prince

prince — 名詞

1. a boy or man whose father or grandfather is a king or queen, making him an impor

1.名詞B1
釋義

王子

國王的兒子或孫子等皇室男性成員

a boy or man whose father or grandfather is a king or queen, making him an important member of the royal family

例句

Christopher, the king's eldest son, will one day rule the country as its prince.

Christopher 是國王的長子，將來會以王子身分統治這個國家。

title + name as a subject

The young prince waved to the crowd from the palace balcony.

年輕的王子在皇宮陽台上向群眾揮手。

同義詞
  • royal

    broader term for any member of a royal family, not limited to male children of the monarch

  • heir

    focuses on the right to inherit the throne, not just being a royal family member

反義詞
  • princess

    female equivalent in the same royal family

文法句型

the prince

Prince + [name]

用法筆記

Often used as a title before a name, e.g. Prince William. The feminine equivalent is princess.

常見錯誤

❌She is a prince of the royal family.
✅She is a princess of the royal family.
💡prince is the male form; the female title is princess.

2. a male leader in charge of a territory smaller than a full kingdom, such as a pr

2.名詞B2
釋義

親王

統治小國或公國的男性領袖

a male leader in charge of a territory smaller than a full kingdom, such as a principality or duchy

例句

Lakshmi, the prince of a small coastal state, signed a trade agreement with neighbouring countries.

沿海小邦的 Lakshmi 親王與鄰國簽署了一項貿易協議。

prince of [place] for a ruler

The prince governed the territory fairly, building roads and schools for his people.

這位親王公正地治理領地，為人民建造道路和學校。

同義詞
  • ruler

    more general term for someone who governs a territory

  • sovereign

    emphasises independent authority over a territory

反義詞
  • subject

    a person who lives under the prince's rule

文法句型

the prince of [place]

Prince of [country]

用法筆記

The territory ruled by this kind of prince is called a principality. This sense is distinct from sense 1 — here the prince is the actual ruler, not just a family member.

常見錯誤

❌The prince ruled over the kingdom for thirty years.
✅The prince ruled over the principality for thirty years.
💡a prince in this sense rules a principality, not a kingdom (which is ruled by a king or queen).

3. the most accomplished person in a particular activity, profession, or art form,

3.名詞C1
釋義

大師；泰斗

在某領域表現頂尖的人

the most accomplished person in a particular activity, profession, or art form, greatly admired for skill

例句

Chef Élise is known as the prince of French cuisine in her home country.

廚師 Élise 在她的家鄉被譽為法式料理大師。

prince of [domain] for an expert

Music critics called Christopher the prince of jazz piano after his final concert.

樂評人在 Christopher 的最後一場音樂會後，稱他為爵士鋼琴大師。

同義詞
  • master

    emphasises complete command of a skill rather than public recognition

  • champion

    suggests competition and victory rather than general excellence

  • genius

    focuses on natural talent rather than earned reputation

文法句型

prince of [domain]

the prince of [genre]

用法筆記

Always used figuratively rather than literally. Commonly follows the pattern 'prince of + domain' (e.g., prince of comedy, prince of pop).

常見錯誤

❌He is a literal prince in the music industry.
✅He is regarded as the prince of the music industry.
💡this sense is figurative and metaphorical, not a formal title.

4. a high-ranking male aristocrat in several European nations, whose title places h

4.名詞B2
釋義

公爵

歐洲某些國家的男性貴族頭銜

a high-ranking male aristocrat in several European nations, whose title places him below a king within the noble social class

例句

Esme inherited a castle in the French countryside after her father, the prince, passed away.

Esme 從擔任公爵的父親那裡繼承了法國鄉間的一座城堡。

The prince attended a formal dinner at the royal palace in Vienna.

公爵在維也納的皇宮參加了一場正式晚宴。

prince as a noble attending formal events

同義詞
  • nobleman

    broader term for any male aristocrat; does not specify the exact rank

  • lord

    more general title for a landowning aristocrat in British contexts

反義詞
  • commoner

    someone not born into a noble or aristocratic family

文法句型

the prince of [place]

Prince [name]

用法筆記

Used mainly in historical contexts describing European countries such as France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. The exact rank varies by country — in some nations a prince outranks a duke, while in others the reverse is true.

常見錯誤

❌The French prince ruled the entire country as its king.
✅The French prince was a wealthy nobleman who owned vast lands but was not the monarch.
💡in this sense a prince is a titled noble, not the ruler of a whole country.