past

past — 介系詞

1. at a place farther on than a chosen point, or moving by that point and beyond it

1.介系詞A2
釋義

經過；越過

經過某點並到更前面

at a place farther on than a chosen point, or moving by that point and beyond it.

例句

Our house is just past the bridge near the small bakery.

我們家就在那座橋再過去、靠近小麵包店的地方。

location beyond a landmark

The bus drove past the school before the rain started.

公車在下雨前開過了那所學校。

drive past + place

同義詞
  • beyond

    can describe the farther side, but it is less natural for movement by a point

  • by

    stresses going beside something, not necessarily farther than it

反義詞
  • before

    on the nearer side of the point, not beyond it

  • short of

    not reaching the point yet

文法句型

go / walk / drive past + noun

be just past + landmark

用法筆記

With movement verbs, the object is the point that gets left behind. It is also common in directions for a place slightly farther on than a landmark.

常見錯誤

❌We walked passed the bank.
✅We walked past the bank.
💡'past' is the preposition here; 'passed' is the verb form.

2. used after a number of minutes to give the time after an hour has started.

2.介系詞A1
釋義

過

表示整點後幾分

used after a number of minutes to give the time after an hour has started.

例句

The clock showed ten past six when the first train arrived.

第一班火車到的時候已經六點過十分了。

time: minutes + past + hour

Please call me at a quarter past three.

請在三點一刻打給我。

a quarter past + hour

同義詞
  • after

    common especially in American English for clock time

  • minutes after

    more explicit wording, often used when explaining the pattern

反義詞
  • to

    used for minutes before the next hour

  • before

    another way to express time earlier than the coming hour

文法句型

[minutes] + past + [hour]

a quarter / half past + [hour]

用法筆記

This sense is only for minutes after the hour. In American English, 'after' is also used, but 'past' works in both British and American English.

常見錯誤

❌It is past ten six.
✅It is ten past six.
💡put the minutes before 'past' and the hour after it.

3. later than a stated time or age, or beyond a level that can be reached or handle

3.介系詞B2
釋義

超過；晚於

超出某時間、年齡或範圍

later than a stated time or age, or beyond a level that can be reached or handled.

例句

Children past age five can join the summer reading club.

超過五歲的孩子可以參加暑期閱讀社。

past + age expression

We were still awake past midnight, waiting for the test results.

我們一直醒著到午夜過後，等考試結果。

past + time point

同義詞
  • after

    neutral choice for time or sequence

  • beyond

    often used for limits, ability, or range

  • over

    common with ages and numbers, but less general than 'past'

反義詞
  • before

    earlier than the stated point

  • within

    still inside the limit or range

文法句型

past + age / midnight / deadline

be past + someone's level / reach

用法筆記

Unlike sense 2, this sense is not limited to clock time after the hour. It often follows words for age, midnight, dates, deadlines, or someone's ability.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting continued past than midnight.
✅The meeting continued past midnight.
💡'past' is followed directly by the time expression.

past — 形容詞

past — 名詞

past — 副詞