variable
variable — 形容詞
1. Something that is variable changes often and is not steady or predictable.
多變的
容易改變、不穩定的
Something that is variable changes often and is not steady or predictable.
The weather in this region is highly variable, with sunshine one minute and rain the next.
這個地區的天氣非常多變，前一分鐘還是晴天，下一分鐘就下雨了。
be + variable: describing changeable conditions
Brandon found the variable quality of the cell signal frustrating during his road trip.
Brandon 在公路旅行中發現手機訊號品質很不穩定，令他十分困擾。
Variable winds made the sailing competition more difficult than the crew had expected.
多變的風向讓這場帆船比賽變得比船員們預期的更加困難。
Aylin prefers a fixed salary because the income from freelance work is too variable.
Aylin 偏好固定薪水，因為自由接案工作的收入太不穩定了。
- changeable
more general, used for moods as well as conditions
- unstable
stronger negative connotation; suggests something is unreliable or unsafe
- fluctuating
formal; describes repeated up-and-down movement, especially in prices or numbers
用法筆記
Commonly describes natural conditions (weather, temperature, wind), quality, or income. Frequently used with adverbs such as 'highly', 'extremely', or 'very'.
常見錯誤
2. Made up of many different types or elements that vary from one another.
多樣的
包含多種不同元素的
Made up of many different types or elements that vary from one another.
The city's variable population includes immigrants from over fifty different countries.
這個城市的人口組成非常多樣，包含了來自五十多個不同國家的移民。
variable + [noun]: made up of diverse parts
Joaquín enjoys the variable terrain of the national park, from flat meadows to rocky cliffs.
Joaquín 很喜歡這座國家公園多變的地形，從平坦的草地到陡峭的懸崖都有。
The museum collection is wonderfully variable, spanning ancient pottery to modern digital art.
這間博物館的收藏極為多元，從古代陶器到現代數位藝術都有涵蓋。
A class with students from many backgrounds tends to have more variable opinions during discussions.
一個學生來自多元背景的班級，在討論時往往會有更多樣的意見。
- uniform
all the same; lacking variety
用法筆記
This sense emphasises variety or richness of different elements rather than unpredictability or instability. Common in descriptions of collections, populations, landscapes, or artistic works.
variable — 名詞
1. A factor, number, amount, or condition that can change and may affect the result
變數；變因
會影響結果的可改變因素
A factor, number, amount, or condition that can change and may affect the result of something.
When planning the budget, we must consider every variable that could affect the final cost.
在規劃預算時，我們必須考慮每一個可能影響最終費用的變數。
consider every variable: common collocation
The number of guests is the biggest variable in calculating how much food to order.
在計算需要訂購多少食物時，賓客人數是最大的變數。
Yan kept the temperature constant while changing only one variable at a time during the experiment.
Yan 在實驗中保持溫度不變，每次只改變一個變數。
Customer demand is a key variable that the sales team tries to predict every quarter.
客戶需求是銷售團隊每季試圖預測的關鍵變數。
Élise realised that the time of day was an important variable in the test results.
Élise 發現時間是影響測試結果的一個重要變數。
- constant
a value or condition that stays the same
用法筆記
Very common in business, science, and daily planning contexts. Often paired with 'control', 'consider', 'identify', or 'key'.
常見錯誤
2. A letter or symbol, such as x or y, used in mathematics or computing to represen
變數（符號）
數學或程式中代表可變量的符號
A letter or symbol, such as x or y, used in mathematics or computing to represent a value that can change or that you do not know yet.
In the equation y = 3x + 2, the letter y is called the dependent variable.
在方程式 y = 3x + 2 中，字母 y 稱為應變數（依變數）。
algebraic use: [symbol] = the variable
Apinya used the variable n to represent the unknown number of students in each group.
Apinya 用變數 n 來代表每組學生的未知人數。
When writing computer code, you must declare each variable before you can store data in it.
在寫程式時，你必須先宣告每個變數，才能將資料存入其中。
Sumin assigned the variable p to stand for the price of a single ticket.
Sumin 將變數 p 指定為單張門票的價格。
- symbol
broader; can be any mark that stands for something
- placeholder
less formal; describes the function of waiting for a value
用法筆記
Primarily used in mathematics, statistics, and computer programming. Distinguish from the general sense (CHANGEABLE FACTOR): this sense specifically refers to the written symbol itself, not the real-world quantity.