1. mainly; for the most part
主要地；大部分地
The company's revenue comes chiefly from software sales.
這家公司的營收主要來自軟體銷售。
He is interested chiefly in modern art.
他主要對現代藝術感興趣。
Chiefly Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
chiefly
adverb
快速理解
What does "Chiefly" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Chiefly"?
chiefly 主要用於表示某事物是首要的、最重要的或佔最大部分。
- 1
主要地
EN: The region is known chiefly for its wine production.
翻譯: 這個地區主要以葡萄酒生產聞名。
- 2
大部分地
EN: The audience consisted chiefly of students.
翻譯: 觀眾主要由學生組成。
- 3
首要地
EN: He is chiefly responsible for the project's success.
翻譯: 他對專案的成功負有首要責任。
小提醒：chiefly 強調的是「首要性」或「最大部分」，而不僅僅是「經常」或「通常」。它比 simply "mainly" 或 "mostly" 更正式，且更聚焦於核心或最重要的部分。
發音（How to Pronounce "Chiefly" in English）
How to pronounce "Chiefly" in English?"Chiefly" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Chiefly" from YouTube Videos
Why societies collapse | Jared Diamond
TED
“In the case of the Greenland Norse, cultural factors that made it difficult for them to solve their problems were their commitments to a Christian society investing heavily in cathedrals, their being a competitive-ranked chiefly society and their scorn for the Inuit, from whom they refused to learn.”
(1 out of 2)
Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Chiefly"?How does "Chiefly" change by context?
2. most importantly; above all
首要地；尤其
We need to focus chiefly on improving customer service.
我們需要首要專注於改善客戶服務。
The book is valued chiefly for its historical insights.
這本書的價值尤其體現在其歷史見解上。
3. almost entirely; almost exclusively
幾乎完全地；幾乎專有地
The early settlers lived chiefly on fish and corn.
早期的定居者幾乎完全以魚和玉米為生。
The region is populated chiefly by farmers.
這個地區的居民幾乎全是農民。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Chiefly"?How to make natural sentences with "Chiefly"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| chiefly + adjective | 主要地（用於修飾形容詞） | The report is chiefly concerned with economic growth. (這份報告主要關注經濟增長。) |
| chiefly + because/since/as | 主要因為 | He succeeded chiefly because of his persistence. (他成功主要是因為他的堅持。) |
| chiefly + used to + V | 主要用於… | This tool is chiefly used to measure pressure. (這個工具主要用於測量壓力。) |
| chiefly + a noun/noun phrase | 主要是一個… | She is chiefly a novelist, though she also writes poetry. (她主要是個小說家，不過她也寫詩。) |
| chiefly + in/on/at... (prepositional phrase) | 主要是在…（地方/時間） | The species is found chiefly in tropical regions. (該物種主要分佈在熱帶地區。) |
用法說明
How is "Chiefly" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Chiefly"?
chiefly + V-ing vs chiefly + to + V
- chiefly + V-ing 通常用於描述一個主要或習慣性的活動、狀態或事實，強調的是「主要在做什麼」或「主要涉及什麼」。
- chiefly + to + V 則常帶有目的性，解釋某事物存在或某人做某事的主要目的、原因或意圖。
- 在描述一個機構、系統或事物的主要功能或組成時，兩種結構都可能使用，但 V-ing 偏向描述其運作狀態，而 to + V 偏向說明其設計目的。 EN: The committee is chiefly concerned with reviewing safety protocols. 翻譯: 該委員會主要負責審查安全協議。
EN:The committee was formed chiefly to review safety protocols.
翻譯:成立該委員會主要是為了審查安全協議。
EN:His work involves chiefly analyzing market data.
翻譯:他的工作主要是分析市場數據。
EN:He used the software chiefly to analyze market data.
翻譯:他使用該軟體主要是為了分析市場數據。
總結建議
在表達「主要目的或意圖」時，傾向使用 chiefly to + V；而在描述「主要活動、職責或組成」時，則使用 chiefly + V-ing 更為自然。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Chiefly" and similar words?How to choose "Chiefly" vs alternatives?
chiefly vs mainly
「chiefly」強調首要或最重要的部分，語氣較正式；「mainly」則較通用，指大部分或主要部分。
chiefly vs primarily
「chiefly」與「primarily」常可互換，但「primarily」更強調「首要地」或「根本地」。
chiefly vs mostly
「chiefly」較正式且強調重要性；「mostly」較口語化，指數量或時間上的大部分。
口語用法
How is "Chiefly" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Chiefly"?
引述
chiefly 在口語中常用來引述或總結某人的主要觀點或原因。 EN: He said he left the company chiefly because of the lack of growth opportunities. 翻譯: 他說他離開公司主要是因為缺乏發展機會。
EN:So, you're joining the protest chiefly to support your friends, right?
翻譯:所以，你參加抗議主要是為了支持你的朋友，對吧？
語氣強調
在對話中，chiefly 可用來強調某個原因或因素是最重要的，帶有澄清或加強語氣的意味。 EN: I chose this apartment chiefly for its location—it's just five minutes from the subway. 翻譯: 我選這間公寓主要是因為它的地點——離地鐵只要五分鐘。
EN:We succeeded chiefly due to everyone's hard work, not just luck.
翻譯:我們能成功主要歸功於大家的努力，而不僅僅是運氣。
停頓填充
chiefly 有時在思考或組織語句時，會作為一個短暫的停頓填充詞，引出接下來要說的重點。 EN: The event was, uh, chiefly... aimed at young professionals in the tech industry. 翻譯: 這個活動，呃，主要是...針對科技產業的年輕專業人士。
EN:My concerns are... chiefly about the long-term costs of the project.
翻譯:我的顧慮是...主要是關於這個專案的長期成本。
注意：在正式寫作中，chiefly 是得體的用詞。但在非常隨意或快速的口語對話中，使用更簡單的詞如 "mainly" 或 "mostly" 會更為自然。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Chiefly"?What fixed phrases with "Chiefly" should I remember?
chiefly because
chiefly + because + clause
主要因為
chiefly concerned with
chiefly + concerned with + noun/gerund
主要涉及；主要關注於
chiefly known for
chiefly + known for + noun/gerund
主要以...聞名
chiefly responsible for
chiefly + responsible for + noun/gerund
主要負責；對...負主要責任
chiefly consisting of
chiefly + consisting of + noun
主要由...組成
chiefly due to
chiefly + due to + noun
主要由於
chiefly used
chiefly + used + to-infinitive / for + gerund
主要用於
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Chiefly"?Which "Chiefly" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×He is a chiefly person.
✓He is a chief person.
「chiefly」是副詞，用來修飾動詞、形容詞或其他副詞，不能直接修飾名詞。要形容名詞「person」，應使用形容詞「chief」。
×He chiefly works in the marketing department.
✓He works chiefly in the marketing department.
「chiefly」修飾介詞片語「in the marketing department」時，通常置於被修飾的片語之前，以明確指出焦點是「在哪個部門」，而不是「工作」這個動作本身。
×The population is majorly concentrated in coastal cities.
✓The population is chiefly concentrated in coastal cities.
「majorly」在非正式口語中可能使用，但在正式或學術寫作中並不標準。表達「主要地」時，應使用「chiefly」、「mainly」或「primarily」。
×The report is mainly and chiefly about climate change.
✓The report is chiefly about climate change.
「chiefly」和「mainly」意思相近，同時使用會造成語意重複。應選擇其中一個即可。
×The tribe's chiefly made an important decision.
✓The tribe's chief made an important decision.
「chiefly」是副詞（主要地），而「chief」可作名詞（首領）或形容詞（主要的）。這裡指的是部落的「首領」，應使用名詞「chief」。
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Chiefly"?What are tense/participle forms of "Chiefly"?