thin
thin — 動詞
1. to add water or another liquid to a thick substance so that it becomes less thic
稀釋
加水使液體變稀
to add water or another liquid to a thick substance so that it becomes less thick and flows more easily
Talia thinned the dark paint with water before brushing it onto the wall.
Talia 在把深色油漆刷到牆上之前，先加水把它稀釋。
transitive: thin + noun + with + noun (liquid agent)
The gravy was too thick, so Diya thinned it with a little milk.
肉汁太濃了，所以 Diya 加了一點牛奶把它調稀。
passive: 'was thinned'; 'by -ing' clause for method
If the paste feels too stiff for the paper, thin it slowly with warm water.
如果黏膠太稠，不好在紙上推開，可以慢慢加溫水調稀。
Sana thins her oil paints with a blending medium, then builds up soft layers of colour on the canvas.
Sana 用調和油來稀釋油畫顏料，然後在畫布上一層層疊出柔和的色彩。
As Noa brushed the wood glue onto the joint, it thinned quickly and soaked deep into the grain.
Noa 把木工膠刷在接合處時，膠水迅速變稀，滲進了木材的紋理深處。
- dilute
more formal or scientific; used in chemistry and cooking
- water down
informal; often implies making something weaker or less acceptable
- weaken
focuses on reduced strength or concentration rather than consistency
- thicken
the opposite action; to make a substance more thick and less liquid
文法句型
thin + noun + with/by + noun (transitive)
thin + adverb/prepositional phrase (intransitive)
用法筆記
This sense can be transitive (thin + object) or intransitive (the substance thins on its own). The liquid agent is introduced with 'with' or 'by -ing'. Intransitive uses are less common and usually describe a natural process (e.g., paint thins as it warms).
常見錯誤
2. to become smaller in number, or to remove some items from a group so that the re
變少；疏開
數量減少或拉開距離
to become smaller in number, or to remove some items from a group so that the remaining items have more room to grow or exist
The crowd outside the theatre thinned quickly after the final curtain came down.
劇院外的群眾在謝幕後很快就散去了。
intransitive: crowd + thins
Putri thinned out the carrot seedlings so the strongest plants would have room to grow.
Putri 把胡蘿蔔苗疏開一些，讓最壯的苗有足夠的空間生長。
transitive: thin + out + noun (gardening)
As midnight approached, the number of guests at the party began to thin noticeably.
接近午夜時，派對上的賓客人數開始明顯減少。
The gardener thinned the lettuce rows to give each head enough space and sunlight.
園丁把生菜行間的苗疏開，讓每棵菜都有足夠的空間和日照。
Traffic on the highway usually thins out after the evening rush hour ends.
高速公路上的車流通常在晚間尖峰時間過後就會漸漸變少。
文法句型
thin (out) (intransitive) — subject is a crowd/group
thin + noun + out (transitive) — object is plants/seedlings/crowd
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'out', especially in conversation. The intransitive use describes crowds, traffic, hair, or any group becoming less dense. The transitive use is common in gardening and forestry, where a gardener removes some plants so the rest have more room.
常見錯誤
thin — 形容詞
1. measuring very little from one flat side to the other, so that something is not
薄的
兩表面之間距離小的
measuring very little from one flat side to the other, so that something is not thick — for instance, a slice of bread, a layer of paint, or a wall.
The ice on the pond was too thin for anyone to walk on.
池塘上的冰太薄了，沒人敢走上去。
predicative use with too
Jabari cut the cheese into thin slices for the sandwiches.
Jabari 把乳酪切成薄片來做三明治。
attributive: thin + noun (slices)
A thin layer of dust covered every surface in the old library.
薄薄一層灰塵覆蓋了老圖書館的每個表面。
The walls in Andrei's apartment were so thin that he could hear his neighbours arguing.
Andrei 的公寓牆壁太薄了，他都能聽見鄰居在吵架。
文法句型
thin + noun (attributive)
be + thin (predicative)
用法筆記
Gradable adjective: you can say thinner, thinnest, very thin, too thin.
常見錯誤
2. having a body with very little fat or muscle so that the shape of the bones can
瘦的
身體脂肪或肌肉少的
having a body with very little fat or muscle so that the shape of the bones can often be seen.
Heloísa was tall and thin, with long legs like a dancer.
Heloísa 又高又瘦，一雙長腿讓她像個舞者。
predicative: be + thin describing a person
After the long illness, the old man's thin face showed every bone.
久病之後，老先生瘦削的臉龐露出了骨頭的形狀。
attributive: thin + body part (face)
Putri wrapped her thin arms around her knees in the hospital waiting room, staring at the floor.
Putri 用瘦瘦的手臂抱住膝蓋，坐在醫院等候室的角落裡，眼睛盯著地板。
The stray cat was dangerously thin, with its ribs clearly visible through its fur.
那隻流浪貓瘦得可怕，肋骨清楚地從毛皮中突顯出來。
文法句型
be + thin (describing body)
thin + noun (body part)
用法筆記
Can describe both positive slimness and concerning thinness depending on modifiers (e.g. 'pleasantly thin' vs 'dangerously thin').
常見錯誤
3. reduced to a very thin state by continuous use, pressure, or the passage of time
磨薄的
因使用或時間變得很薄的
reduced to a very thin state by continuous use, pressure, or the passage of time so that the material is weak or nearly gone.
The soles of Cyrus's shoes had worn thin after months of hiking on rocky trails.
Cyrus 的鞋底在岩石小徑上走了幾個月後已經磨薄了。
pattern: wear + thin (become thin from use)
The knees of Minho's jeans became thin after two years of daily wear.
Minho 的牛仔褲膝蓋經過兩年每天穿用後變得很薄。
The old woollen blanket was so thin that light passed right through the faded fabric.
那條舊羊毛毯薄得讓光線直接穿透褪色的布料。
Hugo's favourite cotton shirt grew thin at the collar from years of washing.
Hugo 最喜歡的棉襯衫經過多年洗滌，領口處變得越來越薄。
- threadbare
specifically for fabric or cloth that has worn thin
- worn
focuses on damage from use, not necessarily thinness
文法句型
wear + thin
grow + thin
become + thin
用法筆記
Often appears with verbs like 'wear' and 'grow' to describe gradual thinning from use or age. Distinguish from sense 1 (NOT THICK), which describes a permanent physical property; sense 3 describes a change over time.
4. so fine or delicate that light passes through or objects on the other side can b
透明的
薄到可看穿的
so fine or delicate that light passes through or objects on the other side can be partly seen.
The curtains were so thin that sunlight filled the room every morning.
窗簾薄得每天早上陽光都能灑滿整間房間。
pattern: so thin that... (result clause)
Imran could see the outline of the tree through the thin paper of the envelope.
Imran 透過薄薄的信封紙可以看到裡面樹的輪廓。
Tamar wore a thin silk scarf that seemed almost see-through in the bright light.
Tamar 戴著一條薄絲巾，在強光下幾乎是透明的。
The thin cotton of his shirt showed the tattoo on his shoulder underneath.
他那件薄棉襯衫底下去露出了肩膀上的刺青。
- sheer
technical term for very thin fabric you can see through
- translucent
formal; lets light through but not clear images
- transparent
you can see clearly through; stronger than thin
文法句型
thin + noun (fabric/material)
so thin that...
5. present in a smaller number or amount than usual or expected; not plentiful.
稀少的
數量比平常少的
present in a smaller number or amount than usual or expected; not plentiful.
The audience was thin on the rainy Tuesday evening.
那個下雨的星期二晚上，觀眾寥寥無幾。
predicative: be + thin describing crowd size
Job openings were thin in the small village where Eli grew up.
Eli 長大的那個小村莊裡，工作機會非常少。
Traffic on the highway was thin late at night, making the drive peaceful.
深夜的高速公路上車輛稀少，開起車來很寧靜。
Padma noticed that the crowd was thin at the early morning yoga class.
Padma 注意到清晨瑜伽課的學員人數不多。
文法句型
be + thin (for amounts/crowds)
thin on the ground
用法筆記
Usually used predicatively (e.g. 'the crowd was thin'). Less common attributively (e.g. 'thin attendance'). Often describes people, traffic, opportunities, or evidence.
常見錯誤
6. of air at high altitudes, where the amount of available oxygen is far lower than
稀薄的
含氧量低的（空氣）
of air at high altitudes, where the amount of available oxygen is far lower than what people are used to at sea level.
The air grew thin as the climbers approached the top of the mountain.
登山者接近山頂時，空氣變得稀薄。
pattern: air + grow/become + thin (gradual change)
Hikers on the high plateau found the thin air made breathing difficult.
在高原上健行的人發現稀薄的空氣讓呼吸變得困難。
attributive: thin air
Christopher felt dizzy in the thin air of the high-altitude city.
Christopher 在高海拔城市中因空氣稀薄而感到頭暈。
Pilots receive special training for dealing with the effects of thin air.
飛行員都需要接受在高空稀薄空氣中飛行的專門訓練。
文法句型
thin + air
the air is + thin
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used with the word 'air'. Not used for other gases or liquids in this sense.
常見錯誤
7. Having a high proportion of water or another agent so that a liquid flows and po
稀的；水水的
液體水分多、容易流動的
Having a high proportion of water or another agent so that a liquid flows and pours easily rather than being thick or sticky — used of sauce, soup, paint, oil, and similar substances.
The sauce was too thin, so Chef Dario added cornstarch to thicken it.
醬汁太稀了，所以 Dario 主廚加了玉米粉來勾芡。
opposite: thicken
After boiling, the soup becomes thin and watery, perfect for a light meal.
煮滾之後，湯變得又稀又水，很適合搭配輕食。
collocation: thin and watery
Saira prefers her paint thin so it spreads smoothly across the canvas.
Saira 喜歡把顏料調稀，這樣才能在畫布上均勻塗開。
A thin oil flows through the engine faster than a thick one.
稀的機油比濃稠的機油流經引擎的速度更快。
The medicine is a thin liquid that you drink from a small plastic spoon.
這種藥是稀的液體，用小塑膠湯匙喝。
用法筆記
Frequently paired with thick as an antonym pair; the opposite of thinning a liquid is thickening it.
常見錯誤
8. Lacking strength, substance, or quality — used when a sound does not sound full,
薄弱；無力
（聲音、理由、品質）不充分或無說服力的
Lacking strength, substance, or quality — used when a sound does not sound full, an excuse or argument is not convincing, support is not sincere, or something is of poor overall quality.
Christopher offered a thin excuse for being late — a stray goat had blocked his driveway — and no one believed him.
Christopher 為遲到找了個很薄弱的藉口——說有隻流浪山羊堵住了他的車道——沒有人相信他。
collocation: thin excuse = unconvincing
Aoi's voice sounded thin and shaky during the outdoor concert, barely reaching the audience in the back rows.
Aoi 在戶外演唱會上唱的聲音又單薄又發抖，幾乎傳不到後排的觀眾耳中。
collocation: thin voice = weak, lacking fullness
The film's plot was too thin to hold the audience for two hours.
那部電影的情節太薄弱，無法讓觀眾專注看兩小時。
Yael gave a thin smile when she heard the news, hiding her true feelings.
Yael 聽到消息後露出一個勉強的微笑，隱藏了自己的真實感受。
Rachid's argument was so thin that the judge dismissed it immediately.
Rachid 的論點太薄弱了，法官立刻駁回。
- strong
direct opposite across all contexts
- convincing
specific to arguments and excuses
- rich
for sounds, voices, or materials that are full and resonant
用法筆記
Most commonly used with nouns like excuse, voice, smile, argument, plot, and material. The meaning varies slightly by noun: thin excuse = easy to disprove; thin voice = high and lacking resonance; thin smile = forced or insincere.
常見錯誤
9. Growing or arranged with wide gaps between individual items rather than being pa
稀疏的；稀落
生長或分布不密集、間隔大的
Growing or arranged with wide gaps between individual items rather than being packed close together — used of hair, fur, grass, or other vegetation where the focus is on density of physical distribution.
Min's hair is naturally thin, so she uses special products to add volume.
Min 的頭髮天生稀疏，所以她用特殊產品來增加髮量。
collocation: thin hair = not dense
The grass on the hillside was thin, with patches of bare soil showing through.
山坡上的草長得很稀疏，裸土一塊塊露出來。
Tunde planted lavender in the thin spots of his garden, hoping the poor soil would finally grow something.
Tunde 在花園裡土壤稀疏的地方種了薰衣草，希望那片貧瘠的土終究能長出些東西來。
The trees at the forest's edge are thin and let sunlight reach the ground.
森林邊緣的樹長得稀落，大量陽光可以照到地面。
The vegetation on the mountain top is thin because the wind is too strong.
高山上的植被很稀疏，因為風太大。
用法筆記
Commonly describes hair, fur, grass, crops, trees, or other vegetation. The focus is on density of distribution rather than total quantity. Distinguish from adj/1 (physical thinness of an object) and adj/5 (a small number of people or things in a space).
thin — 副詞
1. with very little thickness between two opposite surfaces; in a way that leaves s
薄薄地
以薄的方式；稀疏地
with very little thickness between two opposite surfaces; in a way that leaves space between individual people or things
Marta sliced the cucumber thin for the salad she brought to the party.
Marta 把黃瓜切成薄片，放進她帶去派對的沙拉裡。
verb + thin (adverb of result)
The morning fog lay thin over the valley near Lucía's village.
早晨的霧氣薄薄地籠罩在 Lucía 村子附近的山谷上。
Cyrus spread the butter thin on his toast to save some for later.
Cyrus 把奶油薄薄地抹在吐司上，想留一些晚點再吃。
Scattered thin across the wide lawn, the autumn leaves looked like gold.
秋天的落葉稀疏地散落在寬闊的草坪上，看起來像金子一樣。
Eri cut the sourdough bread thin for the cheese board she prepared.
Eri 把酸種麵包切成薄片，放在她準備的起司盤上。
- thickly
opposite for both thickness and density
文法句型
cut/slice/spread/scatter + thin
用法筆記
Thin as an adverb appears most often after verbs describing cutting, spreading, or distributing. In more formal writing, 'thinly' is preferred; 'thin' sounds more natural in everyday speech and recipes.