel openings are called molehills.

常見錯誤

❌A mole is a type of rat that lives under the ground.
✅A mole is a small mammal that digs tunnels underground.
💡Moles are not rodents; they belong to the order Eulipotyphla, which includes shrews and hedgehogs.

2. a small, usually dark area of pigmentation on the surface of human skin that can

2.名詞B1
釋義

痣

皮膚上深色的小斑點或突起

a small, usually dark area of pigmentation on the surface of human skin that can be flat or slightly raised and is typically not harmful

例句

Jenna noticed a new mole on her forearm and asked the doctor to examine it.

Jenna 注意到前臂上長了一顆新痣，於是請醫生檢查。

verb pattern: noticed a mole + asked doctor to examine

Most moles are harmless, but you should watch for changes in their shape or colour.

大多數的痣是無害的，但你應該留意它們形狀或顏色的變化。

advice pattern: most moles are harmless, but you should watch

同義詞
  • freckle

    a smaller, lighter spot that appears after sun exposure and may fade in winter

  • birthmark

    a coloured mark on the skin that is present from birth

用法筆記

Used especially of brown or black spots. The medical term is melanocytic nevus. Always consult a doctor if a mole changes shape, colour, or size.

常見錯誤

❌He has a mole on his face that is red and itchy, which is normal.
✅He has a mole on his face that is red and itchy, so he should see a doctor.
💡An itchy or red mole may indicate a problem and should be checked by a medical professional.

3. a person who secretly works inside an organisation or government and passes conf

3.名詞B2
釋義

內奸；間諜

潛伏在組織內部的祕密通風報信者

a person who secretly works inside an organisation or government and passes confidential information to a rival group or enemy

例句

The company discovered a mole who had been selling customer data to a competitor.

公司發現了一名內奸，長期將客戶資料賣給競爭對手。

relative clause: mole who had been selling

Security forces arrested a mole inside the ministry who leaked classified documents.

安全部隊逮捕了部會內部一名洩漏機密文件的間諜。

同義詞
  • spy

    a broader term for anyone who secretly collects information; a mole is a specific type of spy who has infiltrated an organisation

  • double agent

    a spy who works for two opposing sides at the same time

  • infiltrator

    someone who enters a group to gain information; less specific than mole

用法筆記

Common in espionage and corporate contexts. Unlike a regular spy, a mole is embedded within the target organisation, often for a long time, before beginning intelligence activities.

4. a standard unit in chemistry for describing how much of a chemical is present, d

4.名詞C1
釋義

莫耳

化學中用來計量物質量的標準單位

a standard unit in chemistry for describing how much of a chemical is present, determined by counting the atoms or molecules it contains

例句

In chemistry class, Joon learned to calculate the moles in a sample of sodium chloride.

在化學課上，Joon 學到了如何計算氯化鈉樣品中的莫耳數。

classroom context: calculate the number of moles

One mole of any substance contains roughly six hundred and two sextillion particles.

任何物質的一莫耳大約含有六點零二乘以十的二十三次方個粒子。

definitional: one mole contains [Avogadro's number] particles

文法句型

mole of + noun

用法筆記

Abbreviated as 'mol' in scientific writing. One mole equals approximately 6.022 × 10²³ particles (Avogadro's number). The term is almost exclusively used in chemistry and physics contexts.

常見錯誤

❌A mole is a unit for measuring weight.
✅A mole is a unit for measuring the amount of a substance based on the number of particles.
💡The mole does not measure weight; it measures the quantity of particles.

5. a large stone or concrete barrier built out from the coast into the sea, designe

5.名詞C1
釋義

防波堤

沿海岸修建以阻擋海浪的石造或水泥建築

a large stone or concrete barrier built out from the coast into the sea, designed to protect the shore from waves and to create a sheltered harbour

例句

The fishing boats were safe behind the old stone mole that blocked the strong waves.

漁船停靠在古老的石造防波堤後方，安全地避開了強浪。

protective function: safe behind the mole

Engineers designed a new concrete mole to prevent the harbour from silting up.

工程師設計了一座新的水泥防波堤，以防止港口淤積。

同義詞
  • breakwater

    a more common term for a structure that protects a shore from waves

  • jetty

    a smaller structure that projects into water, often used for loading and unloading boats

  • pier

    a structure built out over water for people to walk on or for ships to dock

用法筆記

Less common in everyday conversation; the words 'breakwater' or 'jetty' are more widely used in modern English. 'Mole' in this sense is found more often in historical or technical descriptions of harbour structures.

6. a thick, rich Mexican sauce made from dried chilli peppers and often including c

6.名詞B2
釋義

莫雷醬

墨西哥辣醬，常加入巧克力與堅果

a thick, rich Mexican sauce made from dried chilli peppers and often including chocolate, nuts, and spices, typically served with meat or poultry

例句

Mole sauce takes hours to prepare, but the complex flavour is worth the effort.

莫雷醬需要數小時準備，但那種複雜的風味值得你花功夫。

preparation: takes hours to prepare

Sofie ordered chicken with mole and rice at the new Mexican restaurant.

Sofie 在那家新開的墨西哥餐廳點了雞肉莫雷醬飯。

ordering food: chicken with mole

用法筆記

Pronounced /ˈmoʊ.leɪ/ (moh-LAY), not like the animal. The word comes from Nahuatl 'mōlli', meaning sauce. Many varieties exist, including mole poblano (from Puebla) and mole negro (from Oaxaca).

常見錯誤

❌Mole is a Mexican sauce that is always very spicy.
✅Mole is a Mexican sauce that can range from mild to spicy, and it is known for its rich, layered flavour.
💡Not all mole is extremely hot; some varieties emphasise depth of flavour over heat.