1. to scratch or tear at something with claws or fingernails
用爪子或指甲抓、撕
The cat clawed at the sofa, leaving deep scratches.
那隻貓用爪子抓沙發,留下了深深的抓痕。
She clawed at the dirt, trying to dig a hole.
她用手抓挖泥土,試圖挖出一個洞。
「claw」作動詞時,主要指用爪子抓、撕或挖,或用手指像爪子一樣用力抓取。
用爪子抓/撕
EN: to scratch or tear at something with claws
翻譯: 用爪子抓、撕或刮某物。
用力抓取
EN: to try hard to get hold of something or climb using fingers like claws
翻譯: 努力用手指像爪子一樣抓住某物或攀爬。
挖出/刮出
EN: to dig, scrape, or pull something out with claws or fingers
翻譯: 用爪子或手指挖出、刮出或拉出某物。
艱難前進/掙扎
EN: to move with difficulty, as if using claws to gain a hold
翻譯: 艱難地移動,彷彿要用爪子抓住支撐點。
小提醒:注意「claw」作動詞時,常與介系詞「at」連用,表示「試圖抓取」的動作,例如「The cat clawed at the door.(貓用爪子抓門。)」。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Claw" from YouTube Videos
David Holt: The stories and song of Appalachia
TED
“but near the end of the concert he played the old timing style of banjo picking that came from Africa, along with the banjo It's called claw-hammer style- that he had learned from his mother and grandmother.”
1. to scratch or tear at something with claws or fingernails
用爪子或指甲抓、撕
The cat clawed at the sofa, leaving deep scratches.
那隻貓用爪子抓沙發,留下了深深的抓痕。
She clawed at the dirt, trying to dig a hole.
她用手抓挖泥土,試圖挖出一個洞。
2. to try hard to hold onto or climb something using your hands or claws
努力用手或爪子抓住或攀爬
He clawed his way up the steep cliff.
他奮力攀爬上陡峭的懸崖。
The drowning man clawed at the edge of the boat.
溺水者拼命抓住船邊。
3. to achieve something with great difficulty or effort
艱難地取得(成就、勝利等)
The team clawed back from a 10-point deficit to win the game.
這支球隊從落後10分的劣勢中艱難逆轉,贏得了比賽。
She's clawing her way to the top of the corporate ladder.
她正努力奮鬥,一步步爬上公司的高層。
4. to take or grab something greedily or desperately
貪婪或拼命地抓取
The child clawed at the candy in the bowl.
那孩子貪婪地抓取碗裡的糖果。
Investors clawed for any piece of information about the merger.
投資者拼命想獲取任何關於合併的訊息。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| claw + at + [object] | 用爪子抓、撓(某物) | The cat clawed at the sofa. (貓用爪子抓沙發。) |
| claw + [object] + back | 艱難地奪回、挽回 | The team clawed back a victory in the final minutes. (這支隊伍在最後幾分鐘艱難地奪回了勝利。) |
| claw + one's way + [prepositional phrase] | 艱難地爬行或前進 | He clawed his way up the cliff. (他艱難地爬上了懸崖。) |
| claw + [object] + open | 用爪子或手指撕開 | She clawed open the package. (她用手指撕開了包裹。) |
| claw + for + [something] | 拼命爭取(某物) | The refugees clawed for food. (難民們拼命爭取食物。) |
claw to safety(掙扎到安全處)或 claw to the top(奮力爬到頂端)。EN:The injured hiker managed to claw to safety before nightfall.
翻譯:受傷的登山客在夜幕降臨前,勉強掙扎到了安全的地方。
一般來說,描述對物體表面的抓撓用「claw at」,而表示艱難地達到某個位置或狀態則用「claw to」。
claw vs scratch
「claw」強調用爪子或指甲抓、撕、挖,動作較猛烈且常造成傷害;「scratch」則泛指一般的抓、搔、刮,動作較輕,可能只是搔癢或留下痕跡。
claw vs grab
「claw」是用爪子或手指像鉤子一樣抓取或緊抓,動作較不精準且帶有掙扎感;「grab」是用手迅速、有力地抓住,動作直接且意圖控制。
claw vs dig
「claw」是用爪子或手指快速、猛烈地挖或刨,動作較表面且可能雜亂;「dig」是用工具或手有系統地挖掘,通常為了挖洞或尋找東西。
當轉述他人動作或描述動物行為時,常用來使敘述更生動。 EN: She was so mad, she just clawed at the air in frustration. 翻譯: 她氣壞了,就那樣氣憤地對著空氣亂抓。
EN:My cat clawed at the sofa again while I was out.
翻譯:我不在的時候,我的貓又把沙發抓壞了。
與副詞連用,強調動作的猛烈、急切或粗魯。 EN: He desperately clawed his way up the muddy slope. 翻譯: 他拼命地抓爬著爬上泥濘的斜坡。
EN:Stop clawing at the package! Just wait, I'll open it.
翻譯:別那麼用力抓那個包裹!等一下,我來開。
在描述連續或反覆動作時,作為敘述中的自然停頓點,常與 "away", "at" 連用。 EN: He just sat there, quietly clawing away at the wooden block with his pocket knife. 翻譯: 他就坐在那兒,靜靜地用他的小刀一下一下地削著那塊木頭。
EN:The anxiety had her clawing at her sleeves, a nervous habit she couldn't break.
翻譯:焦慮讓她不停地抓著自己的袖子,這是她改不掉的緊張習慣。
正式書寫注意:在正式或學術寫作中,應避免使用 "claw" 來比喻人類的急切行為(如 "clawing for attention"),這被視為過於口語化且帶有負面意象。建議改用更中性的詞彙,如 "strive for", "reach for", 或 "scramble for"。
claw back
phrasal verb
努力收回、奪回(金錢、權力、優勢等)
claw at
verb + preposition
(用爪子或手指)抓、撓、撕扯
claw one's way
verb phrase
艱難地奮鬥或攀爬
claw out
phrasal verb
(粗暴地)挖出、掏出
claw for
verb + preposition
拼命爭取、搶奪
claw into
verb + preposition
(緊緊)抓住、扣入
×The cat clawed on the sofa.
✓The cat clawed the sofa.
作為及物動詞時,'claw' 後面直接接賓語,不需要介詞 'on'。'claw' 本身已包含用爪子抓、刮的動作。
×He clawed to climb up the cliff.
✓He clawed his way up the cliff.
表達「艱難地、費力地移動」時,常用片語 'claw one's way',不能省略 'one's way'。
×I clawed the door open.
✓I clawed at the door. / I managed to claw the door open.
單純表示「用爪子抓、撓某物」的動作時,常用 'claw at + 物體'。若要表達「成功抓開/撬開」,則可用 'claw + 物體 + open/adjective',但語意更強調結果,且通常需要上下文支持(如 'managed to')。第一種錯誤用法混淆了這兩種結構。
×The eagle clawed down the rabbit.
✓The eagle clawed the rabbit. / The eagle swooped down and clawed the rabbit.
'Claw' 作為動詞,核心意思是「用爪子抓、撕、挖」,它本身不包含「向下」的方向性。描述「俯衝抓取」的動作時,需要用其他動詞(如 'swoop down')來表達方向,'claw' 則描述具體的抓取動作。
×He was clawing by his competitor.
✓He was clawed by his competitor. / He was being clawed at by his competitor.
被動語態中,'claw' 的過去分詞是 'clawed'。若表示「被(某人)用爪子攻擊或抓傷」,用 'be clawed by'。若強調持續的、試圖抓的動作,可用進行式的被動態 'be being clawed at'。錯誤句子混淆了主動與被動形式,且介詞使用不當。