pellet

IPA/ˈpelɪt/
KK[pˈɛlət]IPA/ˈpelɪt/

pellet — 名詞

  • pelletsingular
  • pelletsplural

1. A tiny ball or short cylinder formed from a substance such as food, medicine, pl

1.名詞B1
釋義

小丸；顆粒

由機器製成的小硬球或短管

A tiny ball or short cylinder formed from a substance such as food, medicine, plastic, or fuel, often made by a machine.

例句

The farmer bought a bag of grass pellets as winter feed for the goats.

農夫買了一袋牧草顆粒，作為冬天餵山羊的飼料。

collocation: grass pellets / feed pellets

Jiwoo took a vitamin pellet from the bottle and swallowed it with water.

Jiwoo 從瓶子裡取出一顆維生素小丸，配水吞下。

countable noun with material modifier: vitamin pellet

同義詞
  • ball

    More general; pellet is smaller and more regularly shaped.

  • granule

    Even smaller than a pellet; pellet is usually visible and formed intentionally.

  • pill

    Used only for medicine; pellet can refer to any substance.

  • bead

    Usually decorative or made of liquid that hardens; pellet is solid-formed.

文法句型

pellet + of + noun

用法筆記

Frequently used with a preceding noun that describes the material (feed pellets, plastic pellets, wood pellets).

常見錯誤

❌I took a pellet of bread from the loaf.
✅I tore a piece of bread from the loaf.
💡'pellet' describes a small manufactured ball, not a piece torn or cut from a larger item.

2. The solid, small round or oval waste droppings produced by certain animals such

2.名詞B2
釋義

糞粒

某些動物的小圓形糞便

The solid, small round or oval waste droppings produced by certain animals such as rabbits, rodents, birds, or deer.

例句

The rabbit left small brown pellets across the patio after its morning run.

那隻兔子在 patio 上留下了一排棕色小糞粒。

collocation: rabbit pellets

Kemi brought owl pellets to class so her students could learn how owls digest food.

Kemi 帶了貓頭鷹食繭到課堂上，讓學生了解貓頭鷹如何消化食物。

collocation: owl pellets — regurgitated, not droppings

同義詞
  • droppings

    More general term for animal waste.

  • scat

    Scientific term for wild animal droppings; less common in everyday speech.

  • dung

    Usually for larger farm or wild animals; pellet is for smaller animals.

文法句型

[animal] + pellets

用法筆記

For rabbits and rodents, pellets are droppings; for owls and other birds of prey, pellets are regurgitated balls of indigestible material (bones, fur, feathers).

常見錯誤

❌The dog left pellets in the garden.
✅The dog left droppings / waste in the garden.
💡'pellet' for animal waste is used mainly for small mammals (rabbits, rodents) and birds of prey, not dogs or cats.

3. A tiny metal sphere fired from an air gun, shotgun, or similar weapon as ammunit

3.名詞B1
釋義

彈丸

空氣槍或散彈槍的小金屬彈

A tiny metal sphere fired from an air gun, shotgun, or similar weapon as ammunition.

例句

Stefan loaded his air rifle with a lead pellet and aimed at the tin can.

Stefan 往他的空氣槍裡裝入一顆鉛彈丸，仔細瞄準了那個鐵罐。

countable: a single pellet

The hunter's shotgun scattered metal pellets across the clay target in one shot.

獵人的散彈槍一發射出數十顆金屬彈丸，打在泥製飛靶上。

plural: dozens of pellets

同義詞
  • shot

    Collective term for multiple pellets fired from a shotgun.

  • bullet

    Larger and designed for handguns and rifles; pellet is smaller and used in air guns.

  • slug

    A single large projectile for a shotgun; pellet is much smaller.

文法句型

pellet + gun / rifle

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: a gun pellet is always metallic and designed for firing. Distinguish from bullet: bullets are larger, single-projectile ammunition for firearms; pellets are small and often fired in multiples (shotgun) or singly (air rifle).

常見錯誤

❌The soldier loaded a pellet into his rifle.
✅The soldier loaded a bullet / a magazine into his rifle.
💡Modern military rifles use bullets or cartridges, not pellets. 'Pellet' is for air guns and shotguns.