negative
negative — 動詞
1. to give a 'no' reply when someone asks you something or makes a request, indicat
回絕
對問題或請求表示拒絕
to give a 'no' reply when someone asks you something or makes a request, indicating you will not do what they want.
The manager negatived the reporter's question about layoffs with a firm 'no comment'.
經理以堅定的「無可奉告」回絕了記者關於裁員的提問。
negative + question for refusing to answer
Diya negatived the interviewer's request to discuss her previous salary.
Diya 回絕了面試官詢問她先前薪資的要求。
The official negatived the journalist's request for access to the confidential documents.
該官員回絕了記者查閱機密文件的請求。
Christopher negatived the offer to join the advisory board without giving a reason.
Christopher 回絕了加入顧問委員會的邀請，沒有說明原因。
文法句型
negative + noun phrase (request/question/invitation)
be negatived by [person/group]
用法筆記
Frequently used in formal responses to requests for information or action. The subject is typically an official, committee, or person in authority.
常見錯誤
2. to stop a plan, proposal, or application from going ahead, typically through an
否決
透過投票或決策拒絕批准
to stop a plan, proposal, or application from going ahead, typically through an official vote or decision.
The board of directors negatived the merger proposal by a vote of eight to three.
董事會以八票對三票否決了合併提案。
collocation: negative a proposal + by [vote count]
Local residents negatived the plan to build a highway through the nature reserve.
當地居民否決了在自然保護區內興建高速公路的計畫。
Apinya's application for a research visa was negatived by the embassy.
Apinya 的研究簽證申請被大使館否決了。
The school board negatived the proposal to cut funding for the music programme.
校務委員會否決了減少音樂課程經費的提案。
文法句型
negative + noun phrase (proposal/plan/motion)
be negatived by [voting body]
用法筆記
Subject is typically a committee, board, council, or other decision-making body. Distinguish from sense 1 (ANSWER NO): sense 1 involves replying negatively to a question or request from someone; sense 2 involves actively blocking a plan or application through an official process.
常見錯誤
3. to show through facts, evidence, or reasoning that a statement, belief, or accus
駁斥
以證據證明不正確
to show through facts, evidence, or reasoning that a statement, belief, or accusation is not true.
DNA evidence negatived the suspect's claim that he had never been at the scene.
DNA 證據駁斥了嫌犯聲稱自己從未到過現場的說法。
negative + claim + with evidence
Recent studies have negatived the idea that eating eggs raises the risk of heart disease.
近期研究駁斥了吃蛋會增加心臟病風險的說法。
The scientist's experiment negatived the theory about how the virus spreads between species.
科學家的實驗駁斥了關於病毒如何在物種間傳播的理論。
New evidence negatived the accusation that the company had knowingly sold faulty equipment.
新證據駁斥了該公司明知故賣瑕疵設備的指控。
文法句型
negative + noun phrase (theory/claim/belief/accusation)
用法筆記
Object is typically an abstract noun: theory, claim, belief, idea, hypothesis, accusation. Less common with concrete nouns. In academic and scientific writing, 'refute' or 'disprove' are more frequent alternatives.
常見錯誤
4. to make something lose its intended effect or result, so that the good it would
抵銷
使原有的效果消失
to make something lose its intended effect or result, so that the good it would do is no longer present — for example, when one factor cancels out the benefit of another.
The health benefits of regular exercise were negatived by a diet full of processed food.
規律運動對健康的益處被充滿加工食品的飲食習慣抵銷了。
passive: be negatived by [opposing factor]
Higher wages would negative the effect of rising rent on workers.
提高薪資可以抵銷租金上漲對勞工的影響。
The positive impact of the tax cut was negatived by a sharp increase in inflation.
減稅的正面效益被急遽上升的通貨膨脹抵銷了。
A minor mistake in the final report negatived all the progress the team had made.
最終報告中的一個小錯誤抵銷了團隊所做的所有努力。
- neutralize
equally formal; suggests making something harmless
- counteract
suggests active opposition to an effect
- cancel out
phrasal verb, less formal and more common in speech
- enhance
to increase or improve an effect
- strengthen
to make an effect more powerful
文法句型
negative + noun phrase (effect/impact/progress/benefit)
be negatived by [opposing factor]
用法筆記
Object is most often an abstract noun describing a positive outcome: benefit, progress, effect, impact, gain. The negating factor is typically introduced by 'by'. Distinguish from sense 3 (PROVE WRONG): sense 3 disproves a factual claim; sense 4 cancels the practical result of an action.
常見錯誤
negative — 名詞
1. A piece of transparent photographic film or glass plate on which the light and d
底片
沖洗照片用的反向底片
A piece of transparent photographic film or glass plate on which the light and dark areas of a scene are reversed, used to produce positive prints in traditional photography.
The wedding photographer keeps her negatives in a climate-controlled cabinet.
婚禮攝影師把她的底片存放在恆溫櫃裡。
possessive: photographer's negatives
A single scratched negative can ruin hundreds of prints for a project.
只要一張底片刮傷，就可能毀掉整個專案的數百張照片。
Xiu found a box of film negatives while cleaning out her late uncle's studio.
Xiu 在清理已故叔叔的工作室時，找到一盒底片。
Without the original negative, the photo lab cannot reproduce the old portrait.
沒有原始底片，照相館就無法複製那張老照片。
These glass negatives survived the fire because they were stored in a steel cabinet.
這些玻璃底片之所以在火災中保存下來，是因為存放在鋼製櫥櫃裡。
- film
broader term; 'negative' specifies that the image has reversed tones
- positive
the developed print made from a negative, showing normal light and shade
文法句型
negative + verb (shows, survives)
verb + negative (develop, scan, store, rescue)
用法筆記
Frequently preceded by a material type ('film negative', 'glass negative', 'paper negative') to distinguish the physical medium. In modern digital photography, this sense is much less common than it was in the 20th century.
常見錯誤
2. A spoken or written reply that says 'no', refusing, denying, or disagreeing with
拒絕
表示拒絕或否定的話語
A spoken or written reply that says 'no', refusing, denying, or disagreeing with a proposal, question, or request.
When Caio proposed the new schedule, the team's negative caught him off guard.
當 Caio 提出新的時間表時，團隊的否定回答讓他措手不及。
possessive: team's negative
The ambassador's letter was a polite negative to the trade agreement.
大使的信函是對貿易協議的一次禮貌性否定。
collocation: polite negative
Eshe asked three banks for a loan and received two negatives and one yes.
Eshe 向三家銀行申請貸款，收到兩次拒絕和一次同意。
A simple negative from the chairperson ended the debate immediately.
主席一句簡單的否定，就立即結束了辯論。
Parents often hear a negative before their child explains the full story.
父母常常在小孩還沒說完事情經過時，就先聽到一句「不要」。
- affirmative
formal opposite; a reply that expresses 'yes'
- positive
a favourable or agreeing response
文法句型
[possessive] + negative
a + adjective + negative
verb + as a negative
常見錯誤
3. An aspect of something that is disadvantageous, unpleasant, or undesirable; a dr
缺點
事物不好或不利之處
An aspect of something that is disadvantageous, unpleasant, or undesirable; a drawback or shortcoming.
The only negative of living near the airport is the constant plane noise.
住在機場附近的唯一缺點，就是不斷有飛機噪音。
collocation: only negative of
Eli listed the positives and negatives of each candidate before voting.
Eli 在投票前列出了每位候選人的優缺點。
paired usage: positives and negatives
Every restaurant review mentioned the slow service as a major negative.
每家餐廳評論都提到服務速度慢是一個主要缺點。
Before signing the lease, Anjali wrote down the negatives about the property.
在簽署租約前，Anjali 寫下了這棟房子的缺點。
The job's main negative is the long commute through heavy city traffic.
這份工作的主要缺點是穿越繁忙市區的漫長通勤。
- drawback
directly synonymous; interchangeable in most contexts
- downside
slightly less formal than 'negative'; more common in everyday speech
- disadvantage
slightly stronger — emphasises inequality or unfairness
- positive
a good feature, benefit, or advantage
文法句型
[determiner] + negative + of [noun]
the + [adjective] + negative
negatives and positives
用法筆記
Almost always used in a comparative or evaluative context alongside 'positive(s)'. Subject is typically a decision, plan, product, or situation being weighed.
常見錯誤
4. A result from a medical or scientific test indicating that a particular substanc
陰性結果
檢測結果顯示未感染或未發現
A result from a medical or scientific test indicating that a particular substance, disease, or condition is not present in the sample tested.
Sari's test came back a negative, so the treatment has been working well.
Sari 的檢測結果是陰性，所以治療一直很順利。
collocation: came back a negative
The clinic reported over two hundred negatives in last month's screening drive.
該診所通報上個月的篩檢活動中，有兩百多例陰性。
passive: negatives were reported
A negative for tuberculosis means the patient can leave isolation immediately.
肺結核檢測結果為陰性，表示病人可以立刻解除隔離。
Liam felt relieved when his allergy panel returned as a negative.
Liam 的過敏原檢測結果為陰性，他鬆了一口氣。
The lab technician double-checked each negative before issuing the final report.
檢驗師在發出最終報告前，仔細核對每一份陰性結果。
- all-clear
informal and used mainly in health or safety contexts
- positive
a test result showing that the substance, disease, or condition is present
文法句型
come back a negative
report a negative
[verb] as a negative
a negative for [disease/condition]
用法筆記
Commonly follows verbs like 'come back', 'return', or 'report'. In public-health reporting, the plural 'negatives' is frequent (e.g. '100 negatives out of 500 tests'). This noun usage is slightly more formal than the adjective pattern 'the test was negative'.
常見錯誤
negative — 形容詞
1. said or written to show that you are refusing, disagreeing, or saying "no" to so
否定
表示拒絕或反對
said or written to show that you are refusing, disagreeing, or saying "no" to something — for example, a negative reply to an invitation or a negative vote on a proposal.
When Élise asked if she could stay up late, her father gave a negative answer.
當 Élise 問她能不能晚點睡時，她父親給了否定的回答。
negative + noun (answer/reply/vote/response)
More than half of the people surveyed gave a negative response.
超過半數的受訪者給予了否定的回應。
A negative vote means you do not agree with the proposed change.
投下反對票表示你不同意這項提案。
Christopher's negative reply to the job offer surprised his coworkers.
Christopher 對這份工作機會的拒絕答覆讓同事們很驚訝。
The committee's negative decision meant the funding request was turned down.
委員會的否決決定意味著這筆經費申請被駁回了。
- dissenting
more formal; used for official votes or legal opinions
- rejecting
stronger; implies outright refusal rather than simply saying no
- affirmative
formal; used in official or military contexts
- positive
the general opposite in most everyday situations
文法句型
negative + noun (answer/reply/vote/response/decision)
be negative (the answer/reply was negative)
用法筆記
Typically used before nouns such as 'answer,' 'reply,' 'response,' 'vote,' or 'decision.' The opposite of this sense is 'affirmative' or 'positive.'
常見錯誤
2. describing a grammatical structure in which a word that expresses the opposite o
否定句
含有否定詞的句子
describing a grammatical structure in which a word that expresses the opposite of something — such as "not" or "never" — is used to show that an idea is false, did not happen, or does not exist.
"I do not like spicy food" is an example of a negative sentence.
「我不喜歡辣的食物」就是一個否定句的例子。
negative sentence / negative statement / negative clause
The word "never" turns a positive statement into a negative one.
「never」這個詞可以把肯定句變成否定句。
"There is no milk left" uses the word "no" to make a negative statement.
「沒有牛奶了」這個句子用「沒有」一詞來構成否定陳述。
Negative commands in English often begin with "do not" or the short form "don't."
英文的否定命令句通常以「do not」或縮寫「don't」開頭。
By changing "she was ready" to "she was not ready," Liam made a negative clause.
把「she was ready」改為「she was not ready」之後，Liam 造了一個否定子句。
- affirmative
used to describe sentences that make a positive statement without negation
- positive
the everyday opposite in grammar contexts
文法句型
negative sentence
negative statement
negative clause
negative question
negative command
用法筆記
Primarily used as an attributive adjective before grammar terms: 'sentence,' 'statement,' 'clause,' 'command,' 'question.' The opposite grammatical term is 'positive' or 'affirmative.'
常見錯誤
3. having a mindset that focuses on what is wrong and expects failure rather than s
消極的
只看壞的一面，缺乏希望
having a mindset that focuses on what is wrong and expects failure rather than success — for example, assuming an exam will be failed or a project will fall apart.
Reuben has a negative attitude about the move and keeps listing possible problems.
Reuben 對搬家抱著消極的態度，一直列出可能發生的問題。
negative attitude / negative comments / negative remarks
After losing three games in a row, the team's mood turned quite negative.
連續輸了三場比賽之後，整個團隊的心情變得相當消極。
Gabriela tried to ignore the negative comments and focus on improving her work.
Gabriela 試著忽略那些負面的評論，專注於改進自己的作品。
A negative person tends to point out problems rather than look for solutions.
消極的人往往只指出問題，而不尋找解決辦法。
The online review was full of negative remarks about the restaurant's service.
那則線上評論對餐廳的服務充滿了負面的批評。
- pessimistic
stronger focus on general life outlook rather than a single opinion
- gloomy
more emotional; suggests sadness rather than critical judgment
- cynical
implies distrust of others' motives, not just expecting bad outcomes
- optimistic
expecting good things to happen
- positive
general opposite in everyday language
文法句型
be negative about something
negative attitude
negative comments/remarks/reviews
用法筆記
Frequently used before nouns of communication — 'attitude,' 'comment,' 'remark,' 'review,' 'feedback.' Can also be used predicatively: 'He is very negative about the plan.' The opposite is 'positive' or 'optimistic.'
常見錯誤
4. producing an unwanted or damaging result on a person, group, or system — for exa
不良的
造成不好結果的
producing an unwanted or damaging result on a person, group, or system — for example, the negative effects of pollution on health or the negative impact of losing a job.
Too much screen time can have a negative effect on a child's sleep quality.
看螢幕時間過長會對兒童的睡眠品質造成不良影響。
negative effect / negative impact / negative consequences
The new factory had a negative impact on the air quality in the nearby town.
新工廠對鄰近城鎮的空氣品質產生了負面影響。
Rania's negative experience with the rental company made her look for another option.
Rania 在那家租車公司的不良經驗讓她轉而尋找其他選擇。
Scientists are studying the negative consequences of rising temperatures on crop production.
科學家正在研究氣溫上升對農作物產量的負面影響。
A lack of regular exercise can produce negative changes in both physical and mental health.
缺乏規律運動會對身體和心理健康產生不良的變化。
- adverse
more formal; often used in official or medical contexts
- harmful
focuses on physical damage rather than general undesirability
- detrimental
formal; suggests long-term damage to health or success
- positive
general opposite meaning beneficial or good
- beneficial
implies a helpful or useful outcome
文法句型
negative effect/impact/consequence
negative experience
negative outcome
用法筆記
The subject is usually an event, action, substance, or habit; the thing affected is often a person, group, community, or system. Common noun partners: 'effect,' 'impact,' 'consequence,' 'outcome,' 'experience,' 'change.' The opposite of this sense is 'positive' (meaning beneficial).
常見錯誤
5. relating to the polarity of electricity that an electron carries; a negatively c
負電的
電子所帶的電荷類型
relating to the polarity of electricity that an electron carries; a negatively charged object has extra electrons and is marked with a minus sign (−) on diagrams or devices.
In a battery, the negative terminal is usually marked with a minus sign.
在電池中，負極通常用減號（−）標示。
negative charge / negative terminal / negative pole
Electrons carry a negative electric charge, while protons carry a positive one.
電子帶負電荷，而質子帶正電荷。
Sora connected the black wire to the negative side of the circuit board.
Sora 將黑線接到電路板的負極端。
Rubbing a plastic comb against your hair creates a negative charge on it.
用塑膠梳子摩擦頭髮會在梳子上產生負電荷。
The negative electrode in a simple battery is often made of zinc metal.
簡易電池中的負極通常是用鋅金屬製成的。
- positive
the opposite electric charge carried by protons
文法句型
negative charge
negative terminal
negative pole
negative electrode
用法筆記
Used in physics and electronics contexts only. Almost always appears before a noun — 'charge,' 'terminal,' 'pole,' 'electrode,' 'wire,' 'side.' The opposite term is 'positive.'
常見錯誤
6. (of a medical or scientific test) showing that a particular disease, substance,
陰性的
檢驗結果顯示未檢出
(of a medical or scientific test) showing that a particular disease, substance, or condition is not present in the body or sample being examined.
Liam was relieved when his blood test came back negative for the infection.
Liam 的血液檢查結果呈現陰性，代表他沒有感染，這讓他鬆了一口氣。
negative test / came back negative / test negative for
A negative pregnancy test usually means the woman is not pregnant.
驗孕結果為陰性，通常表示該女性沒有懷孕。
The lab reported a negative result — no harmful bacteria were found in the water.
實驗室回報結果為陰性——水中未檢出有害細菌。
Because Zola's virus test was negative, she was cleared to travel.
Zola 的病毒檢測結果為陰性，因此她獲准出發旅行。
The doctor said a negative culture result means no bacteria grew from the sample.
醫生說細菌培養結果為陰性，表示樣本中沒有細菌生長。
- positive
showing that a disease, substance, or condition IS present
文法句型
test is negative
negative test result
test negative for [disease/substance]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 7 (adjective): this sense refers to the test or result itself coming back negative; sense 7 refers to the person who has received a negative test result and is described as 'negative' (e.g., 'She is negative for the virus'). Common with preposition 'for' — 'tested negative FOR cancer / the flu / a drug.'
常見錯誤
7. describes a person, animal, or sample that has been tested and found not to have
無感染
經檢測未發現感染或含某物
describes a person, animal, or sample that has been tested and found not to have a particular disease, substance, or condition that the test was checking for.
Dewi was relieved to learn that she was negative for the virus after waiting for the lab results.
Dewi 等了幾天後得知自己病毒檢測結果為陰性，這才鬆了一口氣。
All blood donations at the clinic were screened and confirmed negative for hepatitis.
診所內所有捐血經過篩檢，均確認為肝炎陰性。
confirmed negative — passive construction for test status
Takeshi's food product was tested and found to be negative for the allergen before it went on sale.
Takeshi 的食品經過檢測，在上市前確認不含該過敏原。
The hospital confirmed that all staff who had contact with the patient were negative for the infection.
醫院確認所有接觸過該病患的員工皆未感染。
Sana checked the test report and saw that her baby was negative for the genetic disorder.
Sana 查看檢驗報告，發現她的寶寶未帶有該遺傳疾病。
- clear
informal; often used in the phrase 'clear of [disease]'
- positive
confirmed to have the disease or substance the test was looking for
文法句型
be negative for [disease/substance]
test negative for [disease/substance]
用法筆記
This sense refers to the person or thing that was tested, not the test itself. Compare sense 6 (NEGATIVE TEST), which describes the test result as an object.
常見錯誤
8. describes a number, amount, or temperature that has a value less than zero, usua
負的；負數
數值小於零的
describes a number, amount, or temperature that has a value less than zero, usually shown with a minus sign (−).
The temperature in Winnipeg dropped to negative fifteen degrees Celsius last night.
昨晚 Winnipeg 的氣溫降到零下十五度攝氏。
Andrew checked his bank account and saw that his balance had gone negative after the rent payment.
Andrew 查看銀行帳戶，發現付完房租後餘額變成負數。
go negative — of a bank balance
In mathematics class, Gabriel learned how to add and subtract negative numbers.
數學課上 Gabriel 學會了如何加減負數。
The freezer must be kept at a negative temperature to keep the ice cream hard.
冷凍庫必須保持零下的溫度，冰淇淋才不會融化。
If a company loses more money than it earns, its profits become a negative number.
如果一家公司虧損多於盈利，其利潤就會變成負數。
- positive
above zero on a scale
文法句型
negative + number/noun
be/go negative
常見錯誤
9. describes a blood type that does not contain the Rh protein, used in medical sit
Rh陰性
血液中缺乏Rh因子的
describes a blood type that does not contain the Rh protein, used in medical situations to match blood for transfusions or to manage pregnancy health.
Ada's blood type is O negative, which means she can donate to any patient in an emergency.
Ada 的血型是 O 型陰性，這表示緊急情況下她可以捐血給任何病人。
A pregnant woman who is Rh negative may need a special injection if the baby has a different blood type.
如果孕婦是 Rh 陰性而胎兒的血型不同，可能需要注射特殊藥物。
Rh negative — medical blood classification
Blood banks usually have a greater need for donors with negative blood types because they are less common.
血庫通常更需要陰性血型的捐血者，因為這種血型比較少見。
The nurse checked Élise's medical records and confirmed that her blood was Rh negative.
護理師查閱了 Élise 的病歷，確認她的血液是 Rh 陰性。
Hospitals label blood bags clearly so that Rh negative patients never receive Rh positive blood by mistake.
醫院會在血袋上清楚標示，避免 Rh 陰性患者誤輸 Rh 陽性血液。
- Rh-negative
the full medical term with the same meaning
- positive
having the Rh factor present in the blood
文法句型
[blood type] negative
be Rh negative
用法筆記
The term is almost always used together with a blood group letter such as A, B, AB, or O — for example, A negative, B negative, AB negative, or O negative.
10. describes a photographic image in which the bright parts of the original scene a
負片的
明暗與實景相反的影像
describes a photographic image in which the bright parts of the original scene appear dark and the dark parts appear light, as seen on undeveloped film or a negative strip.
In the darkroom, Joaquín watched the negative image of the landscape slowly appear on the paper.
在暗房裡，Joaquín 看著那片風景的負片影像慢慢顯現在相紙上。
A negative film makes the sky appear dark and the trees look light, the opposite of the real scene.
負片會讓天空看起來是暗的，樹木看起來是亮的，與實景相反。
negative film — film with reversed tones
The photographer held the negative strip up to the light to check the exposure of each shot.
攝影師把底片條舉到燈光下檢查每一張的曝光程度。
Before digital cameras existed, every picture was first recorded as a negative image on a roll of film.
在數位相機普及之前，每張照片最初都以負片形式記錄在膠卷上。
The old photo album contained contact prints made directly from the original negative sheets.
那本老相簿裡的照片是用原始負片直接沖洗出來的。
- inverted
broader term; describes any image with reversed colours, not only photographic
- positive
a print or image that shows correct light-and-dark values matching the original scene
文法句型
negative + film/image/print
用法筆記
This sense is less common since digital cameras became widely used, but it remains the standard term in film photography and art contexts.
11. describes a direction, movement, or electrical charge that goes against a standa
反向的
與正方向相反的
describes a direction, movement, or electrical charge that goes against a standard reference that has been chosen as positive.
On a number line, moving to the left of zero takes you in the negative direction.
在數線上，從零往左移動就是往反方向走。
The battery terminal with the minus sign connects to the negative wire in the circuit.
電池上標有減號的那一極要連接電路中的負極線。
negative wire — the wire connected to the negative terminal
In physics class, Christopher learned that a negative acceleration means the object is slowing down.
物理課上 Christopher 學到，負加速度代表物體正在減速。
The graph shows a negative slope, which means the line goes downward as you move from left to right.
圖表顯示斜率為負，這表示線條從左向右是往下傾斜的。
Folake connected the red wire to the positive terminal and the black wire to the negative terminal.
Folake 把紅線接到正極，黑線接到負極。
- reverse
implies backward or opposite movement, broader in use than 'negative'
- positive
the standard reference direction or type of charge
文法句型
negative + direction/charge/terminal/slope
用法筆記
Common in mathematics, physics, and electronics to describe values or movements measured relative to a chosen zero point or reference direction.