normal
normal — 形容詞
1. happening, done, or experienced in the way that most people expect because it ma
正常的
符合一般標準或期待的
happening, done, or experienced in the way that most people expect because it matches what is typical or common in that situation.
It is normal for babies to cry when they are hungry or tired.
嬰兒在肚子餓或疲倦時哭泣是正常的。
pattern: it is normal for + noun + to-infinitive
On a normal Monday, Élise takes the train to the city centre.
在一個平常的星期一，Élise 會搭火車到市中心。
The temperature today is normal for early spring in Taipei.
以臺北初春來說，今天的溫度很正常。
It is perfectly normal to feel nervous before a big job interview.
在重要的工作面試前感到緊張是完全正常的。
文法句型
it is normal for + noun + to-infinitive
normal + noun
用法筆記
Often used with modifiers like 'perfectly', 'completely', or 'entirely' to emphasise that there is nothing unusual about the situation.
常見錯誤
2. having a body or mind that is working correctly, without illness, injury, or pro
健康的
身心狀態正常且健康
having a body or mind that is working correctly, without illness, injury, or problems that affect how someone or something should function.
The doctor said Amani's heart rate is normal for someone her age.
醫生說 Amani 的心跳速率以她這個年齡來說是正常的。
pattern: normal for + possessive + age/group
After surgery, Vinícius was glad that all his test results were normal.
手術後，Vinícius 很開心聽到他的檢查結果都很健康正常。
collocation: test results are normal
The baby's growth has been normal since birth, so the parents feel relieved.
嬰兒從出生以來的生長發育都很正常，父母因此感到放心。
It is normal to feel very tired during the first week after a major operation.
大手術後的第一週感到非常疲倦是正常的。
文法句型
normal + noun (medical readings)
remain + normal
within normal limits
用法筆記
Common in medical contexts to describe test results, vital signs, and developmental progress. Frequently appears in the phrase 'within normal limits' (WNL) in clinical reports.
常見錯誤
3. in a condition where nothing is broken, damaged, or out of place, so that a thin
無缺陷的
沒有缺陷或不規則
in a condition where nothing is broken, damaged, or out of place, so that a thing works or looks exactly as it should.
The mechanic said the engine is in normal working order after the repair.
技師說引擎修好後運作狀態正常無缺陷。
collocation: normal working order
Under the microscope, the cell structure looked normal with no signs of damage.
在顯微鏡下，細胞結構看起來很正常，沒有受損的跡象。
The quality inspector found the fabric to be in normal condition without any tears.
品管檢查員發現布料狀態正常，沒有任何撕裂。
The technician tested the circuit board and found it in normal working state.
技術人員測試了電路板，發現它運作狀態正常。
- intact
emphasises that nothing is missing or broken; more formal
- unblemished
focuses on the absence of visible marks or flaws
文法句型
normal + noun (working order/condition)
4. meeting or forming an angle of exactly ninety degrees; standing at a right angle
垂直的
形成九十度直角
meeting or forming an angle of exactly ninety degrees; standing at a right angle to a given line, surface, or plane.
In geometry class, Soraya drew a normal line between the two intersecting planes.
幾何課上，Soraya 在兩個相交平面之間畫了一條法線。
mathematical term: normal line
A normal angle measures exactly ninety degrees and is also called a right angle.
垂直角的度數正好是九十度，也稱為直角。
The wall must be normal to the floor, or the cabinet will not fit properly.
牆壁必須與地板垂直，否則櫥櫃就裝不好。
The builder checked that each support beam was normal to the main wall.
建築工人檢查了每根支撐梁是否與主牆垂直。
- perpendicular
far more common in everyday usage; interchangeable in technical contexts
- orthogonal
formal; used mainly in advanced mathematics and engineering
- parallel
running in the same direction without meeting; the opposite geometric relationship
文法句型
normal + noun (line/angle/plane)
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in geometry, physics, and engineering contexts. In everyday English, 'perpendicular' or 'at a right angle' is far more common.
normal — 名詞
1. the usual or expected state, level, or amount that most people consider standard
常態；標準
被視為標準的狀態
the usual or expected state, level, or amount that most people consider standard in a particular situation.
After the flood, it took months for life in the village to return to normal.
洪水過後，村莊的生活花了好幾個月才恢復正常。
fixed phrase: return to normal
Rainfall this spring has been well above normal for the whole region.
今年春季的降雨量遠高於該地區的正常水準。
pattern: above / below normal
Things are slowly getting back to normal after the big earthquake in Hualien.
花蓮大地震後，一切正逐漸恢復常態。
Cyrus's body temperature is slightly below normal, so the nurse gave him a blanket.
Cyrus 的體溫略低於正常值，所以護士給了他一條毯子。
- exception
something that does not follow the usual pattern
文法句型
the normal
back to normal
above/below normal
return to normal
用法筆記
Nearly always used with a preposition — 'back to normal', 'return to normal', 'above normal', 'below normal'. The definite article 'the' is common: 'the normal'.
常見錯誤
2. a person who does not have a particular medical condition or disability, used es
正常人
沒有特定病症的人
a person who does not have a particular medical condition or disability, used especially in research studies to compare with a group that does.
The study compared the sleep patterns of patients with those of normals.
該研究比較了病患與正常人的睡眠模式。
formal research usage: normals as countable noun
In the experiment, normals completed the task faster than the patient group.
在實驗中，正常人完成任務的速度比病患組更快。
The researchers interviewed both patients and normals to gather comparative data.
研究人員同時訪談了病患和正常人，以收集比較數據。
A group of normals was recruited from the university to take part in the memory study.
一群正常人從大學招募而來，參加這項記憶研究。
- control subject
the precise research term for a person in the comparison group
- healthy volunteer
common in clinical trial contexts
- patient
the person being compared to the normal control group
文法句型
plural: normals
用法筆記
This sense is most common in academic and clinical research writing. In everyday conversation, it can sound unnatural or even offensive — use 'people without the condition' instead.
常見錯誤
3. a straight line drawn at a right angle to a curve or surface at the point where
法線；垂直線
與曲線垂直的直線
a straight line drawn at a right angle to a curve or surface at the point where they meet, used in geometry and calculus to calculate distances and slopes.
Find the equation of the normal to the curve y equals x squared at the point where x is two.
找出曲線 y 等於 x 平方在 x 等於二那點的垂直線方程式。
pattern: the normal to + curve
The normal to the parabola meets the x-axis three units from the origin.
該拋物線的法線在距離原點三個單位的位置與 x 軸相交。
First, calculate the length of the normal between the curve and the x-axis.
要解這一題，首先計算曲線與軸之間的法線長度。
The normal to the circle passes through its centre at all contact points.
圓的垂直線在所有的接觸點都會通過圓心。
- perpendicular line
more general term; 'normal' is the standard term in calculus
文法句型
the normal to + noun
normal + verb
用法筆記
This is a specialised geometry term. In calculus problems, you will often be asked to 'find the normal' to a curve, which means the line perpendicular to the tangent at that point.