stern
stern — 形容詞
1. describing a person’s expression, voice, or manner that is serious and strict, s
嚴厲；嚴格
態度嚴肅且表現出強烈不贊同
describing a person’s expression, voice, or manner that is serious and strict, showing that they strongly disapprove of something or expect others to obey.
Christopher gave his younger sister a stern look when she tried to grab his phone.
Christopher 對試圖搶他手機的妹妹投以嚴厲的目光。
collocation: stern look / stern expression
The manager issued a stern warning to the team about missing the project deadline.
經理就錯過專案截止日期一事向團隊發出了嚴厲警告。
Judge Sayaka read the verdict with a stern expression that silenced the courtroom.
Sayaka 法官宣讀判決時表情嚴厲，讓法庭內鴉雀無聲。
Noa spoke in a stern tone when telling the children to clean up their toys.
Noa 用嚴厲的語氣叫孩子們收拾玩具。
文法句型
stern + noun (look, warning, expression, face, voice)
be + stern + with + someone
用法筆記
Often describes visible signals of disapproval — a look, expression, tone, or warning. The person being strict or disapproving is typically in a position of authority (parent, teacher, manager, judge).
常見錯誤
2. describing work, a situation, or a duty that is very serious and demands great e
嚴峻；艱巨
形容任務或情況非常困難且嚴肅
describing work, a situation, or a duty that is very serious and demands great effort and determination to deal with.
The new manager faced a stern test during the company's first month of financial trouble.
新經理在公司陷入財務困境的第一個月就面臨了嚴峻考驗。
collocation: stern test
Owen knew that finding a job in a new country would be a stern challenge.
Owen 知道在陌生的國家找工作將是一項嚴峻的挑戰。
The team accepted the stern task of rebuilding the school after the earthquake.
團隊接受了地震後重建學校的艱巨任務。
Climate change presents a stern reality that world leaders cannot ignore.
氣候變遷呈現出一個世界領導人無法忽視的嚴峻現實。
- demanding
focuses on high requirements and expectations
- challenging
more positive tone; suggests opportunity for growth
- tough
more informal; emphasizes difficulty
- formidable
suggests intimidation or being daunting
文法句型
stern + noun (test, challenge, task, reality)
用法筆記
Only used attributively (before a noun). Does not work predicatively: ✨ 'The test was stern.' Unlike sense 1, this sense does not describe a person’s manner.
常見錯誤
stern — 名詞
1. the area found at the rear of sea vessels like ships and boats, positioned oppos
船尾
船舶或船隻的後端部分
the area found at the rear of sea vessels like ships and boats, positioned opposite the front section (the bow).
The captain stood at the stern of the ship, watching the coastline fade away.
船長站在船尾，看著海岸線逐漸消失。
Sayaka tied the rope to a metal ring at the stern of the fishing boat.
Sayaka 把繩子繫在漁船船尾的金屬環上。
prepositional phrase: at the stern of
The storm tore away part of the sailboat's stern, but the vessel stayed afloat.
暴風雨掀掉了帆船的部分船尾，但船隻仍浮在水面上。
Experienced sailors can tell a vessel's age by the shape of its stern.
經驗豐富的水手可以從船尾的形狀判斷船隻的年齡。
文法句型
the stern of + noun (ship, boat, vessel)
at the stern
from stern to bow / from bow to stern
用法筆記
Technically restricted to boats and ships. Do not use for cars, trains, or aircraft (use 'rear' or 'back' instead). The opposite end is the bow or prow.
常見錯誤
2. the buttocks; the rounded sitting area at the back of a person’s lower body.
臀部
人體坐著的部位，屁股
the buttocks; the rounded sitting area at the back of a person’s lower body.
Ravindra slipped on the wet floor and landed hard on his stern.
Ravindra 在濕滑的地板上滑倒，臀部重重地摔在地上。
informal register: stern = buttocks
The toddler fell backward and sat down firmly on her stern.
那個學步幼兒向後摔倒，一屁股坐在地上。
After sitting on the wooden bench for hours, Niran's stern was quite sore.
在木椅上坐了幾個小時後，Niran 的臀部感到痠痛。
The comedian made the audience laugh by joking about falling flat on his stern.
那位喜劇演員拿自己滑倒摔到臀部這件事來逗觀眾笑。
文法句型
possessive + stern (his stern, her stern)
用法筆記
Informal and mildly humorous. Avoid in formal or medical writing — use 'buttocks' or 'bottom' instead. Often used with possessive determiners (his, her, my).