「conceive」主要有「構思、想像」與「懷孕」兩個核心意思。
構思想法
EN: to form an idea or plan in your mind
翻譯: 在腦海中構思出想法或計畫。
想像理解
EN: to imagine or think of something
翻譯: 想像或理解某事物。
開始懷孕
EN: to become pregnant
翻譯: 開始懷孕。
小提醒：注意「conceive of」常用於表示「想像、認為」，例如「I can't conceive of a reason why...」（我想不出任何理由...）。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Conceive" from YouTube Videos
Richard Preston: Climbing the world's biggest trees
TED
“One of the things that is just -- I almost can't conceive it -- is the idea that the national news media hasn't picked this up at all, and this is the devastation of one of the most important ecosystems in North America.”
1. to form or develop an idea, plan, or thought in the mind
構思；想出（主意、計畫等）
She conceived a brilliant marketing strategy for the new product.
她為新產品構思了一個絕妙的行銷策略。
It's hard to conceive how such a complex machine works.
很難想像如此複雜的機器是如何運作的。
The architect conceived the building as a blend of modern and traditional styles.
建築師將這棟建築構思為現代與傳統風格的融合。
2. to become pregnant with a child
懷孕；受孕
They were overjoyed when they learned she had conceived.
得知她懷孕時，他們欣喜若狂。
The couple struggled to conceive for several years before seeking medical help.
這對夫婦努力了好幾年都未能懷孕，後來才尋求醫療協助。
3. to understand or think of something in a particular way
理解；認為；將…視為
Many people conceive of happiness as having a lot of money.
許多人將幸福理解為擁有很多錢。
It's difficult for him to conceive of a world without the internet.
他難以想像一個沒有網路的世界。
4. to give rise to or originate an idea, movement, or institution
創立；開創；使產生
The political movement was conceived in the turbulent years after the war.
這場政治運動誕生於戰後動盪的歲月。
The project was conceived as a way to promote cultural exchange.
這個專案是為了促進文化交流而創立的。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| conceive + of + noun/gerund | 構想出，想像 | It's hard to conceive of a world without electricity. (很難想像一個沒有電的世界。) |
| conceive + noun (idea/plan) | 構思，想出（主意、計畫） | The architect conceived a revolutionary design for the new museum. (建築師為新博物館構思了一個革命性的設計。) |
| conceive + that-clause | 認為，想像 | Many people once conceived that the Earth was flat. (許多人曾認為地球是平的。) |
| conceive + noun (child) | 懷孕，懷胎 | They were overjoyed when they learned they had conceived a child. (得知懷上孩子時，他們欣喜若狂。) |
| be conceived + as + noun | 被構想為，被設計成 | The project was originally conceived as a small community initiative. (這個專案最初被構想為一個小型社區計畫。) |
of 在這裡是關鍵，後面接動名詞 (V-ing)。conceive 通常不直接接不定詞 (to V) 來表示「設想做某事」。conceive 可能直接接名詞（如 conceive a child 懷孕，conceive a plan 構思計畫），但這與「設想『做』某事」的結構不同。
EN: It's hard to conceive of living without the internet now.
翻譯: 現在很難想像沒有網路的生活。EN:She conceived of starting her own business after the trip.
翻譯:她在旅行後萌生了自己創業的念頭。
在表達「想像、設想做某事」時，請使用 conceive of doing 這個結構，避免使用不自然的 conceive to do。
conceive vs imagine
「conceive」強調在腦中形成一個具體的想法、計畫或概念，通常涉及創造性或邏輯性的構思過程；「imagine」則更側重於在腦海中描繪圖像或場景，可以是真實的，也可以是虛構的，不一定有具體的產出。
conceive vs perceive
「conceive」指從無到有地「構思、想出」一個想法或概念；「perceive」則是通過感官或心智去「察覺、理解」已經存在的事物或資訊。
conceive vs devise
「conceive」側重於想法或概念的初步「構思」階段；「devise」則更進一步，指為實現該想法而「設計、制定」出具體的方案、方法或裝置。
在口語中，常用來引述或轉述他人的想法或計畫。 EN: So, he conceives of this whole project as a way to give back to the community. 翻譯: 所以，他把整個計畫構想成一個回饋社區的方式。
EN:How do you conceive of your role in the team?
翻譯:你如何看待自己在團隊中的角色？
與否定詞或疑問詞連用，加強對想法或可能性的質疑或驚訝語氣。 EN: I can't even conceive how they managed to finish so quickly. 翻譯: 我根本無法想像他們是怎麼做到這麼快完成的。
EN:Can you conceive of a world without the internet now?
翻譯:你現在能想像一個沒有網路的世界嗎？
在思考或尋找合適詞語時，用作短暫的停頓填充，後面常接更具體的說明。 EN: The plan he conceived... well, it was quite ambitious, to say the least. 翻譯: 他構想的那個計畫... 嗯，至少可以說相當有野心。
EN:It's hard to conceive... you know, the sheer scale of the problem.
翻譯:這很難構想... 你知道的，就是問題的規模實在太大了。
正式書寫注意：在正式或學術寫作中（如論文、報告），應避免將 "conceive" 用作停頓填充詞。建議使用更直接、結構完整的句子來表達構思或概念形成的過程，例如 "The theory was initially conceived as..." 或 "It is difficult to imagine..."。
conceive of
conceive of [something/someone] (as)
想像、構想出（某事物/某人）；將…視為
conceive a plan
conceive a plan/idea/scheme
構思一個計劃/想法/方案
conceive a child
conceive a child
懷孕、懷上孩子
conceive the idea
conceive the idea (that/of)
構想出（某個）想法
difficult to conceive
difficult/hard/impossible to conceive
難以想像/無法想像
conceive in terms of
conceive [something] in terms of [something]
從（某種角度或框架）來構想/理解
newly conceived
newly/recently conceived
新近構思出的
×I conceived to start a new project.
✓I conceived of starting a new project.
「conceive」作「構思、設想」解時，通常需要介系詞「of」來連接後面的想法或計畫。直接接不定詞是錯誤的。
×She conceived a baby last year.
✓She conceived a child last year. / She became pregnant last year.
「conceive」在指「懷孕」時，其受詞通常是「a child」或「a baby」，但更常見的用法是「conceive a child」。然而，在一般日常對話中，人們更傾向使用「become pregnant」或「get pregnant」來表達此意。用「conceive a baby」聽起來較為正式或醫學化。
×I can't conceive his strange behavior.
✓I can't conceive of his strange behavior.
當「conceive」意為「理解、想像」時，若後接名詞（如想法、行為、情況），必須使用「conceive of + noun」。省略「of」是常見錯誤。
×The plan was conceived by our team.
✓The plan was conceived by our team. (但更自然的被動式是：Our team conceived the plan.)
這個句子文法上正確，但語用上不自然。「conceive」的主動語態（某人 conceive 某物）比被動語態（某物 be conceived by 某人）更常見、更直接。學習者常過度使用被動語態。
×He conceived the idea to write a novel.
✓He conceived the idea of writing a novel.
表達「構思做某事的想法」時，正確的結構是「conceive the idea of + V-ing」，而不是接不定詞「to V」。
×This machine is conceived for easy use.
✓This machine is designed for easy use.
「conceive」強調的是「概念、想法的最初形成」，而「design」則側重於「具體的設計與規劃」。對於產品、機器等，其「設計目的」通常用「be designed for」，用「conceived for」並不恰當。