shaft
shaft — 動詞
1. to cheat or treat someone badly, especially by taking away something they deserv
欺騙；虧待
以不公平方式對待或欺騙某人
to cheat or treat someone badly, especially by taking away something they deserve, such as money, a promotion, or a fair result in a deal or competition.
Hoa felt that her boss had shafted her by giving the promotion to a less experienced colleague.
Hoa 覺得老闆把晉升機會給了一個資歷較淺的同事，實在是虧待了她。
shaft + someone + by [doing something] — explains the unfair action
Emre paid the contractor in full, but the man shafted him and never finished the work.
Emre 全額付給了承包商，但對方欺騙了他，根本沒把工程做完。
Small investors were shafted when the company hid its real financial problems.
那家公司隱瞞真實財務狀況，讓小額投資人吃了暗虧。
The taxi driver tried to shaft the tourists by taking a much longer route to the hotel.
那名計程車司機故意繞遠路到旅館，想騙觀光客的錢。
Kwame warned his friend not to trust that online seller, who had shafted other customers before.
Kwame 警告朋友別相信那個網路賣家，那人之前已經騙過其他顧客了。
- cheat
more general and neutral; 'cheat' covers a wider range of dishonest acts
- rip off
similar level of informality, but 'rip off' often focuses on overcharging for goods or services
- screw over
more vulgar than 'shaft'; used in very informal contexts
文法句型
shaft + someone
用法筆記
Almost always transitive. The subject is the person or group doing the cheating, and the object is the victim. Common in informal conversation and journalism about unfair business practices or workplace treatment.
常見錯誤
shaft — 名詞
1. a long, narrow piece of wood or metal that you grip when using a tool, weapon, o
柄；桿
工具或武器的長形握柄
a long, narrow piece of wood or metal that you grip when using a tool, weapon, or sports item such as an axe, a golf club, or a spear.
Otis replaced the broken shaft of his axe before splitting firewood for the cabin.
Otis 在劈柴之前，先換掉了斧頭上的斷柄。
shaft of [tool] — handle of an axe
The shaft of the golf club snapped when Christopher hit the ball too hard.
Christopher 揮桿太用力，高爾夫球桿的桿身就斷了。
A skilled carpenter shaped the wooden shaft for the new hammer by hand.
一位經驗豐富的木匠用手工為新鐵鎚削出了木柄。
The museum displayed an ancient spear with a bronze tip and a long iron shaft.
博物館展示了一枝矛頭為青銅、長柄為鐵的古代長矛。
Jin grabbed the shovel by its shaft and started digging a hole in the garden.
Jin 抓住鏟子的握柄，開始在花園裡挖洞。
文法句型
shaft of [tool/weapon]
用法筆記
Often used with a following 'of' phrase naming the tool or weapon.
常見錯誤
2. a metal rod inside an engine, a motor, or a machine that spins to transfer power
傳動軸
引擎中傳遞動力的金屬棒
a metal rod inside an engine, a motor, or a machine that spins to transfer power or motion between different sections — for example, the drive shaft linking a car's engine to its wheels.
The mechanic found a crack in the drive shaft of Ishaan's truck.
技工在 Ishaan 卡車的傳動軸上發現了一道裂痕。
compound noun: drive shaft
When the main shaft broke, the entire factory production line had to stop for repairs.
主軸斷裂時，整座工廠的生產線都必須停下來維修。
Alessia learned to replace a bent shaft on the boat engine during her break.
Alessia 在假期中學會了更換船用引擎上彎曲的傳動軸。
In older cars, a long metal shaft connects the gearbox to the rear wheels.
老舊的汽車裡，有一根很長的金屬軸把變速箱連接到後輪。
文法句型
drive shaft
shaft connects [A] to [B]
用法筆記
Frequently appears in compounds: 'drive shaft', 'crankshaft', 'propeller shaft'. Subject of verbs such as 'turn', 'rotate', 'connect', 'transmit'.
3. the visible part of a single hair that grows out of the skin and extends above t
毛幹
頭髮露出皮膚表面的部分
the visible part of a single hair that grows out of the skin and extends above the scalp or body surface.
The hairdresser explained to Quan that damage to the hair shaft can cause split ends.
美髮師向 Quan 解釋，毛幹受損會導致頭髮分叉。
hair shaft — fixed compound noun
Under the microscope, tiny cracks appeared along the shaft of each hair sample.
在顯微鏡下，每一根頭髮的毛幹上都出現了細小的裂痕。
Hot styling tools can weaken the hair shaft and make it break off easily.
高溫造型工具會削弱毛幹，讓頭髮容易斷裂。
Roya uses a conditioner that smooths the shaft of each hair strand, reducing frizz.
Roya 使用了一種護髮素來撫平每一根頭髮的毛幹，減少毛躁。
文法句型
hair shaft
shaft of the hair
用法筆記
Almost always used in the compound 'hair shaft' in medical or cosmetic contexts. Not used for individual hairs in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
4. the long, straight middle section of a bone in the body, positioned between the
骨幹
長骨中間的柱狀部位
the long, straight middle section of a bone in the body, positioned between the two wider ends where joints form.
The doctor studied the X-ray to check the shaft of the femur for hairline cracks.
醫生仔細看了 X 光片，檢查股骨的骨幹是否有細微裂紋。
shaft of the [bone name]
A clean break across the shaft of a bone heals faster than a joint injury.
骨幹筆直的裂傷通常比關節部位的傷勢癒合得更快。
Surgeons inserted a metal rod through the shaft of the tibia to support the leg.
外科醫師在脛骨骨幹中插入一根金屬棒，以支撐患者的腿部。
Devika read that the femoral shaft is the strongest part of the human thigh bone.
Devika 讀到，股骨骨幹是人類大腿骨中最強韌的部分。
文法句型
shaft of [bone name]
[bone name] shaft
用法筆記
Used in medical and anatomical writing. The 'shaft' of a bone is also called the 'diaphysis'. Common in compound form with the adjective naming the bone ('femoral shaft', 'tibial shaft').
5. a narrow beam of light that shines into a dark space, typically through a small
光束
穿過開口的一道窄光
a narrow beam of light that shines into a dark space, typically through a small opening such as a window, door, or crack.
A shaft of sunlight fell across the dusty wooden floor of the old library.
一束陽光灑落在老舊圖書館的木地板上，映出滿地的灰塵。
shaft of sunlight
The lighthouse sent a powerful shaft of light across the ocean every ten seconds.
燈塔每隔十秒就向海面射出一道強勁的光束。
shaft of light — standard collocation
Andrew opened the cellar door; a thin shaft of light lit the stone steps.
Andrew 打開地窖的門，一道細細的光束照亮了石階。
In the dark theatre, a shaft of light from a projector lit the white screen.
漆黑的劇院裡，投影機射出的一道光照亮了白色布幕。
文法句型
shaft of light
shaft of sunlight/moonlight
用法筆記
Often used with a preceding adjective describing the light source ('a golden shaft of sunlight', 'a cold shaft of moonlight'). The pattern 'shaft of + [light word]' is fixed.
常見錯誤
6. a long, narrow opening that goes straight down inside a structure or into the ea
通道；豎井
建築物或地下的狹長通道
a long, narrow opening that goes straight down inside a structure or into the earth, built to hold a lift, let air flow, or reach minerals underground.
The elevator shaft was dark and completely empty when the power went out.
停電的時候，電梯通道一片漆黑，空無一物。
compound: elevator shaft / lift shaft
Miners worked deep inside the shaft, digging for coal twelve hours each day.
礦工們在深井裡工作，每天挖煤十二個小時。
Femi looked down the ventilation shaft but could not see the bottom at all.
Femi 往通風井下方看去，但完全看不到底部。
The building's lift shaft runs from the basement all the way to the top floor.
這棟大樓的電梯通道從地下室一直通到頂樓。
Workers dug a new mine shaft through solid rock to reach the silver deposit.
工人們挖了一條新的礦井通道，穿過堅硬的岩石去開採銀礦。
文法句型
[purpose] shaft
shaft runs from [A] to [B]
用法筆記
Very common in compound nouns: 'lift shaft', 'elevator shaft', 'mine shaft', 'ventilation shaft'. The preposition 'down' often follows when describing movement through it.
常見錯誤
7. a witty remark aimed at criticizing or attacking a person or an idea
挖苦話
針對某人或某事的機智批評言論
a witty remark aimed at criticizing or attacking a person or an idea
During the debate, Brooke aimed a sharp shaft at her opponent's record on education.
在辯論中，Brooke 針對對手的教育紀錄說了一句犀利的挖苦話。
aim/direct + shaft + at + target — standard pattern
Apinya's latest article contained several shafts directed at dishonest city officials.
Apinya 最近的文章裡有好幾句挖苦不誠實市府官員的話。
Ziad fired one last shaft at his rival as he walked off the debate stage.
Ziad 在走下辯論台前，對對手發出了最後一句挖苦話。
The columnist's shaft about the mayor's hairpiece made the whole audience laugh.
那位專欄作家對市長假髮的挖苦話，讓全場觀眾都笑了。
Arjun took the shaft as a playful joke, but his friend was clearly offended.
Arjun 把那句挖苦話當成玩笑，但他的朋友顯然被冒犯了。
- compliment
a positive remark instead of a critical one
- praise
expression of approval rather than attack
文法句型
shaft + at + target
aim/direct + shaft + at + target
用法筆記
Often followed by 'at' to indicate the target of the remark. Common in political commentary and journalism.
常見錯誤
8. a situation in which someone is dealt with badly or cheated, often by a person o
不公待遇
受到不公平或苛刻的對待
a situation in which someone is dealt with badly or cheated, often by a person or system in power
Small businesses in the area got the shaft when the new shopping mall opened.
新購物中心開幕後，當地的小商家都受到了不公待遇。
get the shaft — fixed idiom meaning to be treated unfairly
Eitan felt he got the shaft when his manager took credit for his research.
Eitan 覺得他受到不公待遇，因為主管搶走了他研究的功勞。
Yuki said the whole neighborhood got the shaft after the city cut the bus services.
Yuki 說市政府砍掉公車路線後，整個社區都受到不公待遇。
Pim got the shaft — she planned the whole event alone, but her partner got the promotion.
Pim 受了不公待遇——她獨自策劃了整場活動，但升遷的卻是她的搭檔。
The factory workers say they got the shaft when management lowered their wages without warning.
工廠工人說管理層在沒有預警的情況下調降薪水，他們受到不公待遇。
- raw deal
slightly less harsh; focuses on receiving an unfair arrangement
- mistreatment
more formal, can describe any kind of bad handling
- injustice
broader — refers to a lack of fairness in any situation
- fair treatment
being dealt with justly
- fair shake
idiomatic; getting an equal opportunity
文法句型
get the shaft
give + someone + the shaft
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed expressions 'get the shaft' or 'give [someone] the shaft.' The definite article 'the' is required. Rarely used outside these idioms.
常見錯誤
9. an offensive and informal word for the male sex organ
陰莖（粗話）
對男性生殖器的粗俗用語
an offensive and informal word for the male sex organ
The comedy film was rated 18+ for using crude terms like 'shaft' repeatedly.
那部喜劇片因為一再使用「shaft」之類的粗話，被列為限制級。
vulgar slang — inappropriate for formal or polite conversation
Élise told the teenagers to stop using 'shaft' as a joke in class.
Élise 叫那些青少年不要在課堂上拿「shaft」開玩笑。
Amelia's grandfather was shocked to hear the word 'shaft' used on a daytime television show.
Amelia 的祖父聽到白天的電視節目居然用了「shaft」這個詞，嚇了一跳。
The dictionary entry warns that 'shaft' is considered a vulgar and offensive expression.
字典的詞條中提醒，「shaft」被視為粗俗且冒犯的用語。
Adisa told his younger brother not to use the rude word 'shaft' at school.
Adisa 告訴弟弟不要在學校使用「shaft」這個髒話。
用法筆記
Considered offensive and coarse. Not appropriate for formal, academic, or polite social settings. Equivalent in strength to other vulgar anatomical slang terms.