pyramid
pyramid — 名詞
1. a solid three-dimensional shape with a flat base — often a square or triangle —
角錐體
底面為多邊形、側面為三角形的立體圖形
a solid three-dimensional shape with a flat base — often a square or triangle — and triangular sides that all slope upward to a single apex.
Yuki cut out a paper pyramid for her math project on three-dimensional shapes.
Yuki 為了她的數學立體圖形作業，用紙剪出了一個角錐體。
countable noun for geometric solid
The teacher showed the class a wooden pyramid with a square base and triangular sides.
老師向全班展示了一個木製角錐體，它有方形底面和三角形側面。
A pyramid has one base and as many triangular sides as the base has edges.
角錐體有一個底面，側面三角形的數量和底面的邊數相同。
The math teacher handed each student a small cardboard pyramid and asked them to count its faces.
數學老師發給每個學生一個小紙板角錐體，請他們數一數有幾個面。
- polyhedron
a broader term for any solid figure with flat faces; pyramid is a specific type
- cone
similar in having a point at the top and a base, but cone has a circular base, not polygonal
2. a stack or heap of objects arranged so that each layer is smaller than the one b
堆疊物
堆成金字塔形狀的一堆物品
a stack or heap of objects arranged so that each layer is smaller than the one below, creating a shape that widens toward the bottom and narrows toward the top.
The market vendor built a pyramid of oranges on her wooden stand.
那位市場攤販在她的木架子上堆起了一座柳丁金字塔。
countable noun: pyramid of + nouns
Tendai arranged the cans into a pyramid for the store's weekly display.
Tendai 把罐頭堆成金字塔形狀，作為店裡這週的展示。
A small pyramid of stones marked the hiking trail through the mountain pass.
一小堆石頭金字塔標示著穿越山隘的健行步道。
Noor stacked the books into a pyramid to make room on her desk.
Noor 把書堆成金字塔形狀，好讓桌上騰出空間。
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'a pyramid of [plural noun]' to describe how objects are stacked.
3. huge ancient stone buildings in Egypt, constructed over 4,000 years ago as royal
金字塔
古埃及法老的大型石造陵墓
huge ancient stone buildings in Egypt, constructed over 4,000 years ago as royal tombs. Each has a square footprint and four sloping sides that rise toward the summit.
Linh and her family visited the Great Pyramid during their trip to Egypt last spring.
Linh 和家人去年春天去埃及旅行時參觀了大金字塔。
usually capitalized when referring to Egyptian structures
The pyramids of Giza are the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.
吉薩金字塔群是古代世界唯一留存下來的奇蹟。
In 2023, Yara's archaeology team discovered a hidden chamber inside the Great Pyramid using a special scanner.
2023 年，Yara 的考古團隊用特殊掃描器在大金字塔內部發現了一個隱藏的密室。
Ingrid bought a small model of the Great Pyramid from the museum gift shop.
Ingrid 從博物館禮品店買了一個大金字塔的小模型。
Noa read about how the pyramids were built without the use of modern machines.
Noa 讀到關於金字塔如何在沒有現代機械的情況下建造而成。
用法筆記
When referring specifically to the ancient Egyptian structures, 'Pyramid' or 'the Pyramids' is often capitalized. This sense is usually plural ('the pyramids of Giza'), but may be singular when referring to one specific structure ('the Great Pyramid').
常見錯誤
4. a way of describing a company, system, or society where the lower levels contain
階層體系
越往高層人數越少的組織結構
a way of describing a company, system, or society where the lower levels contain many people while each higher level holds fewer people and carries more authority.
At the top of the corporate pyramid sits the board of directors and the CEO.
企業金字塔的頂端坐著董事會和執行長。
metaphorical use: 'pyramid of' + organization type
Stephanie worked her way up the management pyramid over fifteen years at the firm.
Stephanie 在那家公司花了十五年時間沿著管理階層體系往上爬。
At Topaz Electronics, the management pyramid has just three levels: team leads, department heads, and the CEO.
在 Topaz Electronics 公司，管理階層體系只有三層：組長、部門主管和執行長。
Hassan studied the pyramid of needs in his psychology class at university.
Hassan 在大學的心理學課上研究了需求金字塔。
- flat structure
an organization with few or no management levels between staff and leadership
用法筆記
This is a metaphorical extension of the geometric shape to describe structures. 'Pyramid' does not necessarily imply a fixed number of levels — the key feature is that each level has fewer people than the level below.
5. a dishonest business model in which people who join early make money by getting
老鼠會
靠招募下線而非銷售產品獲利的非法投資模式
a dishonest business model in which people who join early make money by getting new members to join and pay in, rather than by selling actual products or services. The scheme collapses when there are not enough new members to pay the existing ones.
Jack lost his entire savings by joining a pyramid scheme that promised huge returns.
Jack 加入了一個承諾高額回報的老鼠會，結果失去了畢生積蓄。
collocation: pyramid scheme + collapse/lose money
The government warned citizens about online pyramid schemes that target new immigrants.
政府警告民眾注意那些針對新移民的網路老鼠會。
Pyramid schemes are illegal because they cannot sustain payments once recruitment slows down.
老鼠會是違法的，因為一旦招募減緩，就無法繼續支付回報。
Camila's friend tried to persuade her to join a pyramid scheme, but she refused.
Camila 的朋友試圖說服她加入老鼠會，但她拒絕了。
- Ponzi scheme
similar in structure but typically involves a single operator who collects money from all investors and pays earlier ones with later investors' money, without requiring recruitment
用法筆記
Pyramid schemes are illegal in Taiwan under the Fair Trade Act and the Multi-Level Marketing Supervision Act. They differ from legal multi-level marketing (MLM) companies, which earn revenue from actual product sales. In Taiwanese Mandarin, pyramid schemes are commonly called 老鼠會 (lǎoshǔ huì).
常見錯誤
6. a risky investment method in which an investor keeps buying more shares of a sto
融資擴張
利用上漲股票市值為擔保繼續買進的投機方式
a risky investment method in which an investor keeps buying more shares of a stock or other asset by using the growing value of the shares they already own as a guarantee for borrowing more money to buy even more shares.
Vikram pyramided his Amazon shares by borrowing against their rising value to buy more of them.
Vikram 利用亞馬遜股票上漲的市值作為擔保借錢買進更多股票，進行融資擴張。
uncountable noun in financial context
Padma studied the risks of pyramiding before she tried it in the stock market.
Padma 在嘗試股市融資擴張之前先研究了其中的風險。
Pyramiding uses rising share prices as loan collateral, but even a small drop can trigger a forced sale.
融資擴張以上漲的股價作為貸款擔保，但即使小幅下跌也可能引發被迫賣出。
Hari warned his friend that pyramiding is only safe in a rising market.
Hari 警告他的朋友，融資擴張只有在市場上漲時才是安全的。
- margin trading
a broader category of borrowing money to invest; pyramiding is a specific method within margin trading
用法筆記
Do not confuse this sense with 'pyramid scheme' (noun sense 5). 'Pyramiding' in the stock market is a high-risk but legal investment strategy, not a fraudulent recruitment model. It is most commonly used in American financial journalism.
常見錯誤
pyramid — 動詞
1. to arrange or stack objects in layers that grow smaller toward the top, so that
堆成錐形
將物品堆疊成金字塔的形狀
to arrange or stack objects in layers that grow smaller toward the top, so that the whole collection has a pyramid-like shape.
The children pyramided the sand into a tall shape on the beach.
孩子們在沙灘上把沙子堆成高高的錐形。
transitive: pyramid + object + into + shape
Sivan pyramided the gift boxes in the center of the table for the party.
Sivan 把禮物盒堆成錐形，放在餐桌中央。
The caterer pyramided the fruit on a large silver platter at the wedding reception.
外燴廚師在婚宴上把水果堆成錐形，放在一個大銀盤上。
Élise pyramided the pancakes on a plate and added maple syrup on top.
Élise 把鬆餅堆成錐形放在盤子上，再淋上楓糖漿。
文法句型
pyramid + object
pyramid + adverb of place
用法筆記
Often used in cooking or retail contexts when describing food displays or product arrangements. The passive form ('be pyramided') is also common: 'The apples were pyramided on the stand.'
2. to grow or increase very quickly, with each stage of growth building on the prev
急遽增長
快速地逐步增加、擴大
to grow or increase very quickly, with each stage of growth building on the previous one, often in a way that becomes difficult to control.
The company's debts pyramided as each unpaid loan led to more borrowing.
這家公司的債務急遽增長，因為每一筆未償還的貸款都導致更多的借貸。
intransitive: debts/costs + pyramid
The factory's costs pyramided from fifty thousand to two hundred thousand dollars after its main supplier shut down.
主要供應商關閉後，這家工廠的成本從五萬美元急遽增長到二十萬美元。
Problems pyramided when the school lost its main source of government funding.
學校失去主要政府經費來源後，問題急遽增加。
Jisoo watched her monthly expenses pyramid as she added more subscriptions.
Jisoo 發現她每月開銷隨著新增更多訂閱服務而急遽增長。
文法句型
pyramid + adverb (rapidly, quickly)
用法筆記
Typically used to describe negative situations (debts, costs, problems) that spiral out of control. It is rarely used for positive, steady growth. The subject is typically an abstract plural noun: debts, costs, problems, challenges.
常見錯誤
3. to invest in stocks or other assets by using the unrealized profits from current
槓桿投機
用帳面獲利作保證金進行更多投機交易
to invest in stocks or other assets by using the unrealized profits from current holdings as a guarantee to borrow more money and buy even more of the same asset, repeating this cycle as the market price keeps rising.
Dahlia pyramided her stock holdings by using her paper gains as new margin.
Dahlia 利用帳面獲利作為新的保證金，對她的持股進行槓桿投機。
intransitive: pyramid holdings/positions
Lan pyramided her semiconductor stock as the share price rose fifteen percent over two months.
Lan 的半導體股票在兩個月內上漲了 15%，她便對該持股進行槓桿投機。
A hedge fund pyramided tech stocks in 2021 and lost over two hundred million dollars when prices fell.
一檔避險基金在 2021 年對科技股進行槓桿投機，價格下跌時賠了超過兩億美元。
Nikos decided to pyramid his tech stocks after watching the sector rise for months.
Nikos 密切觀察科技類股好幾個月後，決定對他的科技股進行槓桿投機。
- leverage
a broader term for using borrowed money to invest; pyramiding is one specific way of leveraging
- margin trade
any trade using borrowed money from a broker; pyramiding is a repeated version of this
文法句型
pyramid + on + market/stock
pyramid + adverb (heavily, aggressively)
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in financial and stock market reporting. The subject is typically a trader or investor, and the object is typically 'holdings' or 'position'. This strategy is extremely risky because a small price drop can trigger a margin call, forcing the investor to sell at a loss.
4. to take the profits or money from one investment and put it into another larger
利潤再投
將獲利或資產投入槓桿式投機操作
to take the profits or money from one investment and put it into another larger investment, repeating this cycle to build a bigger portfolio.
Tara pyramided her earnings from the first trade into a second, much larger deal.
Tara 將第一筆交易的獲利再次投入第二筆更大規模的交易。
transitive: pyramid + profits/earnings + into
Akira pyramided the profits from his real estate sale into several new rental properties.
Akira 把售屋的獲利再次投入好幾間新的出租房產。
The firm pyramided its cash reserves into higher-risk investments overseas.
那家公司將現金儲備再次投入海外的高風險投資。
Constanza pyramided her rental income into a small coffee shop business.
Constanza 把房租收入再次投入一間小咖啡廳生意。
文法句型
pyramid + profits/gains + into + new investment
用法筆記
The object is typically a financial resource (profits, earnings, gains, cash reserves), and the preposition 'into' introduces the new investment. This sense differs from verb sense 3 in that it focuses on reinvesting realized profits rather than using unrealized paper gains as margin.