tell
tell — 動詞
1. to pass along facts or directions to someone through spoken words or written mes
告訴
以口頭或書面傳達資訊
to pass along facts or directions to someone through spoken words or written messages — for example, letting a friend know a shop is closed, or instructing a child to put on their shoes.
Christopher told his mum that the bus was late this morning.
Christopher 告訴媽媽巴士今天早上誤點了。
tell + object + that-clause
The teacher told the children to open their books to page ten.
老師叫小朋友打開課本到第十頁。
tell + object + to-infinitive
Hana told us about the grilled corn and earrings she bought at the night market.
Hana 跟我們聊了很多她在夜市買的烤玉米和耳環。
"I will call you when I arrive," Mizuki told her father.
「到了我會打電話給你,」Mizuki 告訴爸爸。
Can you please tell me the way to the nearest station?
可以請你告訴我去最近的車站怎麼走嗎?
- listen
the opposite action — receiving rather than giving information
文法句型
tell + object + that-clause
tell + object + to-infinitive
tell + object + about + noun phrase
tell + object + quoted speech
用法筆記
In this sense, 'tell' always needs the person you are speaking to as its first object. You cannot say 'tell something' without mentioning who is being told.
常見錯誤
2. to say something that you know is not true, especially in order to avoid trouble
說謊
故意說不實的話來欺騙人
to say something that you know is not true, especially in order to avoid trouble or to make someone believe something false.
Camila told her parents a lie about finishing her homework.
Camila 跟爸媽說了謊,騙他們說作業寫完了。
tell + a lie (fixed collocation)
Jude told his teacher a dog had chewed his homework on the way to school.
Jude 告訴老師說,上學路上有一隻狗把他的作業咬爛了。
Mayumi knew her classmate was telling a lie when she claimed to be only twenty years old.
Mayumi 知道她的同學在說謊——她謊稱自己才二十歲。
Little children sometimes tell lies without meaning to hurt anyone.
小孩子有時會說謊,但並不是故意要傷害任何人。
- tell the truth
the direct opposite — saying what is true
文法句型
tell + a lie
tell + object + that-clause (untrue)
tell + lies
用法筆記
Commonly used with the fixed object 'a lie' or 'lies'. Unlike 'lie' (the verb), 'tell a lie' always focuses on the act of speaking falsely rather than on the state of being dishonest.
常見錯誤
3. to reveal the complete truth about something to someone, especially after keepin
說出真相
把隱瞞的事實全部說出來
to reveal the complete truth about something to someone, especially after keeping it hidden or not being fully open.
Reuben told his wife the truth about losing his wallet at work.
Reuben 對妻子說出真相,承認自己在公司弄丟了錢包。
tell + object + the truth
After two hours of questioning, the man told the police everything.
經過兩小時的訊問後,那名男子把所有的事情都告訴了警方。
tell + object + everything (full disclosure)
Aylin decided to tell the whole story to her best friend.
Aylin 決定對她最好的朋友說出整件事的經過。
The witness promised to tell the court exactly what she had seen.
那名證人保證會把所見的一切如實告訴法庭。
- confess
stronger — usually to a crime or serious wrongdoing
- come clean
informal, means to finally admit everything
文法句型
tell + object + the truth
tell + object + everything
tell + object + the whole story
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'the truth', 'everything', or 'the whole story' as the direct object. The listener is often someone in authority — a parent, a police officer, or a judge.
常見錯誤
4. When a child reports another child's wrongdoing to an adult like a parent or tea
告狀
小孩向大人報告別人的不當行為
When a child reports another child's wrongdoing to an adult like a parent or teacher, hoping the other child will be scolded or punished.
Sana ran to tell the teacher a boy threw sand on the playground at recess.
下課時,Sana 跑去跟老師告狀,說有個男生在操場上丟沙子。
Nellie ran to tell on her brother for taking an extra biscuit.
Nellie 跑去告狀,說弟弟多拿了一塊餅乾。
phrasal: tell on + person
The babysitter told the children to stop telling tales on each other.
保母叫小朋友不要再互相告狀了。
"You are always telling tales!" the little boy shouted at his sister.
「你就只會打小報告!」小男孩對妹妹大喊。
- cover up
to hide someone's bad behaviour instead of reporting it
文法句型
tell tales
tell on + person
用法筆記
This sense is most common in school and family settings. The phrasal verb 'tell on' has the same meaning: 'tell on someone' means to report their bad behaviour.
常見錯誤
5. to say what you really think or feel, without hiding your opinion or choosing yo
直言
不加修飾地說出真實想法
to say what you really think or feel, without hiding your opinion or choosing your words to avoid upsetting someone.
Romi told her boss honestly that the plan needed more work.
Romi 對老闆直言,覺得這個計畫還需要改進。
tell + object + honestly (manner adverb)
Kevin told his friend directly that he did not agree with him.
Kevin 直接告訴朋友,他不同意他的看法。
Ryan told the committee exactly what he thought of the proposal.
Ryan 在會議上毫不保留地說出了他對那個提案的看法。
The teenager told his parents how he really felt about moving schools.
那名青少年告訴爸媽他對於轉學的真正感受。
- speak one's mind
idiom meaning to express opinions directly and without fear
- be blunt
implies being so direct that it may seem rude
- hold back
to avoid saying what you really think
文法句型
tell + someone + what/how + clause
tell + possessive + thoughts/feelings
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (CONFESS): sense 3 is about revealing hidden facts, while sense 5 is about expressing an honest opinion or feeling directly, without softening it.
常見錯誤
6. used before a statement to show that you are about to say something honest, ofte
老實說
用於承認或表達坦白意見的語氣
used before a statement to show that you are about to say something honest, often a personal opinion or an admission that is a little uncomfortable or surprising.
To be honest, Ilan did not really enjoy the concert last night.
老實說,Ilan 不是很喜歡昨晚的音樂會。
discourse marker: To be honest, + clause
To tell you the truth, Ritu found the movie quite boring.
跟你說實話,Ritu 覺得那部電影很無聊。
discourse marker: To tell you the truth, + clause
I must be honest — I forgot to buy milk on my way home today.
我得承認——我今天回家的路上忘了買牛奶。
Truth be told, Soraya had never liked the dress her aunt gave her.
說實話,Soraya 從來就不喜歡阿姨送她那件洋裝。
文法句型
To be honest, + clause
To tell you the truth, + clause
I must be honest, + clause
用法筆記
This sense is a discourse marker — it does not describe the act of telling, but rather signals the speaker's attitude. It is almost always used in spoken or informal written English, usually at the start of a sentence.
常見錯誤
7. to know with certainty that something is true or has a particular quality, based
知道;斷定
根據觀察確定某事為真
to know with certainty that something is true or has a particular quality, based on what you see, hear, or notice
Nadia could tell that someone had been in her room by the open drawer.
Nadia 從打開的抽屜發現,之前一定有人進過她的房間。
tell + (that)-clause for certainty
Niran could not tell if the cake was baked just by looking at the top.
Niran 發現光從外表看,很難判斷蛋糕是不是完全烤熟了。
tell + if/whether clause
From his grin, Quinn could tell the interview had gone well.
Quinn 從他的笑容看得出來,面試進行得很順利。
How can you tell whether a melon is ripe just by looking at the skin?
你光看瓜皮,要怎麼判斷哈密瓜熟了沒有?
The security guard could tell from the tyre marks what kind of car had left the scene.
警衛從輪胎痕跡就能判斷現場開走的是哪種車。
- doubt
to be uncertain about something
文法句型
tell + (that)-clause
tell + if/whether + clause
can/could tell + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used with 'can' or 'could' to express the ability to know something with confidence from available evidence.
常見錯誤
8. when an object, sign, or situation makes a fact clear to you without using spoke
顯示;表明
事物傳達資訊或線索
when an object, sign, or situation makes a fact clear to you without using spoken or written words
The thermometer in the car told them the temperature had dropped below zero.
車上的溫度計顯示氣溫已降到零度以下。
device tells + (that)-clause
Her tired eyes told Christopher he had not slept well the night before.
Christopher 從她疲憊的眼神看出她前一晚沒睡好。
body language tells + (that)-clause
The way the leaves had fallen told Élise which way the wind had been blowing earlier.
樹葉掉落的樣子告訴 Élise 稍早的風向。
His worried expression told Hamza that something was wrong with the plan.
Hamza 從他擔憂的表情看出計畫出了問題。
The results of the blood test told the doctors that the treatment was working.
血液檢驗的結果顯示醫生們的治療方式有效。
- hide
to keep information from being known
文法句型
something tells someone + (that)-clause
用法筆記
The subject is a thing, situation, or piece of evidence — never a person. The indirect object is the person receiving the information.
常見錯誤
9. to see or notice how two or more things or people are different from each other
分辨;區分
看出兩者之間的差異
to see or notice how two or more things or people are different from each other
The twin sisters look so alike that even their classmates cannot tell them apart.
那對雙胞胎姊妹長得太像了,連同學都無法把她們區分開來。
tell + [persons] + apart
Can you tell the difference between real leather and the kind made from plastic?
你分得出來真皮和塑膠皮有什麼不同嗎?
tell + the difference + between
Gita could tell the original painting from the copy after studying the brush strokes closely.
Gita 仔細看了筆觸之後,就能分辨哪幅是真跡、哪幅是複製品。
On a camping trip, Madison could not tell which mushrooms were safe and which poisonous.
露營的時候,Madison 無法分辨哪些野生蘑菇可以吃、哪些有毒。
Most shoppers cannot tell a genuine diamond from a high-quality fake one without expert help.
沒有專家協助,大多數顧客無法區分真鑽石和品質好的假貨。
- distinguish
more formal, commonly used in academic writing
- differentiate
formal, focuses on identifying what makes things distinct
- confuse
to mistakenly think two things are the same
文法句型
tell + the difference + between + X + and + Y
tell + X + from + Y
tell + X + and + Y + apart
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'can', 'could', or 'be able to'. Often appears in negative constructions ('cannot tell') to emphasise that two things are very similar.
常見錯誤
10. to claim to know or describe what will happen to someone in the future, often as
算命
預測某人未來運勢
to claim to know or describe what will happen to someone in the future, often as a paid service using methods such as cards, palm reading, or astrology
A woman at the night market offered to tell Camille's fortune for just five dollars.
夜市裡有個女人願意幫 Camille 算命,只要五塊錢。
tell + someone's fortune
Rachid visited a fortune-teller who told him he would meet someone special within a year.
Rachid 去給算命師看過,對方說他一年內會遇到一個特別的人。
fortune-teller + tell + (that)-clause about future
Lin's grandmother still believes that patterns in tea leaves can tell your future.
Lin 的祖母仍然相信茶葉渣的形狀可以看出一個人的未來。
Nadia asked the old man at the festival to tell her fortune using a deck of cards.
Nadia 請廟會裡的老先生用一副牌幫她算命。
文法句型
tell + someone's fortune
tell + fortunes
tell + the future
用法筆記
Typically used with 'fortune', 'fortunes', or 'future' as the object. The person who does this is a 'fortune-teller'.
11. to understand what time it is by looking at the hands or numbers on a clock, wat
看時間
讀取時鐘上的時間
to understand what time it is by looking at the hands or numbers on a clock, watch, or other timekeeping device
By the age of five, most children can learn to tell the time from a clock.
大多數孩子到了五歲就可以學會看時鐘。
tell + the time (basic pattern)
The classroom clock was broken, so Sumin could not tell what time it was until the bell rang.
教室的時鐘壞了,所以 Sumin 在鈴響前無法知道現在幾點。
tell + what time + clause
Manuela checked her watch to tell the exact time of the train's departure.
Manuela 看了一下手錶,確認火車出發的確切時間。
Grandfather taught Quinn how to tell the time by looking at the position of the sun.
祖父教 Quinn 如何透過太陽的位置來判斷時間。
Jasmine wears a digital watch because it makes telling the time easier while running.
Jasmine 戴電子錶,因為跑步時要看時間,電子錶比較好讀。
- read
also used for clocks: 'read a clock'
文法句型
tell + the time
用法筆記
The object is almost always 'the time'. Can be used with a question-word clause ('tell what time it is'). Also used as 'tell the time' (British) — American English uses 'tell time' without 'the'.
常見錯誤
12. a fixed expression meaning that the facts about a situation cannot be known or p
無從得知
不可能知道或預測
a fixed expression meaning that the facts about a situation cannot be known or predicted with confidence — whether about the past, the present, or the future
There is no telling what the weather will be like during the mountain hike next week.
下星期上山時天氣會怎樣,現在無從得知。
There is no telling + what-clause
If she does not answer her phone soon, there is no telling where she could be right now.
要是她不趕快接電話,誰也無法知道她現在人在哪裡。
With the engine badly damaged, there was no telling how long the repairs would take.
那台舊引擎損壞得太嚴重,修復工作要多久根本無從得知。
When you adopt a rescue animal, there is no telling what kind of habits it may already have.
領養流浪動物時,無從得知牠已經養成了哪些習慣。
- impossible to know
more literal and less idiomatic
文法句型
There is no telling + question-word clause
用法筆記
A fixed expression always beginning with 'there is no telling'. Unlike other senses of 'tell', this cannot be used with a personal subject. Frequently followed by a question word (what, where, how, when).
常見錯誤
13. a fixed phrase used to say that the future or the result of something is impossi
說不定;難說
未來無法預測,不能斷定
a fixed phrase used to say that the future or the result of something is impossible to predict, so you should not assume you know what will happen
Joshua packed both a jacket and a T-shirt, because you never can tell what the weather will do.
Joshua 外套和 T 恤都帶了,因為天氣會怎樣誰也說不定。
you never can tell + what-clause
The market looked quiet, but you never can tell how many shoppers might appear later on.
市場現在很冷清,但今天稍晚會有多少客人上門,誰也說不準。
Ilan sent his application early, but you never can tell how long the committee takes.
Ilan 提早交了申請,但委員會要花多久,誰也說不準。
That puppy looks calm now, but you never can tell how lively it will be once it grows up.
那隻小狗現在看起來很乖,但長大以後精力有多旺盛,誰也說不準。
Yan bought two tickets because you can never tell which film the kids will like more.
Yan 買了兩張票,因為孩子們比較喜歡哪一部電影,很難說。
- there is no telling
similar meaning but uses 'there is' + gerund instead of 'you' + modal — see sense 12
- who knows
more casual, often used alone as a rhetorical question
- anything could happen
more direct paraphrase, not a fixed phrase
文法句型
you never can tell + (wh-)clause
you can never tell + (wh-)clause
用法筆記
Always appears in the fixed negative expression 'you never can tell' or 'you can never tell'. Unlike sense 12 (there is no telling), this phrase uses a personal subject 'you' and cannot begin with 'there is'. Typically followed by a wh-clause (what, how, which, when, where).
常見錯誤
14. to gradually cause harm or weakness to someone or something, especially over a l
拖累;造成
逐漸對人事物產生不良影響
to gradually cause harm or weakness to someone or something, especially over a long period of time — for example, how a stressful job can make a person exhausted or how poor eating habits can damage your health
The long night shifts finally began to tell on Baraka's health after six months.
長期的夜班工作經過六個月後,終於開始拖垮 Baraka 的健康。
tell on + [person]'s health
Years spent sitting at a desk can tell on your lower back and neck.
長年整天坐在辦公桌前,會對你的下背部和頸部造成不良影響。
All the stress of managing the restaurant alone was telling on Pim's energy levels.
獨自打理餐廳的所有壓力,正在拖垮 Pim 的體力。
The noise from the construction site next door is beginning to tell on the children's concentration.
隔壁工地持續傳來的噪音,開始對孩子們在學校的專注力造成不良影響。
A poor diet combined with very little sleep will soon tell on anyone's immune system.
飲食不良又搭配極少的睡眠,很快就會對任何人的免疫系統造成負面影響。
- take a toll on
slightly more formal, very common in American and British English
- wear down
emphasises the gradual loss of strength or resistance
- affect
more neutral; does not imply a negative or gradual effect
- strengthen
the opposite — making someone or something stronger
文法句型
tell on + noun phrase
用法筆記
Always followed by 'on + noun phrase'. The subject is typically a situation (stress, overwork, noise) rather than a person. This sense is almost never used in the simple present — common tenses are present continuous ('is telling on'), future ('will tell on'), or with 'begin to' / 'start to'.
常見錯誤
tell — 名詞
1. a small, unconscious movement or expression that a poker player makes, which let
讀牌訊號
牌局中不自覺洩露手牌實力的動作
a small, unconscious movement or expression that a poker player makes, which lets other players guess whether their hand is strong or weak
Dario noticed that Liang always tapped the table twice when he had a strong hand.
Dario 注意到 Liang 拿到好牌時總是會敲兩下桌面。
tell + when-clause for condition
Ava's tell was a slight smile that appeared just before she placed her chips.
Ava 的讀牌訊號是在下籌碼前會露出一抹淺笑。
The other players quickly learned Ritu's tell, so she had to change it.
其他玩家很快就學會了讀 Ritu 的訊號,於是她只好改變習慣。
Experienced card players watch for tells like shallow breathing or shaky hands.
有經驗的牌手會觀察對手的讀牌訊號,例如呼吸變淺或手發抖。
Rachid's tell during the final round was so obvious that everyone at the table folded.
Rachid 在最後一輪的破綻太明顯了,同桌所有人都蓋牌了。
- poker face
the deliberate absence of any tell
文法句型
possessive + tell
用法筆記
Frequently used with a possessive determiner ('his tell', 'her tell'). The term is especially common in poker strategy discussions and commentary.
2. any small action, look, or change in behaviour that accidentally shows what a pe
破綻
不經意流露真實想法或意圖的跡象
any small action, look, or change in behaviour that accidentally shows what a person truly feels or intends, particularly when they wish to hide it
When Élise was nervous during the interview, her tell was that she kept twisting her ring.
Élise 在面試緊張時,她的破綻就是不斷轉動手上的戒指。
tell + that-clause for revealing behaviour
A child's biggest tell when lying is that they cannot look you in the eye.
小孩說謊時最大的破綻就是無法直視你的眼睛。
The detective watched for tells that the suspect was hiding something, like avoiding direct questions.
偵探觀察嫌犯是否在隱瞞什麼的破綻,例如迴避直接的問題。
David's tell in meetings was a quick cough before he disagreed with a proposal.
David 在會議中的破綻是,在反對某個提案之前會先快速清一下喉嚨。
Small-town people can often spot a tourist's tells, such as looking at maps too often.
小鎮居民通常一眼就能看出觀光客的破綻,例如一直低頭看地圖。
文法句型
possessive + tell
tell + that-clause