within
within — 副詞
1. in the inner part of a space, object, or area, rather than on its outer surface
在內部
在物體或空間的裡面
in the inner part of a space, object, or area, rather than on its outer surface or outside it
The old house looked plain outside, but within the walls were covered with colourful paintings.
那棟老房子從外面看起來很普通，但內部的牆壁上卻布滿了色彩鮮豔的畫作。
adverb position at the start of a clause
Élise opened the wooden chest and discovered a silk scarf hidden within.
Élise 打開木箱，發現裡面藏著一條絲質圍巾。
The envelope was sealed with wax, and within lay a single handwritten letter.
信封用蠟封住，裡面放著一封手寫的信。
Renata cracked the nut and found the seed within still fresh and edible.
Renata 敲開堅果，發現裡面的種子仍然新鮮可食。
- inside
more common in everyday speech; 'within' sounds more formal or literary
- inwardly
used for emotions or thoughts, not physical spaces
- internally
technical or medical tone; emphasises the interior of a system or body
- outside
the opposite location — on the exterior surface
用法筆記
As an adverb, 'within' usually follows the main verb or appears at the beginning of a clause. It is more formal and less common than 'inside' for describing physical position.
within — 介系詞
1. before a given time limit ends, or no farther away than a stated distance from a
在…之內
在某段時間或某個距離之內
before a given time limit ends, or no farther away than a stated distance from a location
The package should arrive within three working days, according to the tracking information.
根據追蹤資訊，包裹應該在三個工作日內送達。
within + time period for deadline
Diya lives within walking distance of the main train station in Taipei.
Diya 住在步行可到台北火車站的距離內。
within + distance for accessibility
Kwame completed the marathon within four hours despite the hot weather.
儘管天氣炎熱，Kwame 仍在四個小時內完成了馬拉松。
Xiu promised to finish the report within a week and delivered it two days early.
Xiu 答應在一週內完成報告，並且提前兩天交件。
It is rare to see snow within a hundred kilometres of the equator.
在赤道方圓一百公里內看到雪是很罕見的。
文法句型
within + [time period]
within + [distance] of + [place]
用法筆記
For time, 'within' focuses on the endpoint (not later than) rather than during the whole period. Compare: 'I will finish it within an hour' (before one hour passes) vs 'I will finish it in an hour' (after one hour).
常見錯誤
2. not exceeding what is permitted by laws, rules, budgets, or other controlling st
在…範圍內
在法規或限制的範圍之內
not exceeding what is permitted by laws, rules, budgets, or other controlling standards
The company must operate within the environmental regulations set by the government.
公司必須在政府制定的環保法規範圍內營運。
within + regulations for legal compliance
Quinn ensured that every expense stayed within the budget approved by the board.
Quinn 確保每一筆支出都不超出董事會批准的預算。
Staying within the speed limit is required by law in every country.
每個國家都規定駕駛不得超過速限。
The judge ruled that the protest was within the rights protected by the constitution.
法官裁定該抗議活動受到憲法保障的權利範圍內。
Constanza kept the project costs completely within the agreed financial limits.
Constanza 將專案成本完全控制在雙方同意的財務限制內。
- inside
more general and less formal; 'within' is preferred in official or rule-based contexts
- in accordance with
more formal and refers specifically to rules or procedures
- under
common in legal language: 'under the law', 'under the terms of the agreement'
- outside
beyond the permitted limits
- beyond
exceeding the allowed range or boundary
- contrary to
in violation of rules or standards
文法句型
within + [limit/rule/budget/law]
用法筆記
Frequently followed by nouns of control such as 'budget', 'law', 'regulations', 'guidelines', 'rules', 'limits', or 'bounds'. This sense often appears in formal or professional contexts.
常見錯誤
3. contained in the inner area or boundaries of a particular place, object, or body
在…裡面
在物體或空間的內部
contained in the inner area or boundaries of a particular place, object, or body part
The Watanabe family kept their emergency supplies within the basement at all times.
Watanabe 一家把緊急物資一直存放在地下室裡。
Dr. Okafor found a small tumour within the patient's right lung.
Okafor 醫生在病人的右肺內部發現了一顆小腫瘤。
within + body part in medical context
There is a hidden compartment within the old wooden desk that Grandpa built.
爺爺做的那張舊書桌裡有一個隱藏式暗格。
Birds had built a nest within the hollow trunk of the oak tree.
鳥兒在那棵橡樹中空的樹幹裡築了一個巢。
The architect designed a small garden within the central courtyard of the building.
建築師在大樓的中央庭院內設計了一座小花園。
- inside
the everyday alternative; far more frequent in spoken English
- in
shorter and more casual; used for simple location
- enclosed within
emphasises that something is fully surrounded, often used in formal descriptions
文法句型
within + [place/object/area]
用法筆記
For physical locations, 'inside' is far more common in everyday conversation. 'Within' in this sense sounds more formal or technical and is typical in medical, architectural, or geographical writing.