vulnerable
vulnerable — 形容詞
1. describes a person, group, or thing that is not well protected against physical
脆弱的
容易受傷害或攻擊的
describes a person, group, or thing that is not well protected against physical injury, emotional pain, criticism, or attack.
After losing her job, Lakshmi felt financially vulnerable and worried about paying rent.
Lakshmi 失業後感到經濟脆弱，擔心繳不出房租。
adverb + vulnerable: financially / emotionally / physically
The old castle walls were vulnerable to attack from the south where the forest grew close by.
這座古城牆容易遭受來自南方的攻擊，因為南側的樹林太靠近了。
pattern: vulnerable to + noun (attack / criticism / disease)
Teenagers can feel emotionally vulnerable when their friends leave them out of group plans.
青少年在朋友不找他們參加團體活動時，容易感到情緒脆弱。
Without a helmet, Hannah knew her head was vulnerable to serious injury on a long bike ride.
Hannah 知道不戴安全帽騎長途腳踏車時，頭部很容易受到嚴重傷害。
Small coastal towns are especially vulnerable when a powerful storm hits the region without warning.
沿岸小鎮在強烈風暴毫無預警來襲時，特別容易遭受破壞。
- exposed
focuses on being physically unprotected against something harmful; more concrete than vulnerable
- susceptible
emphasises the tendency to be affected, especially by illness or influence; slightly more formal
- defenceless
highlights the inability to fight back; stronger emotional tone
- helpless
implies a complete lack of ability to protect oneself; more extreme in meaning
文法句型
be vulnerable + to + noun phrase
vulnerable + noun
feel vulnerable
用法筆記
Frequently used with the preposition 'to' to specify what causes the risk. The subject can be a person, an organisation, a physical object, or even a system. Also common in the pattern 'feel + vulnerable' to describe an emotional state.
常見錯誤
vulnerable — 名詞
1. people in society who lack protection against harm, mistreatment, or poverty and
弱勢族群
社會中易受傷害的群體
people in society who lack protection against harm, mistreatment, or poverty and therefore suffer more easily than others.
Local charities provide free meals and warm blankets for the vulnerable during winter.
當地慈善機構在冬季為弱勢族群提供免費餐點和保暖毛毯。
help / care for + the vulnerable
Government policies should protect the vulnerable from unfair treatment in the housing market.
政府政策應保護弱勢族群，使其在房屋市場中不受不公平待遇。
protect the vulnerable from + noun
Ingrid volunteered at a shelter that offered job training to the vulnerable in her city.
Ingrid 在所居住的城市擔任志工，為弱勢族群提供職業訓練服務。
The new law was designed to offer better housing support for the vulnerable in every community.
這項新法案旨在為每一個社區的弱勢族群提供更好的住房補助。
- the disadvantaged
focuses on lack of financial or social resources; a common institutional term
- the needy
emphasises material poverty; slightly narrower
- the defenceless
highlights physical or social powerlessness; stronger emotional tone
- the privileged
refers to people with social or financial advantages; formal opposite
文法句型
the vulnerable + verb
protect / support / help + the vulnerable
用法筆記
Always used with 'the' as a plural noun referring to a group of people, not an individual. Unlike the adjective form, you cannot say 'a vulnerable' to refer to one person. Use 'a vulnerable person' for the singular.
常見錯誤
2. people whose existing health conditions make them more likely to become seriousl
高風險族群
因疾病風險高的群體
people whose existing health conditions make them more likely to become seriously ill or die from a disease.
The flu vaccine was offered first to the vulnerable, including elderly patients and pregnant women.
流感疫苗優先提供給高風險族群，包括年長患者和孕婦。
vaccinate / protect / treat + the vulnerable (medical context)
Hospitals made special arrangements for the vulnerable during the outbreak of the new virus.
醫院在新病毒爆發期間為高風險族群做了特別的安排。
Health workers visited the vulnerable at home to check for early signs of the lung infection.
衛生工作人員到高風險族群家中訪視，檢查肺部感染的早期跡象。
Scientists developed a new vaccine formula to protect the vulnerable from seasonal flu strains.
科學家研發出一款新疫苗配方，以保護高風險族群免受季節性流感病毒株的侵害。
- high-risk patients
clinical term used by medical professionals; more formal
- the immunocompromised
narrower — refers specifically to people with weak immune systems
- at-risk populations
public health term covering groups more likely to get sick
- the healthy
people without existing health conditions that raise disease risk
- the immune
people with natural or vaccine-induced protection against disease
文法句型
the vulnerable + verb
protect / vaccinate / reach + the vulnerable
用法筆記
Primarily used in health and medical contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense specifically relates to disease risk rather than general social or economic disadvantage. Often found in public health announcements and news reports about disease outbreaks.