vice
vice — 字首
1. placed before a job title to indicate that a person holds the position directly
副；代理
加在職稱前表示副職或代理
placed before a job title to indicate that a person holds the position directly below the top role and has the authority to take over the top person's duties when needed.
Wren was promoted to vice-president of marketing at the Tokyo office last year.
Wren 去年在東京辦公室晉升為行銷副總裁。
vice- + job title: vice-president
The vice-chairman, Justin, will lead the board meeting in the chairperson's absence.
副主席 Justin 將在主席缺席時主持董事會議。
Sana has applied for the position of vice-principal at the high school near her home.
Sana 申請了家附近那所高中的副校長職位。
João was elected vice-captain of the university debating society in his second year.
João 在大學二年級時被選為辯論社的副社長。
文法句型
vice- + noun (title)
用法筆記
In British English, the prefix is often hyphenated (vice-president, vice-chairman). In American English, it is more commonly written without a hyphen (vice president, vice chairman). Some well-established compounds like vice-president are written with a hyphen in both varieties.
常見錯誤
vice — 名詞
1. a bad quality in a person's character, such as a habit or way of behaving that i
惡習；缺點
性格或道德上的不良特質
a bad quality in a person's character, such as a habit or way of behaving that is morally wrong or harmful to themselves or others.
Greed is a human vice that can destroy friendships and tear families apart.
貪婪是一種人性惡習，可以摧毀友誼並使家庭破裂。
countable: a vice = a particular bad quality
The old novel shows a town caught between the forces of virtue and vice.
這本舊小說描寫一個小鎮在美德與邪惡之間的掙扎。
uncountable: vice = general wickedness
Mayumi says that smoking is her only real vice, apart from drinking too much coffee.
Mayumi 說抽菸是她唯一的壞習慣，除此之外就是咖啡喝太多。
Each character in the story represents a different human vice, such as envy or pride.
故事中的每個角色都代表一種不同的人性缺點，例如嫉妒或傲慢。
- fault
broader term; can describe non-moral flaws (e.g. a fault in a machine) unlike 'vice' which is always about character
- sin
stronger religious or moral judgment; implies violation of divine law rather than personal character
- weakness
softer; a person may try to resist a weakness, whereas a vice is more ingrained
- virtue
the opposite moral quality; a good habit or positive character trait
文法句型
vice (uncountable): general wickedness
a vice (countable): a particular bad habit or fault
用法筆記
This sense covers both general wickedness (uncountable, no article) and specific bad habits or moral flaws (countable, 'a vice'). When used humorously about small personal habits ('chocolate is my only vice'), it softens the moral judgment.
常見錯誤
2. illegal behaviour connected with prostitution, drug use, gambling, and similar a
罪惡；犯罪
涉及性、毒品等的非法活動
illegal behaviour connected with prostitution, drug use, gambling, and similar activities, often organised out of public sight in a city.
The city's vice squad arrested several people for running illegal gambling houses.
該市的掃黃組逮捕了多名經營非法賭場的人。
compound: vice squad = police unit targeting these crimes
Parts of the downtown area are known for vice, including drug dealing and prostitution.
市中心部分地區以罪惡活動聞名，包括毒品交易和賣淫。
The mayor promised to clean up vice in the entertainment district before the international festival.
市長承諾在國際慶典前整頓娛樂區的犯罪活動。
A task force was formed to fight organised vice and human trafficking in the region.
一個特別工作小組成立，負責打擊該地區的有組織犯罪和人口販運。
- crime
much broader; covers all illegal acts, not specifically those related to sex, drugs, or gambling
- corruption
focuses on dishonest or fraudulent behaviour by people in power, not the same street-level activities
文法句型
vice (uncountable): criminal activity as a category
用法筆記
Always uncountable in this sense. Used especially in law enforcement and journalism. The compound 'vice squad' refers to a police unit that deals specifically with this type of crime.
常見錯誤
3. a workshop tool made of two hard surfaces that close around an object when you t
老虎鉗；檯鉗
用螺絲固定物體的金屬工具
a workshop tool made of two hard surfaces that close around an object when you turn a handle, keeping it from moving while you saw or shape it.
Ravindra clamped the piece of wood in the vice before cutting it with a saw.
Ravindra 在鋸木頭之前，先把木塊夾在老虎鉗上固定好。
collocation: clamp in a vice
Using a bench vice, the metalworker held the steel bar steady while filing its rough edges.
金屬工擰緊了檯鉗，將鋼棒穩固地夾住，以便銼平邊緣。
compound: bench vice
A good workshop vice can hold pipes and other round objects without damaging them.
一個好的工作檯鉗可以夾住水管和其他圓形物體而不會損壞它們。
Jisoo held the metal pipe steady in the workshop vice while cutting it with a hacksaw.
Jisoo 把金屬管夾在工作檯鉗上固定好，然後用鋼鋸將其切斷。
- clamp
broader term; any tool for holding things together, not limited to the screw-based jaw design of a vice
文法句型
a vice
in a vice
bench vice
用法筆記
Spelled 'vice' in British English and 'vise' in American English. The two spellings refer to the same tool. This sense is unrelated in origin to the other meanings of 'vice' — it comes from a different Latin word (vitis, meaning 'vine' or 'twist').
常見錯誤
vice — 介系詞
1. used in formal or legal writing to mean 'in the place of' or 'as a replacement f
替代
正式用法中表示代替某人
used in formal or legal writing to mean 'in the place of' or 'as a replacement for' someone, especially when naming a new appointee.
Élise was appointed as finance director vice Ziad, who retired after thirty years of service.
Élise 被任命為財務總監，接替服務三十年後退休的 Ziad。
formal appointment formula: [name] vice [name]
Mr Obi attended the international trade conference vice the company president, who was ill.
Obi 先生代替生病公司總裁出席了國際貿易會議。
Yael was named head of the research team vice Madison, who had moved to the Singapore office.
Yael 被任命為研究團隊負責人，接替已調任新加坡辦公室的 Madison。
Ritu signed the annual report vice the chief executive, who was on leave at the time.
Ritu 代替當時正在休假的執行長簽署了年度報告。
- in place of
less formal and more widely understood; suitable for most contexts
- instead of
the everyday equivalent; appropriate in both spoken and written English
文法句型
[person appointed] vice [person replaced]
用法筆記
This is a highly formal Latin borrowing used almost exclusively in official documents, corporate minutes, and legal appointments. In everyday English, 'instead of' or 'in place of' is used instead. Do not confuse this preposition with the noun meaning 'moral fault' — they are unrelated words that happen to share the same spelling.