tear
tear — 名詞
1. a damaged place where paper, fabric, or a similar surface has been ripped open,
裂口；破洞
布料或紙張被撕裂後留下的開口
a damaged place where paper, fabric, or a similar surface has been ripped open, leaving a visible gap.
Greta noticed a small tear in her jacket sleeve after the bike ride.
Greta 注意到她夾克袖子上騎腳踏車後出現了一個小裂口。
tear + in + clothing
The mechanic pointed at the tear on the upholstery and said it could be repaired.
技師指著座椅上的破洞說那個可以修好。
A tiny tear in the tent let the rain drip onto Xiu's sleeping bag.
帳篷上一個小裂口讓雨水滴到了 Xiu 的睡袋上。
Tamar used a needle and thread to close the tear in the curtain.
Tamar 用了針線把窗簾上的裂口縫了起來。
文法句型
tear + in + [location]
用法筆記
Often used with 'in' to specify the material that has been damaged, for example a tear in a piece of paper, a shirt, or a bag.
常見錯誤
2. a period during which a person or a team is continuously achieving great results
連勝；好運
連續獲得成功的時期
a period during which a person or a team is continuously achieving great results or performing at an unusually high level.
The basketball team has been on a tear this season, winning twelve games in a row.
這支籃球隊本季勢不可擋，已經連續贏了十二場比賽。
on a tear — informal success streak
Ari went on a tear at the conference, signing three major deals in two days.
Ari 在會議上大獲全勝，兩天內簽下了三份重要合約。
After months of slow sales, the bakery is suddenly on a tear with its new cake line.
經過幾個月的銷售低迷，這家麵包店的新蛋糕系列突然大受歡迎。
The chess club went on a tear this year, winning every tournament they entered.
西洋棋社今年氣勢如虹，參加的每場比賽都贏了。
- hot streak
same meaning but more explicitly about recent consecutive successes
- winning streak
specifically about games or competitions
- run
less intense — a run of good luck does not imply as much energy as a tear
文法句型
on a tear
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'on a tear'. Unlike the other noun senses, this one does not refer to physical damage.
3. one of the small, salty drops of water that come out of a person's eye when they
眼淚；淚珠
因悲傷或喜悅從眼睛流出的鹽水
one of the small, salty drops of water that come out of a person's eye when they are crying from strong emotions such as sadness, pain, or happiness.
A tear rolled down the old woman's cheek as she watched the wedding ceremony.
一滴眼淚從那位老太太的臉頰滑落，她正在觀看婚禮儀式。
singular: a single teardrop
Romi wiped the tears from her eyes after reading the farewell letter.
Romi 讀完告別信後擦去了臉頰上的淚水。
The crowd had tears of joy when the rescued children stepped off the helicopter.
當獲救的孩子們走下直升機時，群眾流下了喜悅的眼淚。
Big tears fell onto the kitchen table while she told them what had happened.
大顆的淚珠落在廚房的桌子上，她邊哭邊告訴大家發生了什麼事。
Minho could feel hot tears rising to his eyes as he listened to the song.
Minho 聽著那首歌，感覺到熱淚湧上了眼眶。
- teardrop
more literary and descriptive, emphasizing the shape of a falling tear
文法句型
tears of + [emotion]
用法筆記
The plural 'tears' is far more common than the singular 'tear' when referring to drops from crying. 'Tears of [emotion]' is a standard pattern (tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of rage).
常見錯誤
4. the state or act of making someone cry — used only in fixed expressions such as
使人落淚
讓某人哭出來的行為或狀態
the state or act of making someone cry — used only in fixed expressions such as 'to tears' that describe an emotional result.
The teacher's harsh words reduced the shy student to tears.
老師嚴厲的話語讓那位害羞的學生哭了起來。
reduce [someone] to tears — make someone cry
Reading the letter moved the old soldier to tears as he remembered his lost friends.
讀到那封信讓老戰士感動落淚，他想起了逝去的戰友們。
The ending of that film brings me to tears every single time I watch it.
那部電影的結局每次看都讓我忍不住掉眼淚。
The sad music and the old photographs moved the bride's father to tears during the reception.
悲傷的音樂和老照片讓新郎的父親在婚宴上感動落淚。
文法句型
reduce + [someone] + to tears
用法筆記
This sense does not appear as a standalone noun. It only exists in prepositional phrases like 'to tears', 'into tears', or 'moved to tears'. Distinguish from sense 6 (TEARFULNESS), which describes an ongoing state of crying.
5. to suddenly start crying — used only in the fixed expression 'burst into tears'.
突然大哭
突然開始哭出來
to suddenly start crying — used only in the fixed expression 'burst into tears'.
When she heard the news of the promotion, Saira burst into tears of happiness.
Saira 聽到自己升遷的消息時，高興得突然哭了出來。
burst into tears — sudden onset of crying
The little girl burst into tears when she could not find her mother in the store.
小女孩在商店裡找不到媽媽時，突然放聲大哭。
Iker burst into tears during the final scene of the movie, and everyone in the theatre was silent.
Iker 在電影最後一幕時突然哭了出來，整個戲院一片寂靜。
The toddler burst into tears when her balloon floated up into the sky.
學步的小女孩看到氣球飄上天空時突然放聲大哭。
- start crying
neutral and descriptive; does not carry the same sudden-emotion charge
- break down
stronger — implies losing emotional control completely
文法句型
burst into tears
用法筆記
Only used in the set phrase 'burst into tears'. Distinguish from sense 6 (tearfulness), which refers to the state of crying itself, and sense 3 (teardrop), which refers to the physical drops.
常見錯誤
6. the act or state of crying, especially when the tears are visible and the person
哭泣；流淚
正在哭的狀態
the act or state of crying, especially when the tears are visible and the person is visibly upset.
Renata found her little brother in tears after the neighbour's dog chased him.
Renata 發現弟弟正在哭，因為鄰居的狗追了他。
in tears — visibly crying
The whole family was in tears at the airport gate when the plane finally left.
全家人在機場登機門前含淚道別，直到飛機起飛。
Emre finished his speech in tears, thanking everyone who had helped him recover.
Emre 含淚結束了演講，感謝所有幫助他康復的人。
Aylin could barely speak; she was nearly in tears as she described the accident.
Aylin 幾乎說不出話來；她在描述事故時眼淚都快掉下來了。
文法句型
in tears
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'in tears'. This describes the visible state of crying, not the act of starting to cry (sense 5) or the physical drops (sense 3).
常見錯誤
7. the action or process of pulling something apart by force, especially paper, fab
撕的動作
用力撕開東西的行為
the action or process of pulling something apart by force, especially paper, fabric, or packaging.
The tear of the wrapping paper announced the arrival of the birthday gift.
撕開包裝紙的聲音預告著生日禮物的到來。
the tear of [material] — formal noun usage
With a single clean tear, the tailor removed the damaged section of the silk.
裁縫師乾脆利落地一撕，便將那塊受損的絲綢部分拆了下來。
The sound of the tear made everyone in the library look up from their books.
撕東西的聲音讓圖書館裡所有人都從書本上抬起頭來。
The quick tear of the envelope revealed the acceptance letter inside.
迅速撕開信封的聲音露出了裡面的錄取通知書。
- rip
more informal; 'tear' as an action noun sounds more deliberate or careful
文法句型
the tear of + [material]
用法筆記
This sense describes the action itself (the tearing), not the resulting hole (sense 1). It is less common than sense 1 and is mostly used in formal descriptions or literary contexts.
8. a short period of wild, uncontrolled, and often excessive behaviour, especially
狂歡；放縱
短時間內極度放縱的行為
a short period of wild, uncontrolled, and often excessive behaviour, especially involving eating, drinking, spending money, or partying.
After winning the lottery, the couple went on a spending tear at the luxury shops.
中了樂透之後，這對夫妻在精品店裡瘋狂消費了一番。
on a [activity] tear — short uncontrolled spree
The students went on a three-day tear after finals, eating and dancing until dawn.
期終考試結束後，學生們連續狂歡了三天三夜，吃吃喝喝跳到天亮。
Minho went on a cooking tear last weekend and made enough food to last a month.
Minho 上週末心血來潮瘋狂下廚，做了足夠吃一個月的食物。
After months of saving, Renata went on a shopping tear and bought new clothes for the whole family.
Renata 存了好幾個月的錢後大肆採購，為全家人買了新衣服。
文法句型
[adjective] + tear
用法筆記
This sense shares the 'on a tear' structure with sense 2 (SUCCESS STREAK), but carries a different meaning. Sense 2 is about performance and achievement; sense 8 is about excess and lack of restraint. Context determines which meaning applies — look at the adjective or the topic.
tear — 動詞
1. to forcefully pull something apart into pieces, or to separate it from a surface
撕；撕破
用力把東西拉成碎片或從表面扯下
to forcefully pull something apart into pieces, or to separate it from a surface, often damaging or breaking it; also used when fabric or paper rips on a sharp edge.
Yael carefully tore the letter into tiny pieces so nobody could read it.
Yael 小心翼翼地把信撕成碎片，這樣就沒人能看到了。
tear + [object] + into + [pieces]
The old fence was so rotten that Greta could easily tear a plank off with her hands.
舊圍籬已經腐爛得很厲害，Greta 用手就能輕鬆拆下一塊木板。
Be careful with that knife or you will tear a hole in your new jeans.
小心那把刀，不然你會在新牛仔褲上扯出一個洞。
This kind of paper tears very easily if you pull it too fast.
這種紙如果拉太快很容易撕破。
Ari tore the poster off the wall without even asking the shop owner.
Ari 連問都沒問店主人就直接把海報從牆上撕了下來。
文法句型
tear + [object] + in half / into pieces / off / out
tear + [object] + on + [sharp edge]
用法筆記
This is the core physical sense. It can be transitive (someone tears something) or intransitive (something tears). Common objects include paper, cloth, fabric, packaging, or skin. When used with 'on' (e.g. 'tear on a nail'), the damage happens because of contact with a sharp or rough surface.
常見錯誤
2. to move extremely quickly, often with great urgency, excitement, or energy, in a
疾馳；飛奔
以極快的速度朝某方向移動
to move extremely quickly, often with great urgency, excitement, or energy, in a particular direction.
The children tore down the hill towards the ice-cream truck as soon as they saw it.
孩子們一看到冰淇淋車就飛快地衝下了山坡。
tear + [direction] + [destination] — fast movement
Eshe tore through the airport terminal to catch the last flight of the day.
Eshe 衝過機場航廈，趕搭當天最後一班飛機。
A fire engine tore past the school with its sirens blaring loudly.
一輛消防車鳴著刺耳的警笛從學校旁邊呼嘯而過。
The dog tore across the park after a squirrel and disappeared into the bushes.
那隻狗追著松鼠飛奔過公園，然後消失在灌木叢中。
- crawl
to move extremely slowly
文法句型
tear + along/down/through/across/into + [place]
用法筆記
This verb always needs a direction word (along, across, down, through, into, past). It is NOT used without a preposition or adverb. Compare: 'He tore.' (wrong) vs 'He tore down the street.' (correct).
常見錯誤
3. when a person's eyes fill with tears, usually because of an external irritant su
流淚；分泌
眼睛因刺激而分泌淚水
when a person's eyes fill with tears, usually because of an external irritant such as wind, smoke, onion fumes, or bright light, rather than from a strong emotion.
My eyes started to tear up as soon as I stepped into the smoky kitchen.
我一走進煙霧瀰漫的廚房，眼睛就開始流淚了。
eyes + tear up — fill with tears from irritation
The strong wind made everyone's eyes tear on the walk back to the office.
強風讓大家在走回辦公室的路上眼睛都不停流淚。
Chopping onions always makes my eyes tear badly, no matter how fresh they are.
切洋蔥總是讓我的眼淚流個不停，不管洋蔥多新鮮都一樣。
Her eyes teared up when she removed her contact lenses after wearing them all day.
她戴了一整天的隱形眼鏡，拿下來的時候眼睛開始流淚。
文法句型
[eyes] + tear + [up]
用法筆記
Pronounced /tɪər/ (like 'tier'), NOT /tɛər/ (like 'tare'). The past tense is 'teared' (not 'tore'). The subject is almost always 'eyes'. This sense is about physical eye-watering, not emotional crying. Compare with noun sense 3 (teardrop from emotion) — the distinction is cause: irritant vs. feeling.
常見錯誤
4. to find it difficult or impossible to decide between two or more options, people
難以抉擇
在兩個選項之間無法決定
to find it difficult or impossible to decide between two or more options, people, or feelings because each has strong appeal or makes a claim on your loyalty.
Jenna was torn between taking the job in London and staying close to her ageing parents.
Jenna 在前往倫敦工作與留在年邁父母身邊之間左右為難。
be torn between [choice A] and [choice B]
The committee was torn between approving the project quickly and waiting for more data.
委員會在是否從速批准專案與等待更多數據之間難以取捨。
Xiu felt torn between her duty to her family and her dream of becoming a musician.
Xiu 感到在對家庭的責任與成為音樂家的夢想之間難以抉擇。
Many voters are torn between the two candidates because both have strong qualifications.
許多選民在兩位候選人之間猶豫不決，因為兩人的資歷都很優秀。
- conflicted
similar emotional weight; 'conflicted' focuses on the internal emotional state while 'torn' emphasizes being pulled in two directions
- divided
can apply to a group; less intense than 'torn', more about logistics than emotion
- split
informal and common; 'split' suggests the decision is about personal preference rather than moral conflict
文法句型
be torn between + [two choices]
用法筆記
Almost always used in the past participle form 'torn' as an adjective after 'be' (be torn) or as a participial adjective (a torn heart). The structure 'torn between X and Y' is the most common pattern. A less frequent variant is 'torn by' when the conflicting forces are named: 'torn by doubt'.
常見錯誤
5. severely damaged or emotionally wrecked by a terrible event, for example a war,
徹底摧毀
被重大災難或損失嚴重破壞
severely damaged or emotionally wrecked by a terrible event, for example a war, a death, a disaster, or a deep personal loss.
The small town was torn apart by the earthquake that destroyed hundreds of homes.
那座小鎮被摧毀了數百棟房屋的地震搞得支離破碎。
torn apart by [disaster/event]
Saira was torn apart by guilt after she realised what her words had done to her best friend.
Saira 意識到自己的話對摯友造成的傷害後，內心充滿了罪惡感與痛苦。
The family was torn apart by the long dispute over their grandfather's property.
這個家庭因為一場曠日持久的祖父遺產糾紛而分崩離析。
Entire communities were torn apart by the conflict that lasted more than a decade.
持續了十多年的衝突讓整個社區支離破碎。
- devastated
focuses on the emotional aftermath; can apply to a person or a place
- wrecked
more informal and carries a sense of complete physical or emotional destruction
- ravaged
usually about physical destruction by war, disease, or weather; more formal
文法句型
torn apart + by + [event]
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the passive voice or as a participial adjective ('torn apart by...'). It is stronger than sense 4 (TORN): sense 4 describes indecision between choices, while sense 5 describes destruction or devastation. Frequently appears with 'apart' as 'torn apart by'.