1. a plant or part of a plant used as food, such as a carrot, potato, or cabbage
蔬菜，植物或其一部分，用作食物，例如胡蘿蔔、馬鈴薯或高麗菜
You should eat more vegetables for a balanced diet.
為了均衡飲食，你應該多吃蔬菜。
The market sells fresh vegetables every morning.
市場每天早上都販售新鮮蔬菜。
Vegetable Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
vegetable
noun
快速理解
What does "Vegetable" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Vegetable"?
「vegetable」主要指可食用的植物部分，也用於形容植物人或無聊的狀態。
- 1
食用植物
EN: A plant or part of a plant used as food, such as carrots, broccoli, or spinach.
翻譯: 指作為食物食用的植物或植物部分，例如胡蘿蔔、花椰菜或菠菜。
- 2
植物人
EN: A person who is incapable of normal mental or physical activity, often due to brain damage.
翻譯: 指因腦部損傷等原因，無法進行正常心智或身體活動的人，即植物人。
- 3
單調乏味
EN: A dull, inactive, or uninteresting person or existence.
翻譯: 形容一個人或生活單調、缺乏活力或趣味。
小提醒：注意「vegetable」的第二個含義（植物人）帶有貶義，使用時需考慮場合與尊重。
發音（How to Pronounce "Vegetable" in English）
How to pronounce "Vegetable" in English?"Vegetable" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Vegetable" from YouTube Videos
Suzanne Lee: Grow your own clothes
TED
“so what you're left with, depending on the recipe, is something that's either like a really light-weight, transparent paper or something which is much more like a flexible vegetable leather.”
(1 out of 13)
Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Vegetable"?How does "Vegetable" change by context?
2. a person who is unable to think or move normally, especially due to severe brain damage
（尤指因嚴重腦損傷而）無法正常思考或行動的人；植物人
After the accident, he was left a vegetable.
事故發生後，他成了植物人。
The severe stroke reduced him to a vegetable.
嚴重的中風使他變成了植物人。
3. a dull or inactive person
呆板無趣或懶散的人
He's turned into a complete vegetable since he started binge-watching TV all day.
自從他開始整天狂看電視後，就變成了一個十足的懶人。
Don't be such a vegetable—get up and do something!
別這麼懶散——起來做點事吧！
4. relating to plants or derived from plants
植物的；來自植物的
The salad is made with vegetable oil.
這沙拉是用植物油製作的。
They follow a strictly vegetable diet.
他們遵循嚴格的素食飲食。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Vegetable"?How to make natural sentences with "Vegetable"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| vegetable + noun | 蔬菜（作為修飾語） | The vegetable soup is delicious. (蔬菜湯很美味。) |
| a + adjective + vegetable | 一種…的蔬菜 | Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable. (青花菜是一種營養豐富的蔬菜。) |
| eat/cook + vegetable(s) | 吃/煮蔬菜 | You should eat more vegetables. (你應該多吃蔬菜。) |
| grow/plant + vegetables | 種植蔬菜 | They grow organic vegetables in their garden. (他們在花園裡種植有機蔬菜。) |
| a variety of vegetables | 各種蔬菜 | The market sells a wide variety of vegetables. (這個市場販售各式各樣的蔬菜。) |
| fresh/frozen/canned vegetable(s) | 新鮮/冷凍/罐裝蔬菜 | I prefer fresh vegetables over canned ones. (比起罐頭蔬菜，我更喜歡新鮮的。) |
| vegetable + as + noun | 蔬菜作為… | He used the pumpkin as a vegetable in the stew. (他把南瓜當作燉菜裡的蔬菜使用。) |
| be + like a vegetable | （比喻）像植物人一樣；無精打采 | After the surgery, he was like a vegetable for days. (手術後，他有好幾天像植物人一樣。) |
用法說明
How is "Vegetable" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Vegetable"?
"vegetable" 與 "vegetables"
- "vegetable" (不可數名詞)：泛指「蔬菜」作為一類食物或概念，不強調具體種類或數量。
- "vegetables" (可數名詞)：指「多種蔬菜」或「一份一份的蔬菜」，強調具體的種類或個體。
- 在談論飲食、營養或烹飪時，兩者常可互換，但語意焦點略有不同。
- 當與其他食物並列時（如 meat and vegetables），通常使用複數形式。 EN: You should eat more vegetable for a balanced diet. 翻譯: 為了均衡飲食，你應該多吃蔬菜。
EN:I need to buy some vegetables, like carrots and broccoli, from the market.
翻譯:我需要去市場買一些蔬菜，像是胡蘿蔔和花椰菜。
總結建議
一般情況下，談論「多吃蔬菜」或「蔬菜的營養」時兩者皆可，但指具體種類或市場上販售的蔬菜時，使用複數形式 "vegetables" 更為準確。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Vegetable" and similar words?How to choose "Vegetable" vs alternatives?
vegetable vs vegetables
「vegetable」通常指蔬菜的種類或概念，為可數名詞；「vegetables」則指具體的、多樣的蔬菜實體。
vegetable vs veggie
「vegetable」是標準正式用語；「veggie」是其非正式、口語化的簡稱，常在日常對話或菜單中使用。
vegetable vs produce
「vegetable」專指蔬菜類食物；「produce」是統稱，泛指農場生產的新鮮農產品，包括蔬菜和水果。
口語用法
How is "Vegetable" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Vegetable"?
引述
在對話中，當引述或提及他人對某個詞的特定用法時，可能會加上引號或使用特殊語氣。 EN: He called my cooking "vegetable mush" and I was so offended. 翻譯: 他說我的菜是「蔬菜糊」，我超受傷的。
EN:My mom always says "eat your vegetables" in that classic mom voice.
翻譯:我媽總是用那種經典的媽媽語氣說「把你的蔬菜吃掉」。
語氣強調
在口語中，可能會透過重音、拉長音或重複來強調「vegetable」這個字，以表達強烈情感或對比。 EN: I said I wanted a salad, not a plate of plain, boring vege-ta-bles. 翻譯: 我說我要沙拉，不是一盤平淡無聊的蔬——菜——。
EN:You need to eat vegetables, vegetables, vegetables! They're good for you!
翻譯:你要吃蔬菜、蔬菜、蔬菜！它們對你有好處！
停頓填充
在思考或組織語句時，有時會用「vegetable」或相關短語作為填充詞，雖然不常見，但在特定語境下可能發生。 EN: So for dinner we had... uh... you know, the usual protein and a vegetable. 翻譯: 所以晚餐我們吃了…呃…你知道的，就是平常的蛋白質和一道蔬菜。
EN:His argument was so weak, it was like... vegetable soup? No, that's not the right metaphor.
翻譯:他的論點太薄弱了，就像…蔬菜湯？不對，這比喻不對。
正式寫作注意：上述口語用法，特別是「停頓填充」和誇張的「語氣強調」，通常僅限於非正式對話或創意寫作中。在學術、商業或任何正式書面文件中，應避免使用這類鬆散、即興的表達方式，直接明確地使用「vegetable」或其適當的同義詞即可。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Vegetable"?What fixed phrases with "Vegetable" should I remember?
raw vegetable
adj + vegetable
生蔬菜
root vegetable
adj + vegetable
根莖類蔬菜
leafy vegetable
adj + vegetable
葉菜類蔬菜
vegetable garden
vegetable + noun
菜園
vegetable oil
vegetable + noun
植物油
vegetable stock
vegetable + noun
蔬菜高湯
vegetable peeler
vegetable + noun
蔬菜削皮器
cut the vegetables
verb + the + vegetable(s)
切蔬菜
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Vegetable"?Which "Vegetable" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×I need to buy some vegetable for the soup.
✓I need to buy some vegetables for the soup.
When referring to vegetables in general or multiple types, use the plural form 'vegetables'. The singular 'vegetable' is used when referring to a single type or item (e.g., 'a green vegetable').
×An vegetable is an important part of a balanced diet.
✓A vegetable is an important part of a balanced diet.
The word 'vegetable' begins with a consonant sound /v/, so it requires the indefinite article 'a', not 'an'. Use 'an' only before vowel sounds.
×My favorite food is vegetable.
✓My favorite food is vegetables. / Vegetables are my favorite food.
When 'vegetable' is the subject or object referring to the food category, it is almost always used in the plural form 'vegetables'. The singular form sounds unnatural in this context.
×I am on a vegetable diet.
✓I am on a vegetarian diet.
'Vegetable' refers to the plant itself. 'Vegetarian' is the adjective describing a diet that consists mainly of vegetables, grains, and sometimes dairy/eggs, but no meat. Do not confuse the two.
×I bought a vegetable soup.
✓I bought some vegetable soup. / I bought a can of vegetable soup.
'Vegetable' here is a noun used attributively (like an adjective) to describe the type of soup. It does not take an article itself. The article belongs to the main noun ('soup'). Alternatively, use a partitive construction like 'a can of'.
×After the accident, he became a vegetable. (Used in inappropriate casual contexts)
✓Avoid using this term for people in most contexts. Use more sensitive and precise language.
While 'vegetable' can metaphorically refer to a person in a comatose or brain-dead state, it is considered highly offensive and dehumanizing. Learners should be aware of this meaning but avoid using it. Use clinical or more respectful terms instead.
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Vegetable"?What are tense/participle forms of "Vegetable"?