指官方或權威機構依法沒收物品，通常作為懲罰或因為物品非法。
官方沒收
EN: The police can confiscate illegal goods.
翻譯: 警方可以沒收非法貨物。
作為懲罰
EN: The teacher confiscated the student's phone for using it in class.
翻譯: 老師沒收了學生的手機，因為他在課堂上使用。
因違規而扣押
EN: Customs may confiscate undeclared items at the border.
翻譯: 海關可能會在邊境扣押未申報的物品。
剝奪財產
EN: The government has the power to confiscate property obtained through crime.
翻譯: 政府有權沒收透過犯罪獲得的財產。
小提醒：注意：'confiscate' 的主語通常是具有權力的機構或人（如政府、警察、老師），且帶有強制性，與自願『交出』(surrender) 或一般『拿走』(take away) 不同。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Confiscate" from YouTube Videos
Robert Neuwirth: The "shadow cities" of the future
TED
“He will confiscate your things'. Armstrong said: 'Not one month one day'.”
1. to take something away from someone as a penalty or because it is illegal
（作為處罰或因違法而）沒收，充公
The teacher confiscated his phone because he was using it in class.
老師沒收了他的手機，因為他在課堂上使用。
Customs officials can confiscate prohibited goods at the border.
海關官員可以在邊境沒收違禁品。
2. to appropriate (property) to the public treasury, especially by governmental authority
（尤指政府當局）將財產充公，收歸國有
The court ordered the state to confiscate the assets obtained through corruption.
法院命令國家沒收通過貪污獲得的資產。
During the war, the regime confiscated land from its political opponents.
戰爭期間，該政權沒收了其政治對手的土地。
3. to take something away temporarily, especially as a disciplinary measure
（尤指作為紀律處分）暫時沒收，暫扣
The lifeguard confiscated the ball for being too close to the pool.
救生員暫時沒收了那顆球，因為它離泳池太近。
My mom confiscated the car keys after I came home late.
我晚回家後，媽媽暫時沒收了我的車鑰匙。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| confiscate + noun | 沒收某物 | The police can **confiscate** illegal goods. (警方可以**沒收**非法貨物。) |
| confiscate + noun + from + someone | 從某人處沒收某物 | The teacher **confiscated** the phone **from** the student. (老師**沒收**了那名學生的手機。) |
| have/get + noun + confiscated | 某物被沒收 | He **had** his passport **confiscated** at the border. (他的護照在邊境**被沒收**了。) |
| be confiscated | 被沒收 | All contraband will **be confiscated**. (所有違禁品都將**被沒收**。) |
EN:The customs officer has the authority to confiscate prohibited items.
翻譯:海關官員有權沒收違禁品。
在需要明確指出被沒收物品的來源或所有者時，使用「confiscate something from someone」結構會更清晰。
confiscate vs seize
「confiscate」強調官方或權威機構依法沒收，通常作為懲罰或違規的後果；「seize」則泛指強行奪取或扣押，範圍更廣，不一定涉及法律程序。
confiscate vs impound
「confiscate」指永久沒收，所有權轉移至官方；「impound」指暫時扣押，待問題解決後可能歸還。
confiscate vs appropriate
「confiscate」是帶有權威或懲罰性的沒收；「appropriate」則較為中性，指撥款或挪用資源供特定用途。
在轉述他人話語或新聞時，常用來表示「據說/據稱被沒收」。 EN: He said the police just confiscated his phone for no reason. 翻譯: 他說警察無緣無故就沒收了他的手機。
EN:I heard they can confiscate your belongings if you break the rules.
翻譯:我聽說如果你違規，他們可以沒收你的物品。
在口語中，會用加重語氣或重複來表達不滿或強調動作的突然性、不合理性。 EN: They just came in and confiscated everything—just like that! 翻譯: 他們就直接進來，把東西全沒收了——就是這樣！
EN:Can you believe it? They confiscated it. Confiscated!
翻譯:你能相信嗎？他們把它沒收了。沒收耶！
在組織思緒或尋找合適字眼時，會用這個詞作為暫時的停頓點。 EN: So the next thing they did was... uh... confiscate the evidence. 翻譯: 所以他們接下來做的是...呃...沒收證據。
EN:The consequence could be a fine, or, you know, confiscate the goods.
翻譯:後果可能是罰款，或者，你知道的，沒收貨物。
注意：在正式書寫（如法律文件、報告、學術論文）中，應避免上述口語用法，直接、明確地使用 "confiscate" 即可，無需添加口語化的停頓或強調結構。
confiscate property
confiscate [noun]
沒收財產
confiscate goods
confiscate [noun]
沒收貨物
confiscate someone's passport
confiscate [possessive] [noun]
沒收某人的護照
confiscate illegal items
confiscate [adjective] [noun]
沒收非法物品
have the power to confiscate
have the power/authority to confiscate
有權沒收
confiscate contraband
confiscate [noun]
沒收違禁品
confiscate something as evidence
confiscate [noun] as evidence
沒收某物作為證據
×The teacher confiscated my phone because I was using it.
✓The teacher confiscated my phone because I was using it in class.
The reason for confiscation should be specific and usually involves a rule violation. Simply 'using it' is too vague; you need to specify the context (e.g., 'in class', 'during the exam').
×They confiscated the illegal goods to the police.
✓They confiscated the illegal goods. / The illegal goods were confiscated by the police.
'Confiscate' is a transitive verb meaning 'to take possession of'. You do not confiscate something 'to' someone. You can say who confiscated it (subject) and what was confiscated (object). Use the passive voice if the authority (e.g., police) is the focus.
×My phone was confiscated by the teacher for three days.
✓My phone was confiscated by the teacher. / The teacher confiscated my phone for three days.
While the duration can be implied, the verb 'confiscate' focuses on the act of taking possession. The duration is often stated separately (e.g., '...and kept it for three days'). Placing 'for three days' directly after the verb can sound awkward. It's clearer to state the act and then the duration.
×I confiscated my friend's pen by mistake.
✓I took my friend's pen by mistake.
'Confiscate' implies an official or authoritative action, usually by someone in power (teacher, police, government). A friend or peer does not 'confiscate'; they might 'take', 'borrow', or 'seize' something. Using 'confiscate' here is too strong and incorrect for the context.
×The law confiscates property from criminals.
✓The law allows the government to confiscate property from criminals. / Under the law, property can be confiscated from criminals.
A 'law' is an abstract rule; it does not perform actions. It is the authorities (people, government agencies) who confiscate, often empowered by the law. The subject of 'confiscate' should be an entity capable of taking action.
×He got confiscated his passport at the border.
✓His passport was confiscated at the border. / They confiscated his passport at the border.
This is an incorrect passive construction. 'Confiscate' is not used with 'get' in this way. Use the standard passive voice ('was confiscated') or an active voice with a clear subject (e.g., 'Border agents confiscated...').