whore

whore — 名詞

1. a woman who is paid for sexual acts — the original meaning of the word, now rega

1.名詞C1
釋義

妓女

以性行為換取金錢的女性（具侮辱性）

a woman who is paid for sexual acts — the original meaning of the word, now regarded as insulting and degrading in almost any use

例句

A historical novel opens with a young woman forced to be a whore in London.

一部歷史小說開場描寫一名年輕女子被迫在倫敦當妓女。

historical context for literal meaning

Calling a woman in the sex trade a "whore" is deeply insulting and outdated.

稱性產業的女性為「whore」是非常侮辱人且過時的用法。

register note: offensive term

同義詞
  • prostitute

    the standard neutral term for someone who performs sexual acts for payment; less offensive than 'whore' but still carries stigma

  • sex worker

    the modern respectful term that emphasizes the person's profession rather than their morality

  • call girl

    a prostitute who arranges meetings by phone; implies higher status and better working conditions than a street sex worker

  • hooker

    an informal and somewhat dated slang term; less harsh than 'whore' but still not polite

用法筆記

Even when used in its literal sense of a sex worker, this word is now widely considered offensive. The preferred modern terms are 'sex worker' or 'prostitute' (though 'prostitute' itself can carry stigma). Use with caution in any context.

常見錯誤

❌She works as a whore in the city.
✅She works as a sex worker in the city.
💡'whore' is offensive even when used literally; 'sex worker' is the respectful term.
❌The police found whores on the street.
✅The police found women working in the sex trade on the street.
💡using 'whore' to describe vulnerable people adds insult to their situation.

2. a deeply insulting label for any woman viewed as having many sexual partners, us

2.名詞C1
釋義

蕩婦

對被認為性伴侶眾多的女性的侮辱性稱呼

a deeply insulting label for any woman viewed as having many sexual partners, used purely to shame or attack her

例句

The schoolboys called Madison a whore because she had dated two people in a year.

學校裡的男生叫 Madison 蕩婦，只因為她一年內交過兩個對象。

used as an insult based on relationship history

Calling a woman a whore to silence her views on relationships is verbal abuse.

用「蕩婦」這個詞來壓制女性對感情的看法，是一種語言暴力。

同義詞
  • slut

    equally offensive term for a woman considered to have many sexual partners; the most common modern alternative

  • tramp

    an older, somewhat less harsh insult for a sexually active woman; still offensive but less common today

用法筆記

This is one of the most offensive insults that can be directed at a woman. It is used to enforce social norms about female sexuality and is never acceptable in polite conversation. Even repeating it in a quotation can cause harm.

常見錯誤

❌She's a whore because she's had several boyfriends.
✅She has had several boyfriends, and that is her own business.
💡using 'whore' to judge a woman's sexual history is a harmful double standard.
❌I was just joking when I called her a whore.
✅I should not have used that word, even as a joke.
💡the word is deeply offensive regardless of intent.

whore — 動詞