nonlinear
nonlinear — 形容詞
1. not forming or following a straight line or a set of connected lines; with turns
非直線的
不是直線或線條構成的
not forming or following a straight line or a set of connected lines; with turns and curves instead of a direct path.
Kwame traced a nonlinear route through the narrow streets of the old city.
Kwame 在老城區狹窄的街道間畫出一條非直線的路線。
nonlinear route — describes a curving path
The river's nonlinear course made the journey twice as long as expected.
那條河流非直線的河道讓旅程比預期多花了一倍的功夫。
Adina designed a nonlinear garden path that winds between the flower beds.
Adina 設計了一條蜿蜒在花壇之間的非直線花園小徑。
A nonlinear arrangement of desks helped students see each other more easily.
非直線的課桌椅擺設讓學生更容易看到彼此。
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
This physical sense is less common than the abstract or mathematical uses. It often describes paths, routes, shapes, or layouts that are intentionally curved or irregular.
2. not presented or happening in a clear time‑based or logical order; jumping betwe
非連續的
沒有按時間或因果順序排列的
not presented or happening in a clear time‑based or logical order; jumping between different points in time or different topics.
The film uses a nonlinear timeline, moving between the 1980s and the present day.
這部電影採用非連續的時間線，在1980年代和現代之間來回切換。
nonlinear timeline — jumps between time periods
Lucía's nonlinear thoughts during the meeting jumped from budgets to staffing to office design.
Lucía 在會議中的思緒是非連續的，從預算跳到人事再到辦公室設計。
Many children's dreams follow a nonlinear pattern that mixes real and imaginary events.
許多小孩的夢境遵循非連續的模式，混雜了真實與想像的事件。
The Japanese director became famous for her nonlinear storytelling in award‑winning films.
那位日本導演以獲獎電影中的非連續敘事手法聞名。
Rachid wrote a nonlinear novel with chapters that alternate between three different decades.
Rachid 寫了一本非連續的小說，章節在三個不同的年代之間交錯。
- non‑sequential
more direct synonym, commonly used in computing and storytelling contexts
- disjointed
has a negative connotation of confusion; nonlinear can be a deliberate creative choice
- fragmented
suggests broken pieces; stronger sense of incompleteness than nonlinear
- sequential
following a logical or time‑based order
- chronological
arranged in the order events actually happened
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
This sense is very common in literary and film criticism. It describes narratives, timelines, or thought processes that deliberately avoid a straight chronological sequence.
常見錯誤
3. describing a connection between two things where a change in one does not cause
非比例的
變化速度不成正比的關係
describing a connection between two things where a change in one does not cause a proportional or equal change in the other, so their relationship is complex rather than simple.
Population growth and food supply often have a nonlinear relationship in developing countries.
在開發中國家，人口成長與糧食供應之間往往呈現非比例的關係。
nonlinear relationship — change is not proportional
Talia studied the nonlinear effects of temperature on the growth of rice plants.
Talia 研究了溫度對水稻生長的非比例影響。
The company's profits showed a nonlinear rise after the marketing campaign began.
行銷活動開跑後，該公司的利潤出現了非比例的增長。
The relationship between study hours and exam scores is rarely linear — it is usually nonlinear.
讀書時數與考試成績之間的關係很少是線性的——通常是非比例的。
Earthquake magnitude follows a nonlinear scale where each step is ten times stronger.
地震規模遵循非比例的量尺，每一級強度相差十倍。
- disproportionate
emphasises the unequal ratio; more negative in tone
- complex
broader term; nonlinear relationships are one kind of complex relationship
- proportional
changing at the same rate
- linear
changing by a fixed ratio
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
Frequently used in economics, biology, and social sciences to describe systems where simple cause‑and‑effect does not apply. Often appears paired with its opposite: 'linear vs. nonlinear'.
常見錯誤
4. relating to a mathematical equation or function whose graph forms a curve rather
非線性的
方程式圖形為曲線而非直線的
relating to a mathematical equation or function whose graph forms a curve rather than a straight line, typically because the variables are not directly proportional.
Karim solved a nonlinear equation to calculate the satellite's orbit around Earth.
Karim 解了一道非線性方程式，計算衛星繞地球的軌道。
nonlinear equation — mathematical expression that curves on a graph
Nonlinear functions produce curves on a graph, while linear ones produce straight lines.
非線性函數在圖表上畫出曲線，而線性函數畫出直線。
nonlinear functions … curves — contrast with linear = straight lines
The physics students plotted a nonlinear model to predict the pendulum's motion.
物理系學生畫了一個非線性模型來預測鐘擺的運動。
Nicholas used a nonlinear system of equations to describe weather patterns.
Nicholas 用一組非線性方程組來描述天氣型態。
- curvilinear
more formal synonym used mainly in geometry and statistics
- polynomial
a specific type of nonlinear function; not all nonlinear functions are polynomial
- linear
forming a straight line on a graph
- proportional
directly proportional relationship between variables
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
be + nonlinear
用法筆記
Standard term in mathematics and physics. The opposite — 'linear' — is much more common in everyday language. In math contexts, 'nonlinear' is often used as a technical classifier rather than a descriptive adjective.
5. relating to a digital‑media editing technique that lets you go straight to any p
非線性剪輯的
可直接跳到數位檔案任意位置的編輯方式
relating to a digital‑media editing technique that lets you go straight to any part of a file and change it, without working through the file from start to finish.
Rin edited the video using nonlinear software on her laptop.
Rin 在她的筆電上用非線性剪輯軟體來編輯影片。
nonlinear software — digital editing without fixed order
Nonlinear editing allows you to change the middle scene without touching the beginning.
非線性剪輯讓你可以直接修改中間的片段，不需要碰開頭的部分。
The sound engineer preferred nonlinear tools when mixing the podcast episodes.
那位音效工程師在混音播客節目時偏好使用非線性剪輯工具。
Most modern video editors use a nonlinear workflow to save time on large projects.
現今大多數影像編輯師在大型專案中使用非線性剪輯流程以節省時間。
- random‑access
very close synonym; emphasises the ability to reach any point without sequential work
- digital
broader term; not all digital editing is nonlinear, though most modern tools are
- linear
working through a file in fixed order
- tape‑based
refers to older linear editing methods using physical tape
文法句型
nonlinear + noun
用法筆記
This sense applies almost exclusively to digital media production. 'Nonlinear editing' (often abbreviated NLE) is the standard term in the film and video industry. The opposite is 'linear editing,' which involved working through tape in sequence.