responsible
responsible — 形容詞
1. given the duty to look after a person, task, or area and make decisions about it
負責
有義務管理或照顧
given the duty to look after a person, task, or area and make decisions about it
The building superintendent is responsible for keeping the entire apartment complex clean and safe.
大樓管理員負責保持整個公寓社區的清潔與安全。
responsible for + gerund
Dr. Okafor is responsible for twenty patients on the fourth floor of the hospital.
Okafor 醫生負責醫院四樓的二十名病人。
responsible for + number of people
The senior editor is responsible for checking every article before it goes to print.
資深編輯負責在每篇文章付印前進行審查。
Quan is responsible for scheduling all the delivery trucks at the warehouse this month.
Quan 負責安排倉庫所有送貨卡車這個月的排程。
- in charge of
less formal; emphasizes authority rather than duty
- in control of
focuses on having power over a situation, not duty of care
- not responsible
simple negation; no single antonym exists for this sense
文法句型
responsible + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Frequently used with a gerund (verb + -ing) after 'for' to describe ongoing duties.
常見錯誤
2. expected to give an account of your decisions or actions to a person or group wi
隸屬
需向上級報告
expected to give an account of your decisions or actions to a person or group with more authority
The warehouse manager is directly responsible to the regional director for all shipping operations.
倉庫經理在所有出貨業務上直接對區域總監負責。
responsible to [authority] for [duties]
In this organisation, every team leader is responsible to the head of the department.
在這個組織裡，每位團隊主管都對部門主管負責。
The finance officer is responsible to the board of directors, not to the general manager.
財務主管是對董事會負責，而不是對總經理負責。
In a democracy, the prime minister is responsible to the elected parliament.
在民主國家，首相對民選議會負責。
- accountable to
more formal; carries a stronger sense of being judged or penalised
- answerable to
slightly more formal; emphasises the need to give explanations
文法句型
responsible + to + person/body
用法筆記
Often paired with 'for' to specify scope: 'responsible to [person] for [duties]'. This sense focuses on hierarchy rather than blame.
3. being the person or thing that made something happen, especially something unple
肇因
導致某事發生（尤指壞事）
being the person or thing that made something happen, especially something unpleasant
The police detective is still trying to find out who was responsible for the break-in at the jewellery store.
警探仍在試圖找出誰是珠寶店遭闖入的元兇。
responsible for + crime/incident
A short circuit in the old wiring was responsible for starting the fire in the factory.
舊電線短路是導致工廠火災的原因。
The night-shift nurse was responsible for giving the wrong medicine to the elderly patient.
夜班護士給年長病患開錯了藥。
The leaking pipe in the ceiling was responsible for the water damage to the library books below.
天花板的漏水水管導致下方圖書館的書籍受損。
- to blame for
carries a stronger judgment of fault; mostly used for people
- at fault
focuses on guilt rather than causation
- the cause of
neutral; can be used for both good and bad outcomes
- not to blame
opposite when the outcome is negative
- innocent of
used when someone is accused but did not cause the event
文法句型
responsible + for + noun/gerund (negative outcome)
用法筆記
Can describe both people and things (weather, equipment failure, etc.) as causes. When describing people, it often carries blame.
常見錯誤
4. to say that a particular person or group should be blamed and punished for somet
歸咎
認定某人應為過錯負責
to say that a particular person or group should be blamed and punished for something bad that happened
The shareholders held the chief executive responsible for the sudden drop in company profits.
股東們認為執行長應對公司利潤突然下滑負責。
hold [sb] responsible for [sth]
The school principal can hold parents responsible for damage their children cause to school property.
校長可要求家長為其子女損壞學校設備的行為負責。
The construction company was held responsible for the safety violations at the work site.
那家建築公司被認定應對工地的安全違規負責。
The teacher held the student responsible for setting off the fire alarm as a joke.
老師認定那名學生應對亂按火災警報器的惡作劇負責。
- blame
simpler and less formal; does not carry the same implication of formal punishment
- find guilty of
limited to legal contexts; carries a stronger judgment of wrongdoing
文法句型
hold + person + responsible + for + noun/gerund
be held responsible + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the construction 'hold [someone] responsible for [something]'. The passive form 'be held responsible' is very common in legal and formal contexts.
5. having the mental ability to understand right from wrong and to be legally blame
有行為能力
能分辨是非並為行為負責
having the mental ability to understand right from wrong and to be legally blamed for your own actions
The court must decide whether the teenager was responsible for his actions when the crime took place.
法院必須判定那名青少年在案發時是否具有行為責任能力。
responsible for [one's own] actions
A person with severe mental illness may not be considered legally responsible for their behaviour.
患有嚴重精神疾病的人可能不被視為在法律上對其行為負有責任。
legally responsible for behaviour
The psychiatrist testified that the patient was not responsible for her own actions at the time of the incident.
精神科醫師作證表示，該患者在事發當時無法為自己的行為負責。
The judge ruled that the driver was fully responsible for his actions at the time of the crash.
法官判定那名駕駛在車禍發生時完全具有行為責任能力。
- accountable
broader meaning; less tied to mental capacity and more to general responsibility
- sane
a clinical or legal term that specifically refers to soundness of mind
- not responsible
the legal finding when a person lacks mental capacity
- insane
stronger; a clinical or legal term meaning not of sound mind
文法句型
responsible + for + possessive + actions/behaviour
用法筆記
Primarily a legal term. Often paired with adverbs like 'legally', 'criminally', or 'morally'. Distinguish from sense 3 (causation) — this sense is about mental capacity rather than whether someone caused the event.
常見錯誤
6. able to be trusted to do what is right, to make good decisions, and to keep prom
可靠
值得信賴且能做出正確判斷
able to be trusted to do what is right, to make good decisions, and to keep promises
The hotel manager needs a responsible person to handle the night-time guest check-ins.
飯店經理需要一名可靠的人來負責夜間旅客入住手續。
responsible person / employee / citizen
Tanvi is one of the most responsible students in the class — she always finishes her homework on time.
Tanvi 是班上最負責任的學生之一——她總是準時完成作業。
The bank is looking for a responsible employee to manage the cash vault during business hours.
銀行正在找一名可靠的員工在營業時間管理金庫。
The scout troop chose a responsible leader to plan the weekend camping trip for twenty children.
童軍團選出一名可靠的隊長來規劃二十名孩子的週末露營活動。
- trustworthy
focuses on honesty and reliability rather than decision-making ability
- dependable
emphasises consistency; you can count on the person
- reliable
similar to dependable; suggests a person does what they say they will
- sensible
focuses on having good judgment and practical wisdom
- irresponsible
direct opposite; describes someone who cannot be trusted
- unreliable
suggests a person does not keep promises or complete tasks
- reckless
stronger; suggests a person acts without care for consequences
文法句型
responsible + noun
be + responsible
用法筆記
Can be used before a noun (a responsible adult) or after a linking verb (she is very responsible). The meaning shifts slightly depending on the noun it modifies: a 'responsible driver' follows rules; a 'responsible friend' keeps secrets.
7. describing a job or position that involves important decisions and duties, requi
要職的
涉及重要決策與職責
describing a job or position that involves important decisions and duties, requiring a trustworthy person
After five years of hard work, Yuna was finally offered a responsible position in the marketing department.
經過五年的努力，Yuna 終於在行銷部門獲得了一個要職。
responsible position / job / role
Being a commercial airline pilot is one of the most responsible jobs a person can have.
擔任商業航空公司機師是一個人能從事的最重要的工作之一。
The ambassador's role is a highly responsible position that affects relations between entire countries.
大使的角色是一個責任非常重大的職位，影響著整個國家之間的關係。
The head nurse at the city hospital holds a very responsible role in the emergency department.
市立醫院的護理長在急診部門擔任一個責任非常重大的角色。
- demanding
focuses on the difficulty and workload rather than importance
- high-level
suggests a position of power within a hierarchy
- senior
specifically about rank within an organisation
文法句型
responsible + position/job/role
用法筆記
Only used attributively (before a noun). You cannot say 'This job is very responsible' — instead say 'This is a very responsible job'. The word describes the nature of the role, not the person doing it.