zero in on

IPA/zˈiəɹəʊ ɪn ˈɒn/
IPA/zˈiəɹoʊ ɪn ˈɔn/

zero in on — 片語動詞

  • zero in onbase form
  • zeroes in on3rd person singular
  • zeroing in on-ing form
  • zeroed in onpast simple

1. to point a weapon or camera at a specific target and make small adjustments unti

1.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

瞄準；對準

將武器或鏡頭對準特定目標

to point a weapon or camera at a specific target and make small adjustments until the aim is exactly right

例句

The police sniper zeroed in on the driver's-side car window.

警方的狙擊手瞄準了駕駛座的車窗。

zero in on + specific target (weapon context)

Dmitri held his breath as he zeroed in on the deer through the rifle scope.

Dmitri 屏住呼吸，透過步槍瞄準鏡瞄準那頭鹿。

同義詞
  • aim at

    more general; does not imply progressive adjustment

  • target

    more strategic; often used in military or planning contexts

  • train on

    formal, typically used for heavy weapons or searchlights

文法句型

zero in on + noun (the target of a weapon or camera)

用法筆記

This sense describes a process of progressively narrowing the aim, not a single quick action. The subject is typically a person operating a weapon or camera, or an automated targeting system.

常見錯誤

❌The photographer zeroed in on the bird and quickly pressed the shutter.
✅The photographer aimed at the bird and quickly pressed the shutter.
💡'zero in on' describes a process of narrowing in and adjusting, not an instant action.

2. to concentrate all of your mental effort on one particular person, problem, or d

2.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

聚焦；鎖定

將注意力集中在某人或某事上

to concentrate all of your mental effort on one particular person, problem, or detail, often after sorting through a wider range of possibilities

例句

The detectives finally zeroed in on a single suspect after weeks of interviews.

經過數週的訪談，警探們最終鎖定了一名嫌疑人。

zero in on + person (investigation context)

Fatima zeroed in on the one spelling error in her eight-page essay.

Fatima 從她那八頁的文章中鎖定了唯一一個拼字錯誤。

zero in on + error/detail (precision context)

同義詞
  • focus on

    more common and broader; can describe sustained attention without narrowing down

  • concentrate on

    emphasises sustained mental effort and blocking out distractions

  • pinpoint

    about identifying something exactly, often a location or cause, without the narrowing-down process

  • hone in on

    informal variant; many speakers use it interchangeably, but 'zero in on' is preferred in careful writing

反義詞
  • ignore

    deliberately pay no attention to

  • overlook

    fail to notice something, often unintentionally

文法句型

zero in on + noun (the person or thing receiving attention)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (AIM DIRECTLY): this sense is about mental focus, not physical pointing. The object is often a problem, detail, suspect, or location being examined rather than a physical target.

常見錯誤

❌I zoomed in on the main problem during the meeting.
✅I zeroed in on the main problem during the meeting.
💡'zoom in' is used for cameras and images; 'zero in on' is for attention and mental focus.