steel
steel — 名詞
1. a hard, silver-coloured metal created by mixing iron with a small amount of carb
鋼鐵
以鐵和碳製成的堅硬銀色金屬
a hard, silver-coloured metal created by mixing iron with a small amount of carbon, used in buildings, vehicles, tools, and many other products.
The new bridge was built with over two thousand tons of steel.
這座新橋使用了超過兩千噸的鋼鐵建造。
passive: was built with [amount] of steel
Gita prefers cooking knives made of high-carbon steel because they stay sharp longer.
Gita 偏好高碳鋼製的菜刀，因為刀刃可以保持鋒利很久。
collocation: high-carbon steel
The steel beams that hold the stadium roof weigh over fifty tons each.
撐住體育場屋頂的鋼樑每根重達五十噸以上。
Recycled steel is now commonly used in the car industry to reduce waste.
再生鋼鐵現已普遍用於汽車產業以減少浪費。
Élise watched as the workers welded steel plates together to form the ship's hull.
Élise 看著工人將鋼板焊接在一起，形成船體的外殼。
文法句型
usually uncountable
用法筆記
Typically used as an uncountable noun. The countable form 'steels' appears only when referring to specific types or grades of the metal.
常見錯誤
2. a long thick piece of the metal steel, placed inside a building, bridge, or mach
鋼條
用於建築或機器的長條鋼材支撐件
a long thick piece of the metal steel, placed inside a building, bridge, or machine to give it extra strength and stability.
The construction crew set steel bars into the concrete foundation before it dried.
建築工人在混凝土乾掉之前，把鋼條放入地基中。
collocation: steel bars / concrete foundation
Zayd used a thick steel bar to hold the heavy machinery in place.
Zayd 用一根粗鋼條將重型機器固定到位。
Steel bars run through the columns of the parking garage to keep the building stable.
鋼條穿過停車場的柱子，讓建築物保持穩定。
The engineer checked each steel support beam before the bridge opened to traffic.
工程師在橋梁開放通車前檢查了每一根鋼製支撐樑。
文法句型
countable
用法筆記
Often called 'reinforcing steel' or 'rebar' in construction contexts. The plural 'steels' can be used to refer to multiple bars.
常見錯誤
3. the business of making steel, including all the companies, factories, and worker
鋼鐵業
鋼鐵生產與銷售的相關產業
the business of making steel, including all the companies, factories, and workers involved in its production and sale.
The steel industry provides jobs for thousands of workers in the region.
鋼鐵業為該地區數千名工人提供就業機會。
collocation: provides jobs for [number] of workers
Aoi's father worked in the steel industry for thirty years before retiring.
Aoi 的父親在鋼鐵業工作了三十年後退休。
Liang's factory in Kaohsiung cut production by half when steel prices dropped last quarter.
梁先生在高雄的工廠在上季鋼價下跌時，將產量削減了一半。
Many countries have reduced pollution from the steel industry in the past ten years.
過去十年中，許多國家已減少了鋼鐵業的污染。
- steelmaking
focuses on the production process rather than the business as a whole
- metalworking sector
a broader category that includes industries working with other metals
文法句型
usually singular, preceded by 'the'
用法筆記
Always takes a singular verb. 'The steel industry is...' not 'are...'. May also appear in compound nouns like 'steel industry jobs' or 'steel industry workers'.
4. the quality of being mentally or emotionally very strong, like the metal steel,
鋼鐵意志
如鋼鐵般堅強堅定的精神力量
the quality of being mentally or emotionally very strong, like the metal steel, especially when dealing with difficulty or danger.
The runner showed real steel by finishing the marathon despite her injured knee.
那位跑者展現了鋼鐵意志，忍著膝傷跑完了全程馬拉松。
idiomatic: show (real) steel
Tomás showed real steel when he told his boss the project plan was unsafe.
Tomás 告訴老闆專案計畫不安全時，展現了鋼鐵般的勇氣。
idiomatic: show (real) steel + concrete confrontation
Samir faced the loss of his company with a calm steel that impressed his colleagues.
Samir 以沉著的鋼鐵意志面對公司倒閉的打擊，令同事們敬佩。
The surgical team needed nerves of steel to operate during the storm.
外科團隊需要鋼鐵般的意志，才能在暴風雨中進行手術。
- weakness
lack of mental or emotional strength
文法句型
uncountable, figurative use
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases such as 'nerves of steel' and 'show steel'. Unlike the literal sense, this figurative use is always uncountable and cannot be made plural.
5. a fighting tool made of metal with a long sharp blade, such as a sword or simila
刀劍
金屬製的長刃武器
a fighting tool made of metal with a long sharp blade, such as a sword or similar hand-held weapon used in the past.
The museum display showed steel swords carried by soldiers in the 1800s.
博物館展示了一系列十九世紀士兵使用的鋼劍。
Hoa examined the antique blade's fine steel under the lamp for signs of wear.
Hoa 在燈光下仔細檢查了那把古董刀劍的優質鋼材，尋找磨損痕跡。
collocation: fine steel (of a blade)
The warrior drew his steel and prepared to defend the village from attackers.
那名戰士拔出鋼劍，準備抵禦進犯村莊的敵人。
Collectors of antique steel weapons travel to auctions looking for rare pieces.
古董鋼製武器的收藏家們會到拍賣會尋找稀有的珍品。
文法句型
countable, often plural
用法筆記
This is a literary or historical sense. In modern everyday English, 'sword' or 'blade' is preferred. 'Steel' as a synonym for 'sword' is most common in historical writing, poetry, or stylised fiction.
常見錯誤
steel — 動詞
1. to prepare your mind and emotions for something painful, frightening, or difficu
硬撐；振作
強迫自己準備面對痛苦或困難
to prepare your mind and emotions for something painful, frightening, or difficult that you are about to face — for example, steeling yourself for bad news or steeling yourself to deliver a difficult speech.
Ayesha steeled herself to tell her parents that she had lost her job.
Ayesha 硬撐著告訴父母她失去了工作。
pattern: steel + oneself + to-infinitive
The team is steeling itself for a difficult negotiation with the company directors.
團隊正硬撐著準備面對與公司董事的艱難談判。
pattern: steel + oneself + for + noun phrase
Rin steeled herself against the cold wind before stepping out of the warm cabin.
Rin 鼓起勇氣抵禦寒風，從溫暖的小屋裡走了出來。
Eitan steeled himself for the bad news when he saw the doctor's serious expression.
Eitan 看到醫生嚴肅的表情時，便硬起心腸準備聽壞消息。
You must steel yourself for the long process of rebuilding after the storm.
你必須鼓起勇氣面對風災後漫長的重建過程。
- weaken
to become less determined or less able to cope with difficulty
文法句型
steel + reflexive pronoun + for + noun
steel + reflexive pronoun + to + infinitive
steel + reflexive pronoun + against + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used reflexively with a pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves). The non-reflexive form ('she steeled her heart') is rare and literary.
常見錯誤
steel — 形容詞
1. made from the hard, silver-coloured metal that contains iron and carbon and is u
鋼製的
用鋼鐵材料製成的
made from the hard, silver-coloured metal that contains iron and carbon and is used widely in construction and tools.
The kitchen has steel cabinets that are easy to clean and do not rust.
這間廚房有鋼製櫥櫃，容易清潔且不會生鏽。
Beatrix bought a steel water bottle that keeps drinks cold for hours.
Beatrix 買了一個鋼製水瓶，可以讓飲料保冷好幾個小時。
collocation: steel + [product noun]
The old wooden bridge was replaced with a steel structure that can carry more traffic.
那座舊木橋被換成了鋼製結構，能夠承載更多車輛。
Steel doors are common in apartment buildings because they are stronger than wooden ones.
鋼製大門在公寓大樓很常見，因為比木門更堅固。
- metallic
broader — describes anything that looks or feels like metal, not necessarily steel specifically
文法句型
attributive (before a noun)
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). In predicative position, 'made of steel' is preferred: 'The door is made of steel', not 'The door is steel' (though the latter is sometimes used informally).
常見錯誤
2. connected with the business of making, selling, or using the metal steel.
鋼鐵業的
與鋼鐵生產銷售相關的
connected with the business of making, selling, or using the metal steel.
The city lost many steel jobs when the manufacturing sector began to shrink.
當製造業開始萎縮時，該城市失去了許多鋼鐵業的工作機會。
collocation: steel jobs
Kwame studied steel engineering at the technical university for four years.
Kwame 在科技大學學習鋼鐵工程學了四年。
collocation: steel engineering
Gabriel, the purchasing manager, warned his team that steel tariffs would raise their costs by fifteen percent.
採購經理 Gabriel 警告團隊，鋼鐵關稅將讓他們的成本增加百分之十五。
The conference brings together leaders from the steel industry every two years.
這場會議每兩年聚集一次鋼鐵業的領導人士。
- metallurgical
more technical, covering the science of all metals rather than steel specifically
文法句型
attributive (before a noun)
用法筆記
This sense is most commonly found in compound nouns formed with 'steel' + a noun about business or production ('steel production', 'steel trade', 'steel exports'). It does not describe the physical properties of the metal itself.
3. like steel in colour, strength, hardness, or appearance — for example, a steel-g
鋼鐵般的
顏色或質地像鋼鐵的
like steel in colour, strength, hardness, or appearance — for example, a steel-grey sky or a muscle that feels as hard as steel.
The sky turned a steel grey just before the storm hit the coastline.
暴風雨來臨前，天空變成了鋼鐵般的灰色。
compound adjective: steel grey
Yan's steel-blue eyes focused on the target across the field with calm intensity.
Yan 那雙鋼鐵般的藍色眼睛以冷靜的專注力鎖定對面場地的目標。
compound adjective: steel-blue
The athlete's arms had a steel hardness from years of weight training.
經過多年重量訓練，那名運動員的手臂有著鋼鐵般的硬度。
The building's steel-grey walls gave the structure a cold and serious look.
建築物鋼鐵般的灰色牆壁讓整棟樓看起來冰冷而嚴肅。
- soft
lacking the hardness or firmness of steel
文法句型
attributive (before a noun), often in compound adjectives
用法筆記
Commonly appears in hyphenated compound adjectives describing colour: 'steel-grey', 'steel-blue', 'steel-silver'. For hardness comparisons, 'steel-like' or 'as hard as steel' are alternatives.