unknown
unknown — 形容詞
1. not seen, met, or learned about before; having no information about something or
未知的
不知道的；不為人知的
not seen, met, or learned about before; having no information about something or someone.
The cause of the fire remained unknown to the investigators for several weeks.
火災的原因在好幾個星期內對調查人員來說仍然是未知的。
remain unknown to [someone]
Theo arrived in a city where the language and customs were completely unknown to him.
Theo 抵達一座城市，當地的語言和風俗對他來說都是完全未知的。
completely unknown to [someone]
A team of marine biologists is exploring an unknown part of the deep ocean.
一組海洋生物學家正在探索深海中的一片未知區域。
For safety reasons, the meeting place was kept unknown to everyone outside the team.
基於安全考量，會議地點對團隊以外的人保持未知。
Vivek received a letter from an unknown sender and asked the post office about it.
Vivek 收到一封來自未知寄件人的信，便去郵局詢問。
- unfamiliar
stronger focus on personal lack of experience; 'unfamiliar' usually describes something you personally have not encountered before.
- mysterious
adds an implication that the thing is strange, secret, or hard to understand.
- unidentified
used when a specific name, origin, or type has not been determined; common in news reports.
文法句型
unknown + to + noun phrase
remain + unknown
unknown + noun
常見錯誤
2. not having achieved fame or wide public recognition; used for people, or the wor
不知名的
不出名的；沒有名氣的
not having achieved fame or wide public recognition; used for people, or the work they produce, that few people know about.
At that time, Élise was an unknown actress working small roles in local plays.
那時候，Élise 還是個不知名的演員，在地方劇院演出小角色。
unknown + noun (person not famous)
The band started as a group of unknown musicians playing in a small club.
這個樂團起初是一群不知名的音樂人，在一間小俱樂部裡表演。
The author was relatively unknown outside her home country until the translation was published.
那位作家在翻譯本出版之前，在自己的國家以外相對不知名。
His paintings were bought by collectors when he was still an unknown painter.
他的畫作在他還是個不知名的畫家時就被收藏家買下了。
The young runner went from an unknown athlete to a national champion.
這位年輕的跑者從一名不知名的運動員變成了全國冠軍。
- obscure
suggests even less public awareness and sometimes a lack of available information about the person or thing.
- little-known
milder in tone, simply indicating that few people have heard of someone or something.
- unsung
positive connotation; implies the person deserves more recognition than they receive.
- famous
direct opposite; means known to many people.
- well-known
familiar to a large number of people.
- celebrated
widely praised and recognised.
文法句型
unknown + noun
relatively + unknown
still + unknown
用法筆記
Frequently used with adverbs such as 'relatively', 'completely', and 'still' to indicate the degree of obscurity.
常見錯誤
unknown — 名詞
1. things, places, or situations that people have no knowledge or experience of, of
未知的事物
人們不了解的領域或情況
things, places, or situations that people have no knowledge or experience of, often felt as strange or uncertain.
Many people are afraid of the unknown and prefer to stay where they feel safe.
許多人害怕未知的事物，寧願待在感覺安全的地方。
fear of the unknown
The astronauts prepared themselves for a long journey into the unknown.
太空人為前往未知領域的長途旅程做好了準備。
into the unknown
Moving to a new country means stepping into the unknown and learning new customs.
搬到一個新國家意味著踏入未知的事物，學習新的風俗習慣。
Early explorers sailed into the unknown with only basic maps and simple tools.
早期的探險家只靠基本的地圖和簡單的工具航向未知的領域。
The novel follows a scientist who uncovers the unknown beneath the ocean floor.
這本小說講述一位科學家在海底發現未知事物的故事。
- the unfamiliar
more personal, emphasising lack of personal experience rather than general lack of knowledge.
- uncharted territory
metaphorical expression, often used to describe new situations without clear guidance.
- the known
things that are familiar, understood, or already discovered.
- the familiar
people, places, or situations that are well-known from personal experience.
文法句型
the unknown
into the unknown
fear of the unknown
用法筆記
Usually used with the definite article 'the' and is uncountable. Common in fixed expressions like 'fear of the unknown' and 'a leap into the unknown.'
常見錯誤
2. a person, especially in entertainment or sports, whose name is not known to the
無名氏
不出名的人，尤指演藝或體育界
a person, especially in entertainment or sports, whose name is not known to the public, usually because they are at the beginning of their career.
The film was directed by a complete unknown with no experience on major films.
這部電影是由一個完全沒沒無聞的人導演的，完全沒有參與大型電影的經驗。
a complete unknown
The team signed two unknowns from a local league and trained them for the season.
球隊從一個地方聯賽簽下了兩名無名氏，並為賽季訓練他們。
unknowns (plural)
The competition gives stage time to unknowns who have never faced a live audience.
這個競賽為從未面對過現場觀眾的無名氏提供登台機會。
Daichi was a complete unknown until his first song became popular on streaming services.
Daichi 原本是完全沒沒無聞的人，直到他的第一首歌在串流平台上爆紅。
The tournament was created to find talented unknowns and offer them professional contracts.
這次錦標賽旨在尋找有才華的無名氏，並為他們提供職業合約。
- nobody
informal; can carry a dismissive tone implying the person is unimportant.
- newcomer
focuses on recent arrival in a field rather than lack of fame specifically.
- rising talent
positive tone, implies the person has potential to become well-known.
文法句型
a/an + (adjective) + unknown
unknowns
用法筆記
Often introduced by 'a/an' plus an intensifying adjective such as 'complete', 'total', or 'relative'. The plural form 'unknowns' is also common.
常見錯誤
3. a fact, value, or result that cannot be predicted or calculated because not enou
未知數
無法預測或計算的因素
a fact, value, or result that cannot be predicted or calculated because not enough information is available yet.
The total cost of the repairs remains an unknown until the mechanic inspects the engine.
維修的總費用仍然是個未知數，要等技師檢查引擎後才能確定。
remains an unknown
The biggest unknown in the plan is how long the construction will actually take.
計劃中最大的未知數是工程實際需要多長時間。
biggest unknown
In the mountains, the weather is an unknown that can change the whole trip.
在山區，天氣是一個可能改變整趟行程的未知數。
Selim's decision to leave created too many unknowns for the rest of the project team.
Selim 離職的決定為團隊其他成員帶來了太多未知數。
There are still many unknowns about how the disease spreads between different groups of people.
關於這種疾病如何在不同人群之間傳播，仍然有許多未知數。
- variable
more technical; a factor that can change and affect results, especially in mathematics or experiments.
- question mark
informal and metaphorical; suggests uncertainty about a specific aspect.
- uncertainty
broader term for a situation where the outcome cannot be known in advance.
文法句型
an unknown
unknowns
remain(s) an unknown
用法筆記
Common in contexts involving planning, risk assessment, science, and finance. Frequently appears in the plural form 'unknowns.'