witch
witch — 名詞
1. In stories and traditional folk beliefs, a woman who possesses magic that she ca
女巫
傳說中有魔法的女性
In stories and traditional folk beliefs, a woman who possesses magic that she can use to bring good fortune to others or to cause trouble and misfortune.
A witch turned a prince into a frog with a wave of her wand.
女巫揮動魔杖，把王子變成了一隻青蛙。
verb pattern: witch + turned [person] into [animal]
The villagers thought the woman near the forest was a witch who made healing potions.
村民們認為森林附近的女人是位會調製治療藥水的女巫。
relative clause: witch + who + verb
Liang dressed as a witch for the party, with a pointed hat and a broom.
Liang 在化裝舞會上打扮成女巫，戴著尖帽、拿著掃帚。
Elena's grandmother claimed a good witch once saved their village from a terrible flood.
Elena 的祖母說，曾有一位好女巫拯救他們的村莊免於大洪水。
In old tales, a witch flies across the night sky on a wooden broomstick.
在許多古老的歐洲故事裡，女巫騎著木掃帚飛越夜空。
- sorceress
more formal or literary; often used in epic fantasy novels rather than everyday stories
- wizard
male counterpart, but implies wisdom and formal training in magic rather than innate or folkloric power
- enchantress
emphasises the power to charm or attract through magic, often in romantic contexts
- ordinary person
someone without any magical abilities
常見錯誤
2. An insulting and offensive word for a woman who is seen as mean, unkind, or bad-
惡婦
侮辱用語，指刻薄可惡的女人
An insulting and offensive word for a woman who is seen as mean, unkind, or bad-tempered. Avoid using this word to describe a real person.
Roya called her neighbour a witch after the argument about the barking dog.
Roya 因為那隻愛叫的狗和鄰居吵架後，罵她是個惡婦。
disapproving / insulting usage
The children whispered that their neighbour was a witch because she never smiled.
孩子們低聲說鄰居是惡婦，因為她從不微笑。
childish insult, not literal
Eric's grandmother scolded him for using the word witch to describe the new teacher.
Eric 的祖母責備他用「witch」這個詞來形容新來的老師。
Sven called the crossing guard a witch and received a week of detention at school.
Sven 罵導護媽媽是惡婦，結果被罰放學後留校察看一週。
用法筆記
This sense is offensive and derogatory. It is unrelated to the magical meaning in sense 1. Calling someone 'a witch' in this way can cause deep offence and should be avoided in polite conversation. The label 'informal' here understates the seriousness — this is a sharp insult.
常見錯誤
3. A person who observes a contemporary nature-based spiritual path, like Wicca, an
巫術信仰者
現代異教巫術的實踐者
A person who observes a contemporary nature-based spiritual path, like Wicca, and performs witchcraft as part of their religious practice — often within a group or coven.
Saira has practiced as a witch in the Wiccan tradition for more than twelve years.
Saira 以威卡傳統女巫的身分修行已有超過十二年的時間。
religious practice context
The witch led a ceremony in the park to celebrate the spring equinox with songs.
那位巫術信仰者在公園主持儀式，用歌聲慶祝春分。
Dahlia joined a group of witches who meet at full moon to share herbal remedies.
Dahlia 加入了一個巫術信仰者團體，她們每逢滿月聚在一起交流草藥療法。
Sirin buys candles from a witch who runs a small shop near the square.
Sirin 向一位在廣場旁開小店的巫術信仰者購買蠟燭。
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 refers to a fictional or folkloric figure, while this sense describes a real person who follows a modern religious or spiritual path. Many contemporary witches do not believe in harmful magic and emphasise nature-based ethics. Respect the term as a self-chosen religious identity.
常見錯誤
witch — 動詞
1. To use magic on a person, animal, or object, usually to cause harm or misfortune
施巫術
用魔法影響或加害（某人或某物）
To use magic on a person, animal, or object, usually to cause harm or misfortune. This verb is rare in modern English and is mostly found in folk tales and historical accounts.
A jealous neighbour witched the farmer's cows until they stopped giving milk.
一位嫉妒的鄰居對農夫的牛施了巫術，讓牠們不再產奶。
transitive: witch + [possessive noun] + animal
Tendai believes someone witched his garden, because every plant died within a single week.
Tendai 相信有人對他的花園施了巫術，因為所有植物在一週內都枯死了。
The princess was witched by a rival who wanted her throne for herself.
傳說中，公主被一位覬覦王位的競爭者施了巫術。
Wren heard a tale about a traveller who witched the mill wheel to stop turning.
Wren 聽過一個故事，說有個旅人對水車施了巫術，讓輪子停止轉動。
- bless
to invoke divine favour instead of magical harm
文法句型
witch + noun phrase
用法筆記
This verb is rare and sounds old-fashioned. It is almost always used in the past tense (witched) or passive voice (was witched). The more common modern expressions are 'to cast a spell on' or 'to bewitch' (bewitch is also used figuratively for attraction).