形容有責任對自己的行為或決策進行解釋，並承擔相應的後果。
負有解釋責任
EN: responsible for explaining or justifying one's actions or decisions.
翻譯: 對自己的行為或決策負有解釋或說明的責任。
需承擔後果
EN: obliged to accept the consequences of one's actions.
翻譯: 必須承擔自身行為所導致的後果。
對某人/某事負責
EN: answerable to a person or authority for something.
翻譯: 對某人或某個權威機構就某事負責。
小提醒：注意 'accountable' 通常用於較正式或公共責任的語境，強調的是『需解釋、可被究責』的責任，而不僅是日常的『負責』(responsible)。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Accountable" from YouTube Videos
Rebecca MacKinnon: Let's take back the Internet!
TED
“This has a chilling effect on people's ability to use the Internet to hold government accountable.”
1. responsible for your actions or decisions and expected to explain them
對自己的行為或決定負責，並需要為其作出解釋
Managers must be held accountable for their team's performance.
管理者必須為其團隊的表現負責。
In a democracy, politicians are accountable to the voters.
在民主制度中，政治人物必須對選民負責。
2. required or expected to justify actions or decisions, especially in a formal or official context
被要求或預期為其行為或決定作出辯解，特別是在正式或官方場合
The committee is accountable to the board for all financial expenditures.
該委員會須向董事會說明所有財務支出。
Public servants should be fully accountable for how they use taxpayers' money.
公務員應為如何使用納稅人的錢負起完全的責任。
3. able to be explained or understood
能夠被解釋或理解的
The discrepancy in the report is not accountable given the current data.
根據現有數據，報告中的差異無法解釋。
Her sudden success is easily accountable by her years of hard work.
她突然的成功很容易用她多年的努力來解釋。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| be accountable for + noun/noun phrase | 對…負責 | The manager is accountable for the project's success. (經理對專案的成功負責。) |
| be accountable to + person/organization | 向…負責 | The committee is accountable to the board of directors. (委員會向董事會負責。) |
| hold + someone + accountable for + noun/noun phrase | 要求某人對…負責 | The public will hold the officials accountable for their decisions. (公眾將要求官員們為他們的決定負責。) |
| be held accountable | 被追究責任 | If the data is leaked, someone must be held accountable. (如果資料外洩，必須有人被追究責任。) |
| make + someone + accountable | 使某人承擔責任 | The new policy makes each department accountable for its own budget. (新政策使每個部門都需對自己的預算負責。) |
對比範例： EN: Managers are accountable for the project's success. 翻譯: 經理們要為專案的成功負責。
EN:Managers are accountable to the board of directors.
翻譯:經理們需對董事會負責。
使用時請牢記：對事用 for，對人用 to，兩者結合時順序為 to someone for something。
accountable vs responsible
「accountable」強調對行為或決策的後果負有解釋和接受懲處的義務，通常有明確的對象或標準；「responsible」則更廣泛地指承擔任務或職責，不一定涉及事後的究責。
accountable vs liable
「accountable」側重於道德或職責上的解釋義務；「liable」則側重於法律或財務上的賠償責任。
accountable vs answerable
「accountable」與「answerable」意思非常接近，常可互換，但「accountable」在正式或管理語境中更常見，且可能隱含更強的究責意味。
在對話中，當轉述他人要求或社會規範時，常用來解釋為何需要負責。 EN: My boss said I'm directly accountable for the project's outcome. 翻譯: 我老闆說我要直接為專案的結果負責。
EN:The new policy makes everyone accountable for their own expenses.
翻譯:新政策規定每個人都要為自己的開銷負責。
為了強調責任歸屬的明確性與嚴肅性，會加重語氣或搭配副詞使用。 EN: You will be held personally accountable if things go wrong. 翻譯: 如果出了問題，你將被追究個人責任。
EN:We need a system to keep team members truly accountable.
翻譯:我們需要一個能讓團隊成員真正負起責任的制度。
在思考如何委婉表達責任歸屬，或組織句子時，可能作為短暫的停頓點。 EN: The issue is... who's ultimately accountable here? 翻譯: 問題是… 這裡最終該由誰負責？
EN:It's not about blame, it's about being... accountable for our actions.
翻譯:這不是責怪，而是對我們的行為… 負起責任。
正式寫作注意：在正式報告或法律文件中，應避免上述口語停頓或過於直接的引述語氣。建議使用更精確、結構完整的句子，例如 "The contract stipulates that the supplier shall be held accountable for any defects."（合約規定供應商須對任何瑕疵負責。）
accountable to
be accountable to [person/body]
對...負責
accountable for
be accountable for [action/outcome]
為...承擔責任
hold someone accountable
hold [person/group] accountable
要求某人負責；追究某人的責任
publicly accountable
be publicly accountable
對公眾負責
financially accountable
be financially accountable
在財務上負責
fully accountable
be fully accountable
完全負責
accountable government
accountable government
負責任的政府
×He is accountable to do the report.
✓He is accountable for doing the report.
The correct preposition after 'accountable' is 'for' when stating the responsibility, not 'to'. 'Accountable to' is used for the person/entity to whom one reports.
×The company should be more accountable.
✓The company should be held accountable.
While 'be accountable' is grammatically correct, the more common and natural collocation for demanding responsibility is 'be held accountable'.
×I feel very accountable for the mistake.
✓I feel very responsible for the mistake.
'Accountable' is more formal and external, often used in official, legal, or organizational contexts. 'Responsible' is more general and can describe a personal feeling of duty or blame.
×This system makes accountability easier.
✓This system makes it easier to hold people accountable.
While 'accountability' is the noun form, learners often misuse it in active verb constructions. The phrase 'hold someone accountable' is the more common and natural verbal expression.
×We need an accountable person for this project.
✓We need a responsible person for this project. / We need someone to be accountable for this project.
Using 'accountable' directly before a noun (as an attributive adjective) like 'an accountable person' is less common and can sound unnatural. 'Responsible' is more natural here, or rephrase the sentence.