rape
rape — 動詞
1. to force a person to have sex with you against their will, by using your physica
強暴；性侵
以暴力或威脅強迫他人發生性行為
to force a person to have sex with you against their will, by using your physical strength or by making them afraid that you will hurt them
A former soldier was found guilty of raping a tourist in the park.
一名前士兵因在公園裡強暴一名觀光客而被判有罪。
passive voice: be found guilty of raping
Detectives arrested a man suspected of raping three women over the course of a year.
警方逮捕了一名涉嫌在一年內性侵三名女性的男子。
active: suspect of raping [number] people over [time]
More survivors of rape are now coming forward to report the crime.
越來越多的強暴倖存者正在站出來報案。
The prosecutor showed that the accused had threatened the victim before raping her.
檢察官出示證據顯示，被告在性侵被害人之前曾威脅她。
New laws make it easier for people who have been raped to give evidence in court.
新的法律讓遭受性侵的人更容易在法庭上作證。
- sexually assault
broader legal term covering all unwanted sexual contact, not limited to intercourse
- violate
more formal and literary; can also mean to break a rule or agreement
文法句型
rape + person
be raped by + person
用法筆記
In legal and journalistic contexts, the broader term sexual assault (性侵害) is often preferred because it covers a wider range of unwanted sexual contact. Rape specifically refers to forced sexual intercourse. The verb is transitive and always takes a direct object — you rape a person, not 'with' a person.
常見錯誤
2. to steal or take everything valuable from a place or area, especially during a w
劫掠；掠奪
在戰爭中以武力奪取財物
to steal or take everything valuable from a place or area, especially during a war, leaving it ruined
The invading army raped the city of all its treasures and burned the temples.
入侵的軍隊掠奪了這座城市所有的寶藏，並焚燒了神廟。
pattern: rape + place + of + possessions
Historical accounts describe how the conquerors raped the countryside for supplies.
歷史記載描述征服者如何到鄉間劫掠物資。
The warlord's troops raped every village along the river, taking grain and cattle.
軍閥的部隊沿河劫掠每個村莊，奪走穀物和牲畜。
The old chronicle says the Vikings raped the monastery and carried off the gold.
古老的編年史記載，維京人劫掠了修道院並帶走了黃金。
文法句型
rape + place + of + possessions
用法筆記
This sense is now very rare in modern English except in historical writing. The use of rape to mean 'plunder' shares an origin with the sexual sense (from Latin rapere 'to seize'), but modern readers may find it confusing or offensive. In most contexts, plunder, loot, or pillage are preferred.
常見錯誤
rape — 名詞
1. the offence of making a person take part in a sexual act without their agreement
強暴；強姦
違反他人意願強迫發生性行為的罪行
the offence of making a person take part in a sexual act without their agreement, typically by using physical strength, threats, or by acting when the person is unable to say no
Rape is treated as a serious crime in every legal system around the world.
在世界各地的法律體系中，強暴都被視為一項重罪。
uncountable: general reference to the crime
The number of reported rapes has risen as more survivors choose to speak out.
隨著越來越多的倖存者選擇勇敢發聲，通報的強姦案件數量有所增加。
countable: reported rapes (individual instances)
Diego was charged with the rape of a minor and is now awaiting trial.
Diego 因強暴一名未成年人而被起訴，目前正在等待審判。
The documentary tells the story of a rape survivor who became an activist.
這部紀錄片講述了一名強暴倖存者成為社會運動者的故事。
- sexual assault
broader legal term covering any unwanted sexual contact, not only intercourse
- sexual violence
umbrella term that includes rape, assault, harassment, and other forms of unwanted sexual behaviour
文法句型
[countable] a rape
[uncountable] rape
rape of + person
用法筆記
In Taiwan's legal system, the term 強制性交 (forced sexual intercourse) is used in the Criminal Code, while 性侵害 (sexual assault) is the broader category used by police and social services. In everyday speech, 強暴 and 性侵 are common.
常見錯誤
2. the severe damage or destruction of a natural area or environment, usually for f
破壞；蹂躪
對自然環境的嚴重破壞
the severe damage or destruction of a natural area or environment, usually for financial gain
The rape of the rainforest by logging companies has caused global concern.
伐木公司對雨林的破壞引起了全球的關注。
pattern: the rape of [place] by [agent]
Local activists protested against the rape of the coastline by hotel developers.
當地環保人士抗議飯店開發商對海岸線的破壞。
The documentary exposes the rape of the ocean through overfishing and pollution.
這部紀錄片揭露了過度捕撈和污染對海洋的蹂躪。
The book examines the rape of the Arctic by oil drilling companies.
該書探討了石油鑽探公司對北極的破壞。
- destruction
neutral term without the metaphorical force or controversy
- devastation
emphasizes the total ruin of an area
- exploitation
focuses on the unfair use of resources for profit
文法句型
the rape of + [natural feature]
用法筆記
This is a metaphorical use of the word rape. It carries strong emotional weight and is used in environmental writing and protest language. Some readers may find the metaphor inappropriate because it compares damage to land with sexual violence.
3. a tall farm crop that produces golden blooms and is grown mainly for its seeds,
油菜
開黃花、種子可榨油的農作物
a tall farm crop that produces golden blooms and is grown mainly for its seeds, which can be pressed to obtain cooking oil, while the leftover parts are used as feed for animals — also called oilseed rape or rapeseed
Fields of bright yellow rape stretch across the English countryside in late spring.
春末時節，英格蘭鄉間遍地都是金黃色的油菜花田。
uncountable: fields of rape
Farmers grow rape for the oil in its seeds, which is used in cooking and industry.
農民種植油菜是為了取其種子榨油，可用於烹飪和工業。
The price of rapeseed oil went up sharply after the summer drought damaged the crop.
夏季乾旱導致油菜籽歉收，菜籽油價格大幅上漲。
Léa's grandfather has been growing rape on his farm in Normandy for forty years.
Léa 的祖父在諾曼第的農場種植油菜已經四十年了。
- oilseed rape
the fuller name of the plant; more precise in agricultural contexts
- rapeseed
refers specifically to the seeds or the plant grown for seed
- canola
the commercial name for the oil in North America and Australia; bred from rapeseed
文法句型
grow rape
fields of rape
rape oil/seed
用法筆記
This sense has no connection to the crime sense — the word comes from Latin rapum 'turnip', through a completely different root. In British English, the bright yellow fields are a common sight from spring to summer. In American English, canola is the more common term for the oil, though the plant is the same species.
4. the act of violently stealing or destroying property during a war or invasion, l
洗劫；掠奪
戰時以武力搶奪財物的行為
the act of violently stealing or destroying property during a war or invasion, leaving a place empty or ruined
The history book describes the complete rape of the province by the invading troops.
歷史書描述了入侵部隊對該省的徹底劫掠。
historical context: the rape of [place] by [army]
Museums across Europe display treasures taken during the rape of ancient cities.
歐洲各地的博物館陳列著古代城市遭劫掠時被奪走的珍寶。
The chronicler wrote about the rape of the monastery by the advancing army.
編年史作者記載了前進的軍隊對修道院的劫掠。
The rape of the town left every building burned and every family without shelter.
該城鎮被洗劫後，每棟建築都燒毀了，每個家庭都無家可歸。
文法句型
the rape of + [place]
用法筆記
Like the verb plunder sense, this meaning is archaic and rarely used today outside of historical descriptions. Modern readers may misinterpret it because the sexual meaning is now dominant. The words plunder, pillage, or looting are clearer alternatives.