「filter」主要指透過裝置或系統去除雜質，或用於篩選資訊與人群。
物理過濾
EN: to remove unwanted substances from a liquid, gas, or light using a device
翻譯: 使用裝置從液體、氣體或光線中去除不需要的物質
資訊篩選
EN: to select or remove certain types of information, data, or content
翻譯: 選擇或移除特定類型的資訊、數據或內容
人群分流
EN: to allow some people to pass through while stopping others
翻譯: 允許部分人通過，同時阻擋其他人
逐漸顯現
EN: to gradually become known or spread (e.g., light, news, feeling)
翻譯: 逐漸為人所知或散播（如光線、消息、感覺）
小提醒：注意「filter out」是「過濾掉、排除」，而「filter in」較少用。在科技與社交媒體情境中，「filter」常指「篩選內容」而非實體過濾。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Filter" from YouTube Videos
How to Get and Test Startup Ideas - Michael Seibel
Y Combinator
“and so the best startups actually very heavily filter the people who are able to use the initial product and make sure that they're the right type of initial customer.”
1. to pass a liquid, gas, light, or sound through a device to remove unwanted parts
使液體、氣體、光線或聲音通過過濾裝置以去除雜質
We need to filter the water before drinking it.
我們需要先過濾水才能飲用。
The air conditioning system filters dust and pollen from the air.
空調系統會過濾空氣中的灰塵和花粉。
2. to select or remove certain things from a group using specific criteria
根據特定標準從群體中篩選或移除某些事物
The software can filter spam emails automatically.
這款軟體能自動篩選垃圾郵件。
You can filter the search results by date and relevance.
你可以按日期和相關性來篩選搜尋結果。
3. to gradually become known or spread to people
逐漸為人所知或傳播開來
News of the incident slowly filtered through the organization.
事件的消息在組織內部慢慢傳開。
Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves of the forest.
陽光透過森林茂密的樹葉灑落下來。
4. to move gradually in or out of a place or group
逐漸進入或離開某地或群體
The audience began to filter out of the theater after the show.
演出結束後，觀眾開始陸續離開劇院。
New ideas are filtering into the traditional industry.
新觀念正逐漸滲透到傳統產業中。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| filter + noun | 過濾（某物） | The system will filter the water before it reaches the tap. (系統會在自來水到達水龍頭前將其過濾。) |
| filter + noun + from + noun | 從（某物）中過濾出（某物） | We need to filter the impurities from the solution. (我們需要從溶液中過濾出雜質。) |
| filter + through + noun | 滲透、穿過（某物） | Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of leaves. (陽光穿過茂密的樹葉層。) |
| filter + into/out of + noun | 滲入／滲出（某處） | News of the event slowly filtered out of the building. (關於該事件的消息慢慢從大樓裡傳了出來。) |
| be filtered | 被過濾、被篩選 | All applicants are carefully filtered before the interview stage. (所有申請者在面試階段前都會經過仔細篩選。) |
| filter + adverb (e.g., out, in) | 過濾掉／過濾進 | This software helps to filter out spam emails. (這款軟體有助於過濾掉垃圾郵件。) |
EN:We need to filter the water to make it safe for drinking.
翻譯:我們需要過濾這些水，使其達到安全飲用的標準。
一般情況下，描述過濾的常規功能或持續動作用 filter doing，而強調過濾的特定目的或目標時則用 filter to do。
filter vs sift
「filter」通常指使用物理裝置（如濾網、濾紙）分離固體與液體，或用軟體篩選資訊；「sift」則更常指用手或篩子分離細小顆粒（如麵粉），或用於仔細審查資訊。
filter vs purify
「filter」主要指通過物理過濾來移除雜質；「purify」的範圍更廣，指透過各種方法（如化學、蒸餾）使物質變得純淨，不僅限於過濾。
filter vs screen
「filter」強調讓符合條件的東西「通過」，排除其他；「screen」則強調初步「審查」以排除不合格者，常用於人員、申請或安全檢查。
在轉述他人意見或資訊時，常用來表示「篩選掉」或「過濾掉」某些部分。 EN: He told me to filter out the negative comments before showing him the report. 翻譯: 他告訴我，在把報告給他看之前，先把負面評論過濾掉。
EN:So what you're saying is, we need to filter the data by region first?
翻譯:所以你的意思是，我們需要先按地區篩選數據？
用於強調「有選擇性地接收或處理」，常與 "really"、"actually" 等副詞連用，加強語氣。 EN: You really need to filter what you hear from office gossip. 翻譯: 你真的需要過濾一下從辦公室八卦聽來的東西。
EN:I actually filter my emails as soon as they come in.
翻譯:我其實一收到郵件就會馬上篩選。
在思考如何表達時，作為一個短暫的停頓填充詞，引出後續更具體的說明。 EN: We have to, you know, filter... maybe by customer age group. 翻譯: 我們必須，你知道的，篩選…或許按客戶年齡層來分。
EN:The process is to filter—well, basically, to remove any duplicates.
翻譯:這個過程是要過濾—嗯，基本上，就是刪除任何重複項。
正式寫作注意：在正式書面語（如學術論文、商業報告）中，應避免將 "filter" 用作上述口語中的停頓填充詞，並建議使用更精確的術語（如 "screen", "select", "eliminate"）來替代語氣強調的口語用法，以保持文體的嚴謹性。
filter out
filter out [something]
過濾掉、排除
filter through
[something] filters through
逐漸滲透、慢慢傳開
filter into
filter into [a place/group]
逐漸進入、滲入
filter down
[information/effect] filters down
（資訊、影響等）向下傳遞、滲透
filter back
[people/information] filter back
逐漸返回、慢慢傳回
×I need to filter the water for make it clean.
✓I need to filter the water to make it clean.
使用 'for' 表示目的時，後面應接名詞或名詞片語。若要接動詞表示目的，應使用 'to + 動詞原形' 或 'in order to + 動詞原形'。
×The news were filtered by the government.
✓The news was filtered by the government.
'news' 在英文中是不可數名詞，即使以 's' 結尾，其動詞仍應使用單數形式。
×She filtered out the unnecessary details in her report.
✓She filtered out the unnecessary details from her report.
動詞片語 'filter out' 表示「過濾掉、剔除」，當提及被過濾的來源時，通常使用介系詞 'from'。
×He is filtering the data careful.
✓He is filtering the data carefully.
修飾動詞 'filtering'（如何過濾）應使用副詞 'carefully'，而非形容詞 'careful'。
×The sunlight filtered through the curtains and brightened the room.
✓Sunlight filtered through the curtains and brightened the room.
在此語境中，'sunlight' 作為泛指的自然現象，通常不加定冠詞 'the'。
×We need a new filter system for the aquarium.
✓We need a new filtration system for the aquarium. / We need a new filter for the aquarium.
'filter' 主要作動詞或指具體的「過濾器」名詞。若要指「過濾系統」這個整體概念或過程，更常使用名詞 'filtration'。