section
section — 動詞
1. In the UK, to order someone with a severe mental illness to stay in hospital for
強制收治
依法強制精神病患住院治療
In the UK, to order someone with a severe mental illness to stay in hospital for treatment, often against their will, because they are considered a danger to themselves or to other people.
Dr. Okafor decided to section the patient after he threatened to jump from a bridge.
Okafor 醫生決定強制收治這名病患，因為他威脅要從橋上跳下去。
section + person in mental health context
The psychiatrist explained why she had to section the young woman for her own safety.
精神科醫師解釋她為何必須為了那名年輕女子的安全而將她強制收治。
Under the Mental Health Act, two doctors must agree before they can section anyone.
根據《精神衛生法》，必須有兩位醫師同意，才能將任何人強制收治。
The Chen family felt relieved when the hospital agreed to section their son for treatment.
陳家人在醫院同意將他們的兒子強制收治後，感到如釋重負。
A magistrate reviewed the case and decided to section the man for six weeks.
一名治安法官審理此案後，決定將該男子強制收治六週。
- detain
broader legal term, not specific to mental health
- hospitalise
UK term that can include voluntary admission; less specific
- commit
American English equivalent for involuntary psychiatric admission
文法句型
section + person
be sectioned
用法筆記
This sense is specific to UK law under the Mental Health Act 1983. In other legal systems, the equivalent concept is called 'involuntary commitment' or 'civil commitment.' Frequently used in the passive voice (be sectioned).
常見錯誤
2. To cut or split something into separate parts, pieces, or sections — for example
分割
將某物切割或劃分為較小的部分
To cut or split something into separate parts, pieces, or sections — for example, dividing a piece of land into building plots, or cutting a fruit into segments.
The baker sectioned the long dough into twelve equal pieces for rolls.
麵包師傅將長條麵團分割成十二等份來做麵包卷。
section + into + parts for food preparation
Ayana sectioned the orange carefully so each child got the same amount.
Ayana 仔細地將柳丁分割，讓每個孩子拿到一樣多。
The contractor sectioned the large plot of land into four building lots.
承包商將那塊大土地分割成四塊建築用地。
Joshua sectioned the plant stem to examine its internal structure under a microscope.
Joshua 將植物莖部切片，用顯微鏡觀察其內部結構。
The biologist sectioned the tissue sample into thin pieces for the lab analysis.
生物學家將組織樣本分割成薄片，以進行實驗室分析。
文法句型
section + object
section + object + into + parts
用法筆記
Common in technical contexts such as biology (sectioning tissue for microscopy), cooking (sectioning fruit), and land development (sectioning property). In everyday speech, 'divide' or 'cut up' is more natural for most situations.
常見錯誤
section — 名詞
1. one of the pieces or parts that something has been divided into, such as a part
部分；區段
整體被劃分出的各個部分
one of the pieces or parts that something has been divided into, such as a part of a book, a city, an organization, or a building.
The children's section of the library has colorful books and small chairs.
圖書館的兒童區有色彩鮮艷的書和小椅子。
section + of + [place] for a divided area within a larger place
Nora highlighted every section of the textbook that the teacher mentioned in class.
Nora 把老師在課堂上提到的課本每個章節都畫了重點。
section + of + [document] for a part of a written work
The old section of town has narrow streets and traditional wooden houses.
鎮上的舊城區有狹窄的街道和傳統的木造房屋。
Each section of the report was checked by a different manager before the meeting.
報告的每個部分在會議前都經過不同主管的審查。
Darius walked through the financial section of the city on his way to work.
Darius 在上班途中步行經過城市的金融區。
- whole
the entire thing that sections make up
文法句型
section + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is the most common and general sense. The noun after 'of' identifies what kind of larger whole the section belongs to — a document, a place, an object, or a group.
常見錯誤
2. a grouping of players within an orchestra or band who all use instruments from t
樂器組
交響樂團中同類樂器的組合
a grouping of players within an orchestra or band who all use instruments from the same family, such as the string family or the brass family.
The string section of the orchestra includes the violins, cellos, and double basses.
管弦樂團的弦樂組包括小提琴、大提琴和低音提琴。
the + [instrument type] + section of the orchestra/band
Evelyn plays the flute in the woodwind section of her school band.
Evelyn 在學校樂隊的木管組吹長笛。
The rhythm section kept a steady beat while the lead guitarist played the solo.
節奏組保持穩定的拍子，同時主奏吉他手演奏獨奏部分。
Kian moved from the percussion section to the woodwind section this year.
Kian 今年從打擊組轉到了木管組。
文法句型
the + [instrument type] + section
section + of + the + [orchestra/band]
用法筆記
Common compound forms include 'rhythm section' (drums, bass, guitar) and 'horn section'. In orchestras, the main sections are strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
3. a cut that a doctor makes through skin and tissue during an operation so that th
切口
手術時在身體上切開的口子
a cut that a doctor makes through skin and tissue during an operation so that they can reach the area inside needing treatment.
Dr. Okafor made a small section in the patient's side to remove the kidney stone.
Okafor 醫師在病人的側面切了一個小切口，以便取出腎結石。
make a section in + [body part] for the surgical cut
After the section was closed with stitches, the wound healed within two weeks.
切口用縫線縫合後，傷口在兩週內癒合了。
passive: section was closed with stitches
The nurse cleaned the area around the section and applied a fresh bandage.
護理師清潔了切口周圍的區域，然後貼上新的繃帶。
Jenna asked the surgeon how long the section would take to heal completely.
Jenna 問外科醫師切口需要多久才能完全癒合。
文法句型
make + a + section + in/through + [body part]
close + a + section
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 4: this sense refers to the cut itself (the incision), not to the entire surgical procedure. The full medical term is 'incision'.
常見錯誤
4. a surgical procedure where a doctor makes a cut through a woman's stomach and ut
剖腹產
切開腹部取出嬰兒的手術
a surgical procedure where a doctor makes a cut through a woman's stomach and uterus so that a baby can be born, rather than through a normal vaginal birth.
Yuna gave birth to her son by section after twelve hours of labor.
Yuna 在經歷了十二小時的產程後，以剖腹產的方式生下了兒子。
by + section — describing the method of delivery
Doctors recommended a section because the baby was lying in a difficult position.
醫師建議進行剖腹產，因為胎兒的姿勢不利順產。
After her first section, Dewi chose to try for a natural birth the second time.
第一次剖腹產後，Dewi 第二次選擇嘗試自然產。
Recovery from a section usually takes longer than recovery from a vaginal birth.
剖腹產後的恢復時間通常比自然產要長。
- Cesarean section
the full formal term
- C-section
the common informal abbreviation
文法句型
by + section
have + a + section
section + is + necessary
用法筆記
In medical and hospital contexts, 'section' is a common short form of 'Cesarean section'. The full term 'Cesarean section' (or 'C-section') is more formal. This sense is entirely distinct from sense 3, which refers to the cut itself.
常見錯誤
5. an extremely thin slice cut from animal or plant tissue or other material so tha
切片
為顯微觀察而切割的極薄組織片
an extremely thin slice cut from animal or plant tissue or other material so that its internal structure can be studied under a microscope.
The technician placed a thin section of the leaf under the microscope for the class to view.
技術員將一片薄薄的葉子切片放到顯微鏡下，供全班觀察。
thin section of + [specimen] for microscope examination
Under the microscope, the section of lung tissue clearly showed the damaged cells.
在顯微鏡下，肺組織切片清楚顯示了受損的細胞。
Gabriel stained the section with a blue dye to make the cell walls visible.
Gabriel 用藍色染劑為切片染色，使細胞壁變得可見。
Each section of the tumor was carefully mounted on a separate glass slide.
腫瘤的每一片切片都小心地固定在單獨的玻璃載玻片上。
文法句型
section + of + [tissue/organ]
prepare + a + section
stain + a + section
用法筆記
Only used in scientific or medical laboratory contexts. Common in phrases like 'thin section' and 'tissue section'. The specimen type usually precedes 'section' (e.g., 'brain section', 'liver section').
常見錯誤
6. A drawing, diagram, or model of an object that has part of its outer surface cut
剖面圖
顯示物體內部結構的切面圖
A drawing, diagram, or model of an object that has part of its outer surface cut away to show the internal structure — for instance, a museum cutaway of a beehive revealing the honeycomb chambers inside.
The textbook includes a section of the human heart showing where blood enters and leaves.
教科書中有一張心臟的剖面圖，顯示血液進入和離開的位置。
a section of + [object] for an educational diagram showing internal structure
A section of the volcano in the diagram reveals the lava chamber beneath the surface.
圖中的火山剖面圖顯示了地底下的岩漿庫。
The museum display has a section of a beehive showing where the honey is stored.
博物館的展示有一個蜂箱的剖面圖，顯示蜂蜜儲存的位置。
Hiro studied the section of the engine to understand how the cooling system works.
Hiro 研究引擎的剖面圖，以了解冷卻系統的運作方式。
- cross-section
more specific; implies the cut is perpendicular to the longest dimension
- cutaway view
emphasises that the outer surface has been removed for viewing
- diagram
any simplified drawing; 'section' specifies it shows internal structure
文法句型
section + of + [object]
a + section + shows/reveals
用法筆記
Frequently appears as 'cross-section' when the cut is shown at a right angle to the object's longest dimension. Common in textbooks, product manuals, and museum displays. The preposition 'through' is often used: 'a section through the wall'.
常見錯誤
7. In geometry, the flat shape you get when an imaginary straight cut passes throug
截面；剖面
立體物體被平面切開後形成的平面形狀
In geometry, the flat shape you get when an imaginary straight cut passes through a solid object.
In the exam, Hana had to draw the cross-section of a cone cut by a horizontal plane.
考試時，Hana 必須畫出一個被水平面切開的圓錐體截面。
section + of + noun (geometric context)
The cross-section of a sphere is always a circle, no matter which direction you cut it.
球體的截面永遠是一個圓形，不管你從哪個方向切。
Imani learned that the cross-section of a cylinder cut at an angle forms an ellipse.
Imani 學到，圓柱體以傾斜角度切開的截面會形成橢圓形。
The teacher showed how each cross-section of the pyramid changes shape at different heights.
老師展示了金字塔在不同高度切開時，截面形狀如何變化。
- cross-section
the more common compound term; 'section' is often the abbreviated form in maths writing
- plane figure
more formal geometric term used in proofs and theorems
文法句型
section + of + noun
用法筆記
Usually refers to the geometric concept itself rather than the physical act of cutting. Frequently used in mathematics and engineering contexts.
8. An illustration technique in which the outer surface of an object is depicted as
透視圖
去除外層以展示內部構造的繪圖方式
An illustration technique in which the outer surface of an object is depicted as removed, revealing the inside — for example, a car manual's section view showing the pistons moving inside the engine block.
The car manual included a section view of the engine to show where the pistons move.
汽車手冊裡附了一張引擎透視圖，顯示活塞移動的位置。
section view — noun-as-modifier pattern
In the science museum, a section model of the human heart showed blood flowing through each chamber.
科學博物館裡有一個人類心臟的透視模型，可以看到血液流經每個腔室。
section model — section as adjective before a noun
Nicholas studied a section drawing of the volcano to understand how lava rises inside it.
Nicholas 研究了一張火山的透視圖，想了解岩漿在內部如何上升。
The architect prepared a section of the building so the client could see the interior layout.
建築師準備了一張建築物的透視圖，讓客戶能看到內部格局。
- cutaway view
more common in everyday technical English; emphasises the 'cut away' action
- sectional view
formal technical term used in engineering drawings
文法句型
section + of + noun
section + noun (as modifier)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 6 (which refers to the drawing or model itself as an object): sense 8 focuses on the visual technique of revealing the inside. Commonly used in architecture manuals and technical illustrations.
9. A smaller group of students that is formed from a larger class for discussion, p
討論組
從大班級分出來進行討論或教學的小團體
A smaller group of students that is formed from a larger class for discussion, practice, or focused teaching activities.
Professor Chen divided the lecture hall into three discussion sections of fifteen students each.
陳教授把演講廳分成三個討論組，每組十五名學生。
divided into + section — common verb + preposition pattern
Élise chose the morning section of the biology lab because it fit her work schedule better.
Élise 選擇了生物實驗課早上的討論組，因為比較配合她的工作時間。
morning / afternoon + section — time-modifier pattern
Each teaching assistant leads two sections of the introductory economics course every week.
每位助教每週負責帶領兩組經濟學導論課的討論組。
Romi met her study group in a small room on the third floor for the discussion section.
Romi 在三樓的小教室和她的讀書小組碰面，參加討論課。
- discussion group
more transparent meaning; less common as a single-word label
- tutorial group
mostly British usage; implies more individual teaching attention
- lab section
specific to science courses with practical sessions
文法句型
section + of + noun
in + section + noun
用法筆記
Common in university settings where large lectures are supplemented with smaller weekly discussion groups led by teaching assistants.