whereas
whereas — 連接詞
1. used to join two statements that are both true but different in a way that is wo
然而;反之
對比兩項不同的事實或情況
used to join two statements that are both true but different in a way that is worth noticing — the second statement contrasts with the first
Sari loves living in a big city, whereas Gabriel prefers the peace of a small town.
Sari 喜歡住在大城市,然而 Gabriel 偏好寧靜的小鎮。
contrast pattern: [preference A], whereas [preference B]
In Japan, people usually bow when greeting someone, whereas in many Western countries they shake hands.
在日本,人們見面時通常鞠躬,然而在許多西方國家,人們則是握手。
contrasting cultural practices with whereas
The 2023 report showed strong growth in sales, whereas the 2024 figures remained flat.
2023 年的報告顯示銷售強勁成長,然而 2024 年的數字則持平。
Some students learn best by reading, whereas others need to hear information explained aloud.
有些學生透過閱讀學習效果最好,反之其他人需要聽人講解才能理解。
Aoi ordered the fish, whereas her friend chose the vegetarian option.
Aoi 點了魚,而她的朋友則選擇了素食餐點。
- while
less formal; can also express time (B1)
- on the other hand
phrasal alternative; works as a discourse marker too (B1)
- by contrast
more formal; often begins a new sentence (B2)
文法句型
[statement A], whereas [statement B]
用法筆記
The clause that begins with 'whereas' always states the second point of contrast. Unlike 'while', 'whereas' never indicates a time relationship. In formal writing, a comma usually appears before 'whereas' when it connects two independent clauses.
常見錯誤
whereas — 名詞
1. a paragraph at the start of a legal or official document that explains the backg
序言;前言
正式文件開頭說明背景的部分
a paragraph at the start of a legal or official document that explains the background, reasons, or purpose for the rules that follow
The lease agreement began with a 'whereas' that explained why the two parties were signing the contract.
租賃合約的開頭有一段序言,說明雙方簽約的原因。
countable: a whereas + that-clause
A lawyer must check that every 'whereas' in the resolution accurately states the facts.
律師必須確認決議文中的每一項序言都如實陳述事實。
The whereas of the partnership deed listed the business goals agreed upon by both owners.
合夥契約的序言列出了兩位經營者共同商定的商業目標。
文法句型
the whereas of [document]
[document] contains a whereas
用法筆記
In formal legal writing, a 'whereas' often begins with the word 'Whereas' as a heading, followed by a series of numbered statements. This sense is almost exclusively used in legal, governmental, or corporate documents.
常見錯誤
2. a part of a formal document that sets a condition or restriction that must be sa
條件條款
文件中設定限制或條件的陳述
a part of a formal document that sets a condition or restriction that must be satisfied for the main agreement to take effect
The contract included a 'whereas' stating that payment was due only after the goods passed inspection.
合約中有一項條件條款,規定貨物通過檢查後才需付款。
conditional whereas: stating that + condition
A 'whereas' in the agreement limited the company's liability in the event of shipping delays.
協議中的一項條件條款限制了該公司在運送延誤時的責任。
The whereases in the resolution outlined several conditions that had to be met before any funds could be released.
該決議中的多項條件條款列出了資金撥付前必須滿足的條件。
- provision
more general term for any clause or condition in a document (B2)
- stipulation
emphasises that something is demanded as part of an agreement (C1)
文法句型
a whereas + that-clause
[document] contains a whereas
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (LEGAL PREAMBLE): sense 1 introduces the background facts, whereas sense 2 introduces a condition or restriction. In many legal documents, multiple 'whereases' may appear, some stating background and others stating conditions.