virtual
virtual — 形容詞
1. almost but not completely what is described, so that you can treat it as if it a
幾乎完全
幾乎是但還不完全是的
almost but not completely what is described, so that you can treat it as if it already were that thing.
Constanza's coffee shop held a virtual monopoly on local trade after three years.
Constanza 的咖啡店三年後幾乎壟斷了當地的咖啡市場。
collocation: virtual monopoly
Passing the final exam became a virtual impossibility for Minho after his long illness.
久病之後，Minho 要通過期末考試幾乎是不可能的。
collocation: virtual impossibility
After an excellent semester, it was a virtual certainty that Niran would get top marks.
在表現出色的一學期後，Niran 拿到頂尖成績幾乎是確定的。
Harper's years of experience made the success of the project a virtual guarantee.
Harper 多年的經驗讓該專案的成功幾乎等同於保證。
文法句型
virtual + noun
用法筆記
Predominantly used before the noun it modifies (attributive position). Common in fixed noun phrases such as 'virtual monopoly', 'virtual certainty', and 'virtual impossibility'. Do not use this sense to refer to computer technology — that meaning belongs to senses 2 and 3.
常見錯誤
2. created by computer software so that it looks and feels like a real 3D place or
虛擬的
用電腦技術創造的模擬環境或物件
created by computer software so that it looks and feels like a real 3D place or object, even though it is not physically there.
Zola explored a virtual forest where the trees moved gently in the wind.
Zola 探索了一片虛擬森林，裡面的樹木會隨風輕輕搖動。
collocation: virtual forest / virtual world
The students put on headsets to walk through a virtual model of ancient Rome.
學生們戴上頭戴式顯示器，走進古羅馬的虛擬模型中。
collocation: virtual model of [place]
In the training simulation, Leo's virtual patient showed symptoms of a rare heart condition.
在訓練模擬中，Leo 的虛擬病人表現出罕見心臟疾病的症狀。
Cole designed a virtual tour of the city for people who cannot travel easily.
Cole 為無法輕鬆出遠門的人設計了一套城市虛擬導覽。
文法句型
virtual + noun
be + virtual
用法筆記
Often used in compound nouns such as 'virtual reality' and 'virtual world'. Can be used both directly before a noun ('a virtual environment') and after a linking verb ('the experience was virtual'). This sense focuses on the immersive, simulated quality of the experience, not on whether it happens over a network — for internet-based activities, see sense 3.
常見錯誤
3. happening or done through the internet rather than in a physical place where peo
線上的
透過網路進行而非實體接觸
happening or done through the internet rather than in a physical place where people meet; used for activities, events, and services that take place over computer networks instead of face-to-face.
Sahil attended a virtual conference from his home office in Taipei.
Sahil 在臺北的自家辦公室參加了一場線上研討會。
collocation: virtual conference
The yoga class went virtual during the rainy season, with students joining from home.
瑜伽課程在雨季改為線上進行，學生們在家裡加入課程。
phrasal pattern: go + virtual
Nadia's virtual assistant scheduled her meetings and replied to simple emails.
Nadia 的線上助理為她安排會議，並回覆簡單的電子郵件。
A virtual classroom allows students from different countries to study together online.
線上教室讓來自不同國家的學生能夠一起學習。
- in-person
involving people physically present at the same location
- face-to-face
people interacting directly in the same physical space
文法句型
virtual + noun
go + virtual
be + virtual
用法筆記
Very common in compound nouns for activities that traditionally took place in person: 'virtual meeting', 'virtual classroom', 'virtual event'. Can be used predictively ('the conference was virtual') and is often paired with 'go' to describe a switch from in-person to online format ('the school went virtual'). This is the most accessible sense of 'virtual' for lower-level learners.