tone
tone — 動詞
1. To make a specific area of the body tighter and more defined by doing regular ph
緊實
透過運動使肌肉結實
To make a specific area of the body tighter and more defined by doing regular physical activities such as lifting weights, doing yoga, or running.
Linh tones her arms by lifting small weights three times a week.
Linh 每週舉三次小重量的啞鈴來緊實她的手臂。
collocation: tone + body part (arms)
Regular yoga sessions helped Padma tone her stomach muscles.
定期做瑜伽幫助 Padma 緊實了她的腹部肌肉。
The personal trainer showed Christopher exercises to tone his legs and back.
私人教練教 Christopher 一些可以緊實腿部和背部的運動。
David's new workout plan is designed to tone his entire upper body.
David 的新健身計畫是用來緊實他整個上半身的。
Tara noticed that swimming every morning toned her shoulders and arms.
Tara 發現每天早上的游泳緊實了她的肩膀和手臂。
- firm
more general, can refer to skin as well as muscles
- strengthen
emphasises power gain rather than visible definition
- sculpt
more informal, suggests shaping the body's appearance
- soften
lose firmness; the opposite effect on muscles
文法句型
tone + body part
tone + up + body part
用法筆記
Object is always a body part or area of the body. Frequently used with 'up': 'tone up your legs.' The noun form 'toning' is common in fitness contexts ('arm toning exercises').
常見錯誤
tone — 名詞
1. the way someone's voice sounds when they speak, which shows what they are feelin
語氣；口氣
說話時透露的情緒或態度
the way someone's voice sounds when they speak, which shows what they are feeling about a person or topic — for example, sounding angry, gentle, or impatient.
Linh apologised to her brother in a soft, regretful tone.
Linh 用柔和、後悔的語氣向弟弟道歉。
in a + adjective + tone
There was a sharp tone in Kian's voice when he answered the question.
Kian 回答問題時，語氣中帶著一絲尖銳。
a [adjective] tone in someone's voice
Please don't speak to your grandmother in that rude tone.
請不要用那種無禮的口氣跟你奶奶說話。
Eli could tell from his teacher's tone that the news was bad.
Eli 從老師的語氣就聽得出消息不太妙。
The lawyer's calm tone reassured the worried family in the courtroom.
那位律師冷靜的語氣安撫了在法庭上焦急的家屬。
- manner
broader — covers gestures and words, not just voice sound
- inflection
more technical; the rise and fall of the voice
文法句型
a/an + adjective + tone
in a + adjective + tone
用法筆記
Almost always singular and modified by an adjective describing the feeling (angry, gentle, sarcastic). Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 is the emotion the voice carries in one moment; sense 2 is the speaker's general voice quality.
常見錯誤
2. the general sound character of a person's speaking voice, such as whether it is
嗓音
一個人說話時聲音的整體質感
the general sound character of a person's speaking voice, such as whether it is deep, soft, smooth, or harsh.
Zola has a warm, low tone that puts every guest at ease.
Zola 嗓音溫暖低沉，讓每位來賓都感到自在。
adjective + tone describing voice quality
The radio host was famous for his rich, velvety tone.
那位廣播主持人以渾厚柔滑的嗓音聞名。
Tendai's grandfather had a tone that grew thinner and rougher with age.
Tendai 的爺爺嗓音隨著年紀變得更細也更粗糙。
Ravindra speaks with a clear, gentle tone that children find comforting.
Ravindra 說話的嗓音清亮溫柔，孩子們聽了都覺得安心。
文法句型
adjective + tone
用法筆記
Refers to the steady character of a voice across many situations, not the feeling in one sentence (sense 1). Often paired with adjectives of texture (rich, smooth, gravelly) rather than emotion.
3. in some languages such as Mandarin or Vietnamese, the rise or fall of pitch on a
聲調
聲調語言中決定字義的高低變化
in some languages such as Mandarin or Vietnamese, the rise or fall of pitch on a syllable that decides which word the speaker means.
Mandarin has four tones, and the third one falls before it rises.
華語有四個聲調，第三聲先降再升。
the + ordinal + tone
Beginners often confuse the second and fourth tones in Chinese class.
初學者在華語課上常分不清第二聲和第四聲。
The word 'ma' changes meaning entirely depending on the tone you use.
「ma」這個字的意思會完全因聲調而改變。
Manuela practised the rising tone with her language partner every morning.
Manuela 每天早上都和語伴練習上揚的聲調。
- pitch
broader — applies to any sound, not just language
文法句型
the + ordinal + tone
rising/falling tone
用法筆記
Used in linguistics teaching about tonal languages. Almost always pluralisable and counted ('four tones'); contrast with sense 1, which is rarely used in the plural.
4. the overall feeling or attitude that a text, a speech, an event, or a place crea
氛圍；基調
文章、活動或場合給人的整體感覺
the overall feeling or attitude that a text, a speech, an event, or a place creates in the people who experience it — for example, a serious novel, a cheerful party, or a tense meeting.
Christopher's opening joke set a friendly tone for the whole wedding.
Christopher 開場的玩笑為整場婚禮奠定了輕鬆的氛圍。
set + a/the + tone + for
The novel's tone shifts from cheerful to dark in the final chapter.
這本小說的基調在最後一章從輕快轉為陰沉。
the tone of [a work] shifts
There was a tense tone at the meeting after the budget cuts were announced.
預算被砍的消息宣布後，會議的氣氛變得緊繃。
Élise wanted the cafe to have a relaxed, welcoming tone.
Élise 希望這家咖啡廳呈現輕鬆友善的氛圍。
The director's email struck a serious tone about the missed deadline.
導演那封 email 對錯過的截稿日期定下了嚴肅的基調。
- mood
broader; applies to people too, not just texts and events
- atmosphere
stresses what people feel in a place
- spirit
more positive; suggests energy or enthusiasm
文法句型
the + tone + of + noun
set the tone (for)
用法筆記
Common in 'set the tone' (= establish the mood from the start) and 'strike a tone' (= express a particular attitude). Subject is typically writing, an event, or a public statement — not a single voice (use sense 1 for that).
常見錯誤
5. a particular version of a colour, lighter or darker or slightly different from a
色調
同一顏色之中深淺或些微不同的版本
a particular version of a colour, lighter or darker or slightly different from another version of the same colour.
The painter mixed three tones of blue for the evening sky.
畫家為傍晚的天空調出三種不同的藍色色調。
tones of + colour
Haruto chose a warm tone of brown for the living-room walls.
Haruto 為客廳牆面挑了一個帶暖意的棕色色調。
a + adjective + tone of + colour
The dress comes in two tones, soft pink and deep red.
這件洋裝有兩種色調，柔粉色和深紅色。
Earth tones like beige and olive suit Andrei's skin best.
米色和橄欖色等大地色調最適合 Andrei 的膚色。
文法句型
adjective + tone
tones of + colour
用法筆記
Often paired with 'warm/cool/earth/skin' to classify families of colour. Use 'shade' if the difference is purely about how light or dark a colour is.
6. the firm, slightly tight feel that healthy muscles or skin have, usually as a re
結實度
肌肉或皮膚健康緊實的程度
the firm, slightly tight feel that healthy muscles or skin have, usually as a result of regular exercise and good condition.
Swimming three times a week has improved Lucía's muscle tone.
每週游泳三次讓 Lucía 的肌肉結實度進步了。
improve + muscle tone
After the long illness, Romi gradually lost tone in her arms and legs.
大病一場後，Romi 的手臂和腿部漸漸失去了結實度。
lose tone in + body part
Yoga can improve both flexibility and overall muscle tone.
瑜伽能同時改善柔軟度和整體肌肉的結實度。
The trainer suggested squats to build tone in the upper legs.
教練建議做深蹲來加強大腿的肌肉結實度。
- flabbiness
informal; loose, unfit muscle or skin
文法句型
muscle/skin tone
lose/improve tone
用法筆記
Uncountable and almost always preceded by 'muscle' or 'skin', or paired with verbs like 'improve / build / lose'. Different from sense 5: there it is countable ('warm tones').
常見錯誤
7. In Western music, a tone is the standard unit for measuring the pitch gap betwee
全音
音階中兩個相鄰音符的距離，等於兩個半音
In Western music, a tone is the standard unit for measuring the pitch gap between two adjacent notes on a scale, equal in width to two semitones.
Rohan practiced the C major scale, moving up one tone at a time.
Rohan 練習 C 大調音階，一次往上移動一個全音。
collocation: whole tone / half tone
A whole tone is the pitch distance between C and D on a piano keyboard.
一個全音就是鋼琴鍵盤上 C 音到 D 音之間的音高距離。
Élise learned to tell a tone and a semitone apart by ear.
Élise 學會用耳朵分辨全音和半音。
Mateo found it easier to sing scales built from whole tones than from semitones.
Mateo 發現用全音來唱音階比用半音容易多了。
Jisoo found that the gap from E to F sharp equals one tone.
Jisoo 發現 E 音到 F 升記號之間正好是一個全音。
- whole tone
more common term for this specific interval in British English
- whole step
North American equivalent; used interchangeably in music education
- semitone
half the width of a tone; the smallest interval in Western music
用法筆記
In music theory, one tone equals two semitones. This is the standard interval in Western classical and popular music for building major scales.
常見錯誤
8. The particular character or colour of a sound produced by a voice or a musical i
音色
樂器或歌聲聽起來的特質
The particular character or colour of a sound produced by a voice or a musical instrument, determined by factors such as warmth, brightness, or richness rather than by pitch or loudness.
The old violin has a warm, sweet tone that fills the entire concert hall.
這把老舊的小提琴有著溫暖甜美的音色，能響徹整個音樂廳。
collocation: warm tone / sweet tone
Stephanie adjusted the equaliser on her speakers to improve the tone of the music.
Stephanie 調整了喇叭上的等化器，讓音樂的音色變得更好。
Nia loved the bright, clear tone of the new flute her grandmother gave her.
Nia 很喜歡祖母送她的新長笛那明亮清澈的音色。
The tone of an acoustic guitar sounds richer than a cheap electric one.
木吉他的音色聽起來比便宜的電吉他更豐富。
Wren could recognise the instrument just from its unique tone before seeing it on stage.
Wren 光憑獨特的音色就能認出那項樂器，不用等到它出現在舞臺上。
- timbre
the technical musical term for the quality that distinguishes one instrument from another
- sound quality
more general phrase describing how something sounds to the listener
用法筆記
Describes the character of a sound, not its pitch or volume. Frequently modified by adjectives of quality such as warm, bright, rich, mellow, or harsh.
常見錯誤
9. A steady or repeating sound produced by a telephone network to indicate the stat
提示音
電話系統發出的持續聲音，表示線路狀態
A steady or repeating sound produced by a telephone network to indicate the status of a call, such as whether the line is ready, ringing, or already in use.
Yan picked up the phone and heard the dial tone before calling his mother.
Yan 拿起電話，聽到撥號音後才打電話給媽媽。
collocation: dial tone
After Pim dialled the number, a ringing tone told her the call was going through.
Pim 撥完號碼後，聽到響鈴聲，知道電話正在接通。
collocation: ringing tone
Heloísa put the phone down when the busy tone started buzzing.
忙線音響起時，Heloísa 就把電話掛了。
A repeated short tone on the phone means your call did not connect.
電話中重複的短音代表你的通話沒有接通。
Hassan waited for the dial tone before he typed in the international code for Japan.
Hassan 等到撥號音出現，才輸入打往日本的國際代碼。
- dial tone
the specific tone indicating the line is ready for dialling
- ringing tone
the specific tone indicating the call is going through
- busy tone
the specific tone indicating the line is occupied
用法筆記
British English uses engaged tone where American English uses busy tone. Dial tone is universal for the sound that tells you to start dialling.