oil

oil — 名詞

1. the dark liquid pumped out of the ground, which can be processed into petrol, di

1.名詞B1
釋義

石油；原油

從地底開採的黑色液體燃料原料

the dark liquid pumped out of the ground, which can be processed into petrol, diesel, and other fuels.

例句

Saudi Arabia exports millions of barrels of oil every day.

沙烏地阿拉伯每天出口數百萬桶石油。

barrels of oil — typical unit

Drilling for oil in the North Sea began in the 1970s.

北海開始開採石油是在 1970 年代。

drill for oil — common collocation

同義詞
  • petroleum

    more formal and technical; the standard term in industry and chemistry.

  • crude

    industry shorthand for unrefined oil straight from the ground.

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names the raw substance that comes out of the earth (often called 'crude' or 'petroleum'); sense 2 names the refined product used as fuel or lubricant. News and business contexts almost always mean this sense when they say 'the price of oil'.

常見錯誤

❌Saudi Arabia exports many oils.
✅Saudi Arabia exports a lot of oil.
💡in this sense oil is uncountable; do not pluralise it.

2. a smooth liquid made from petroleum that is burned to heat homes or used inside

2.名詞B1
釋義

燃油；機油

煉製過、可作燃料或潤滑機件用的油

a smooth liquid made from petroleum that is burned to heat homes or used inside engines so that moving parts slide against each other without sticking.

例句

Mum checks the oil in her car every Sunday morning.

媽媽每個星期天早上都會檢查車子的機油。

check the oil — routine maintenance

The mechanic told Daniel his engine was almost out of oil.

技師告訴丹尼爾他的引擎機油快用完了。

out of oil — quantity expression

同義詞
  • lubricant

    technical term for any substance that reduces friction; broader than oil.

  • fuel oil

    specifically the heavier oil burned for heating, not for engines.

用法筆記

Frequently appears with vehicle and machine vocabulary (engine, gears, chain, motor). When the context is a car or motorbike, 'oil' on its own usually means motor oil, not crude petroleum.

常見錯誤

❌My car needs to add oils.
✅My car needs more oil.
💡uncountable in this sense; no plural and no article 'an'.

3. a smooth fatty liquid pressed from plants or fish that you put in a pan or on fo

3.名詞A2
釋義

食用油

由植物或魚類提煉、烹飪用的油

a smooth fatty liquid pressed from plants or fish that you put in a pan or on food when cooking.

例句

Pour two spoonfuls of oil into the hot pan before adding the garlic.

在熱鍋裡倒兩匙油，然後再放入蒜頭。

imperative recipe pattern

Grandma always uses olive oil instead of butter in her salads.

奶奶拌沙拉時總是用橄欖油，而不是奶油。

olive oil — common type

同義詞
  • cooking oil

    the everyday compound term used at the supermarket and in recipes.

  • fat

    broader category that also covers solid fats like butter and lard.

用法筆記

Both countable (when comparing different kinds: 'olive, sesame, and other oils') and uncountable (when measuring an amount: 'add some oil'). Common types are usually named with the plant: olive oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil.

常見錯誤

❌Please pass me the oil for fry the egg.
✅Please pass me the oil for frying the egg.
💡after 'for', use the -ing form, not the bare infinitive.

4. a soft, slightly greasy liquid that you rub on your body to make your skin feel

4.名詞
釋義

護膚油

塗抹皮膚或頭髮保養用的油

a soft, slightly greasy liquid that you rub on your body to make your skin feel softer or your hair look shiny.

例句

After her bath, Aisha massaged a few drops of coconut oil into her hair.

洗完澡後，艾莎用幾滴椰子油按摩她的頭髮。

massage oil into hair

The spa shelf was lined with bottles of lavender and rose oils.

Spa 的架子上擺滿了一瓶瓶薰衣草油和玫瑰油。

countable plural for varieties

同義詞
  • lotion

    thinner and creamier than oil; usually water-based.

  • balm

    thicker and waxier than oil; often medicated.

用法筆記

Often forms compounds that name the source or purpose: baby oil, bath oil, massage oil, essential oil. Plural 'oils' is common in shops or spas where several scented varieties are listed together.

常見錯誤

❌She put the oil to her hair every night.
✅She put oil on her hair every night.
💡body and hair products take 'on', not 'to'.

5. a thick, slow-drying paint that artists apply with brushes onto canvas, made by

5.名詞
釋義

油畫顏料

畫家畫布上使用的濃稠慢乾顏料

a thick, slow-drying paint that artists apply with brushes onto canvas, made by mixing colour powder with linseed or other oils.

例句

Vermeer worked almost entirely in oils throughout his career.

維梅爾一生幾乎都用油畫顏料創作。

in oils — fixed expression for the medium

My art teacher taught us how to mix oils on a wooden palette.

美術老師教我們在木製調色板上調油畫顏料。

同義詞
  • oil paint

    the everyday term; means the same thing but is grammatically singular.

  • oil colour

    more technical, used by art-supply shops and instructors.

反義詞
  • watercolour

    the contrasting water-based medium that dries quickly and stays transparent.

用法筆記

Almost always plural ('oils') when referring to the medium itself, and singular when used as a modifier ('oil paint', 'oil painting'). The phrase 'in oils' is the standard way to describe an artist's chosen medium.

常見錯誤

❌She paints with the oil.
✅She paints in oils.
💡the medium uses 'in' + plural, not 'with the' + singular.

6. a finished picture that an artist has made using oil paints, usually hung on a w

6.名詞
釋義

油畫作品

用油畫顏料畫成的成品畫作

a finished picture that an artist has made using oil paints, usually hung on a wall.

例句

An enormous oil of the founder hangs in the school's main hall.

校園主廳掛著一幅創辦人的巨大油畫。

an oil — countable singular

The gallery sells oils, prints, and sketches by local artists.

這家畫廊販售本地藝術家的油畫、版畫和素描。

oils contrasted with prints and sketches

同義詞
  • oil painting

    the everyday equivalent; safer for learners than the bare noun.

  • canvas

    focuses on the physical support but is often used to mean the painting itself.

用法筆記

Always countable in this sense, and usually appears with 'of' (an oil of the harbour) or 'by' (oils by Turner). Distinguish from sense 5: sense 5 is the paint itself; this sense is the finished artwork.

常見錯誤

❌He showed me his oil hanging in the bedroom.
✅He showed me his oil painting hanging in the bedroom.
💡using bare 'oil' for the artwork sounds odd outside auction or gallery contexts; learners are safer with 'oil painting'.

oil — 動詞