tariff

tariff — 名詞

1. a charge that a country places on goods arriving from another country across its

1.名詞B2
釋義

關稅

政府對進出口貨物徵收的稅

a charge that a country places on goods arriving from another country across its border, or on goods being sent abroad — used to manage trade or protect local businesses

例句

The government added a 25% tariff on imported steel last year.

政府去年對進口鋼鐵加徵了 25% 的關稅。

tariff + on + imported product

Tariffs on foreign grain were raised to protect farmers across Mexico.

墨西哥提高了外國玉米的關稅，以保護當地農民。

同義詞
  • duty

    Very close synonym, but 'duty' can also apply to legal transactions (e.g. stamp duty) whereas 'tariff' is specifically about trade goods.

  • levy

    A broader term for any imposed tax; 'levy' can apply to income, property, or trade, while 'tariff' is trade-specific.

  • customs

    Refers both to import taxes and the government agency that collects them; 'tariff' names the tax structure itself.

反義詞
  • subsidy

    A government payment that supports an industry, the opposite of taxing imported goods.

用法筆記

Often used in the plural ('tariffs') when referring broadly to a country's overall system of import taxes.

常見錯誤

❌The government raised the tariff on my salary.
✅The government raised the tariff on imported cars.
💡Tariff only applies to goods crossing borders, not to personal income.
❌Tariff and tax mean the same thing.
✅A tariff is a type of tax, but specifically on goods entering or leaving a country.
💡Tax is much broader; tariff is limited to cross-border trade.

2. a published list of charges that a hotel asks for rooms, a restaurant for meals,

2.名詞B2
釋義

收費表

旅館、餐廳等提供的固定價格列表

a published list of charges that a hotel asks for rooms, a restaurant for meals, or a utility company for services like gas or electricity supply

例句

The hotel tariff for a double room is printed inside the wardrobe door.

這家飯店的雙人房收費表貼在衣櫃門內側。

hotel tariff for [room type]

Élise checked the restaurant tariff before ordering a meal for the whole group.

Élise 在為全團點餐前先查看了餐廳的收費表。

同義詞
  • price list

    More general and widely understood across all English varieties; 'tariff' in this sense is chiefly British.

  • rate card

    Common in advertising and media; a formal list of charges for services.

  • schedule of charges

    More formal; used in legal and utility contexts.

用法筆記

Primarily British English; in American English, 'rate sheet' or 'price list' is more common for this sense.

常見錯誤

❌The hotel tariff is the tax you pay when you stay there.
✅The hotel tariff is the list of room prices, not a tax.
💡This sense of tariff has nothing to do with government taxes.

3. the specific length of time set by a court as the minimum period a criminal must

3.名詞C1
釋義

最低刑期

法院對罪犯判定的最低監禁時間

the specific length of time set by a court as the minimum period a criminal must spend in prison before becoming eligible for parole — especially for serious crimes such as murder

例句

The judge set a minimum tariff of fifteen years for the armed robbery.

法官對這起武裝搶劫案設定了至少十五年的最低刑期。

minimum tariff of [number] years

Under British law, the tariff is the shortest time a murderer must serve.

根據英國法律，最低刑期是殺人犯必須服刑的最短時間。

同義詞
  • minimum term

    The plain-English equivalent used in modern UK sentencing documents; 'tariff' is the older legal term.

  • sentence

    A broader term covering any court-ordered punishment; 'tariff' specifically means the minimum custodial portion.

用法筆記

Chiefly used in UK sentencing law. Sometimes called the 'minimum term' or 'custodial tariff'. Not to be confused with the US legal term 'mandatory minimum' — the tariff is set by the judge within a range.

常見錯誤

❌The court imposed a high tariff on the smuggler.
✅The court set a high tariff for the smuggler's crime.
💡Tariff in the legal sense takes the preposition 'for' (not 'on') and refers to the sentence, not a penalty payment.

tariff — 動詞