para
para — 名詞
1. a short, casual word for a paratrooper — that is, a soldier trained to jump from
傘兵
傘兵的非正式簡稱
a short, casual word for a paratrooper — that is, a soldier trained to jump from a plane using a parachute and land in enemy territory.
Marcus served as a para in the British Army for twelve years.
Marcus 在英國陸軍當了十二年的傘兵。
subject + be/serve as + a para
The paras dropped into the valley just before dawn on Tuesday.
週二天剛亮前，那群傘兵就空降到山谷裡。
plural use: the paras + action verb
Three retired paras spoke at the school assembly about their training jumps in Wales.
三位退役傘兵在學校朝會上分享他們在威爾斯的跳傘訓練經驗。
Two paras helped pull the wounded driver from the burning truck.
兩名傘兵幫忙把受傷的駕駛從燃燒的卡車裡拉出來。
- paratrooper
the full, neutral form used in writing
- airborne soldier
more general; covers any troops moved by air
用法筆記
Informal British military slang; in formal writing or American English, prefer 'paratrooper'. Often used in plural ('the paras') as a casual name for a parachute regiment.
常見錯誤
2. a short written form of 'paragraph', used mostly by editors, journalists, and st
段落；段
paragraph 的編輯室口語縮寫
a short written form of 'paragraph', used mostly by editors, journalists, and students when they want to point to a specific block of text quickly.
Could you cut the third para on page two? It repeats the opening line.
可以把第二頁的第三段刪掉嗎？它跟開頭那句重複了。
ordinal + para: the third para, the second para
The editor wrote 'rewrite this para' in red ink across Lina's draft.
編輯在 Lina 的草稿上用紅筆寫了「這段重寫」。
Sarah added two new paras to the introduction before sending the article in.
Sarah 在投稿前替前言加了兩個新段落。
Move that quote up into the opening para so readers see it first.
把那句引言移到開頭那段，讓讀者一眼就看到。
用法筆記
Mostly used in newsroom, editorial, and classroom shorthand — rare in finished printed text. Frequently appears with ordinal numbers ('the third para') or instructions ('cut this para', 'rewrite this para').
常見錯誤
para — 字首
1. added to the front of a word to mean 'past the edge of what is normal or what sc
超出常規
字首：超出常理或科學範圍
added to the front of a word to mean 'past the edge of what is normal or what science can explain' — as in 'paranormal' (events outside normal experience) or 'paradox' (an idea that goes beyond ordinary logic).
Mei refused to sleep at the old farmhouse after hearing paranormal stories about footsteps in the attic.
聽過閣樓裡有腳步聲的超自然傳聞後，Mei 再也不敢在那間老農舍過夜。
para- + normal: events science cannot explain
The detective's claim was a paradox: the killer was both inside and outside the locked room.
偵探的說法是個悖論：兇手既在上鎖的房間裡，也在房間外。
para- + dox (Greek 'opinion'): an idea past normal logic
Doctor Tanaka studies parapsychology, looking for signs of mind reading and other unusual mental powers.
Tanaka 醫師研究超心理學，尋找讀心術等不尋常心智能力的線索。
The villagers told the journalist about a paranormal light that floats above the lake every autumn.
村民告訴記者，每年秋天湖面上都會出現一道超自然的光。
- intra-
'within' — opposite direction (intramural, intravenous)
文法句型
para- + noun (paranormal, paradox)
para- + adjective
用法筆記
This sense gives the new word a 'beyond ordinary' flavour. Distinguish from sense 2 (parallel-but-separate, as in 'paramedic') and sense 3 (subordinate helper, as in 'paralegal'): here, the meaning is 'goes past what we usually consider possible'.
常見錯誤
2. added to the front of a word to mean a group or activity that operates as a para
並行；準
字首：與本體並行但獨立的組織
added to the front of a word to mean a group or activity that operates as a parallel rival to the main one — independent of its command, not under it — for example, a 'paramilitary' force fights like an army but answers to its own leaders, unlike a 'paramedic' (sense 3), who works under a doctor.
A paramilitary group patrolled the border without any official army uniform or badge.
一支準軍事組織在邊境巡邏，沒穿任何官方軍裝或徽章。
para- + military: armed group running parallel to the army
The mayor's paramilitary police set up roadblocks across the capital and answered only to his office, not the national army.
市長的準軍事警察在首都各處設下路障，只聽命於他的辦公室，不歸國家軍隊管。
paramilitary force answering to its own command, not the regular army
Rebel paramilitary units controlled three towns along the eastern river last summer.
去年夏天，叛軍的準軍事部隊掌控了東邊河岸的三個城鎮。
Journalists in Bogotá warned that the new security force was really a paramilitary wing loyal to the ruling party.
Bogotá 的記者警告，這支新的安全部隊根本是效忠執政黨的準軍事組織。
文法句型
para- + profession noun (paramedic, paramilitary)
用法筆記
The new word names something that mirrors the base activity but sits outside its official structure. Differs from sense 3 (which means a helper or junior version of the base role) — here the parallel body is independent, not subordinate.
常見錯誤
3. added to the front of a job title to mean a trained worker who supports a fully
輔助；助理
字首：協助專業人員的助理職
added to the front of a job title to mean a trained worker who supports a fully qualified professional — doing many of the same daily tasks but without the senior person's full licence or training, as in 'paralegal' or 'paramedic'.
Carlos works as a paralegal, drafting contracts for two senior lawyers in the firm.
Carlos 在事務所擔任律師助理，替兩位資深律師擬合約。
para- + legal: trained helper to a lawyer
The paramedic checked the boy's pulse before the doctor reached the scene.
醫師到場前，急救員已先替男孩量了脈搏。
para- + medic: trained helper alongside doctors
Each classroom has a paraeducator who supports children with special learning needs.
每間教室都配有一位助理教師，協助有特殊學習需求的孩子。
After the highway pile-up, two paramedics treated injured drivers at the roadside while waiting for the surgeon to arrive.
高速公路連環車禍後，兩位急救員在路邊替受傷駕駛初步處置，等候外科醫師趕到。
文法句型
para- + profession noun (paralegal, paramedic, paraeducator)
用法筆記
The 'para-' worker is junior to and assists the named professional, not a parallel rival body (contrast with sense 2's 'paramilitary'). Most common in profession words: paralegal, paramedic, paraeducator, paraprofessional.
常見錯誤
para — 形容詞
1. placed before the name of a sport, athlete, or event to mark it as belonging to
身障運動的
用於身障者運動或選手前的形容詞
placed before the name of a sport, athlete, or event to mark it as belonging to disability sport — that is, sport designed for athletes with a physical or visual impairment, as in 'para athlete', 'para cycling', or 'para swimming'.
Lina won her first medal as a para athlete at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Lina 在 2021 年的東京賽事中，以身障運動員身分拿下她的第一面獎牌。
attributive: para + athlete
The new training centre offers para cycling, para swimming, and wheelchair basketball every week.
新的訓練中心每週都有身障自由車、身障游泳和輪椅籃球課程。
attributive: para + sport name
Marcus coached the national para swimming team for nearly ten years before he retired.
Marcus 在退休前帶國家身障游泳隊將近十年。
Local schools now invite para athletes to talk to students about training and goals.
本地學校現在會邀請身障運動員來跟學生分享訓練和目標。
- Paralympic
specifically the four-yearly Paralympic Games; 'para' is broader and covers training and club sport too
- adaptive
American term for sports adjusted for disability; less tied to elite competition
文法句型
para + sport noun (para athlete, para cycling, para swimming)
用法筆記
Used only before another noun (attributive), not after a linking verb — you say 'a para athlete' but not 'the athlete is para'. Often written as one word in older sources ('paraswimming'), but modern style usually keeps it open ('para swimming').