a house with its main living space on one floor

A bungalow is typically a single-storey house, so its main rooms do not require climbing stairs.

a small house, often in the countryside

常指乡村中较小、舒适的房子。

a building or room where students sleep

Dormitory is common in American English; British English often uses hall of residence for university housing.

a comfortable room or area for sitting and relaxing

A lounge provides seats for relaxing or waiting; in British homes it can also mean the living room.

connected with eating a meal

Dining is usually used before a noun.

a piece of furniture for one person to sit on

chair 是可数名词；sit on a chair 表示坐在椅子上。 a chair 常指单人椅；多把椅子用 chairs。

the person who leads a meeting, committee, or organisation

the chair 常指某个会议或委员会的主持人；chair 也可指担任该职务的人。 chair of + 委员会/组织 表示“……的主席”；不要与作动词的 chair a meeting 混淆。

to lead a meeting, committee, or discussion

chair 作动词时，宾语常是 meeting、committee 或 discussion。 chairperson 是主持人；在正式语境中 chair 也可直接作动词。

a comfortable chair with supports for your arms

armchair 是可数名词，常指带扶手、适合放松坐的单人椅。 in an armchair 表示坐在一把扶手椅上。

done from a position of comfort without direct practical experience

作形容词时 armchair 常带批评意味，说明只凭旁观或想象发表看法。 常放在名词前，如 armchair expert；不要用来形容普通的椅子。

a soft pad used to make a chair or seat more comfortable

A cushion is a soft loose pad; do not confuse it with a mattress or a pillow.

a platform outside an upper-floor room

通常指建筑物二层以上、从房间伸出的平台。

a room below ground level, usually used for storage

Cellar often suggests storage, especially for food or wine; basement is a broader term for the lowest level of a building.

the inside upper surface of a room

不要与 roof 混淆：ceiling 是室内顶部，roof 是屋顶。

a vertical pipe that carries smoke out of a building

A chimney carries smoke from a fire or stove safely above the roof.

a piece of cloth that covers a window or stage

draw the curtains 可指拉开或拉上窗帘，取决于语境。

a thick woven covering for a floor

A carpet may cover most of a floor; a rug is usually a smaller separate floor covering.

a container with sides and a lid

常见 a box of + 复数名词；mailbox 是复合词，不能把它当作 box 的新义。

to fight using your fists as a sport

box 是动词，boxing 是名词；常说 box against somebody。

a box where letters are delivered or collected

Mailbox is countable.

to fasten a door, box, or similar thing with a lock

Lock takes the thing secured as its object.

a small fastener on clothes or a control you press

Button can mean a clothing fastener or a control; the surrounding noun makes the meaning clear.

a long-handled brush used for sweeping floors

Use a broom to sweep floors, paths, or leaves; it is not used for mopping.

clothes that need washing or the work of washing them

Laundry is uncountable; say do the laundry, not do a laundry.

an empty space or opening in something solid

Hole is countable and can be natural or made by damage.

the flat surface at the bottom of a room that people walk on

Floor means the surface inside a room. On the floor can describe where an object has fallen or been placed.

one of the levels in a building

In British English, the ground floor is the level at street level; the first floor is the level above it.

an electrical appliance that keeps food and drink cold

Fridge is the usual shortened form of refrigerator in everyday British English.

to prepare food by heating it

Cook is a verb when it names the activity of preparing food.

a person who prepares food

As a noun, cook names the person, not the activity.

equipment used for cooking food

Cooker names an appliance, not the person who cooks.

an oven that cooks food quickly with microwaves

Microwave is countable for the kitchen appliance.

a device that gives light, especially one that stands on a table or floor

Use turn on/off the lamp for an individual light in a room.

a stick of wax with a wick that gives light when it burns

常用 light a candle；吹灭用 blow out a candle。

a small object or device that makes a ringing sound as a signal

ring the bell 中 ring 是动词；本卡不把 bell 误教成动词。

the quality of being hot or the energy that makes things hot

Heat is uncountable for high temperature.

a container that keeps drinks hot or cold

Thermos is commonly used for an insulated flask.

a glass container with a wide opening and a lid

Use jar of + food for contents; jar refers to the container itself.

a container with a narrow top, or the amount it holds

a bottle of + 不可数名词；数量表达中也可说 two bottles of water。

a cover that closes the top of a container

A lid covers the opening of a box, pot or similar container; on and off describe closing and opening it.

an eyelid

Lid can be a shortened form of eyelid, particularly in descriptions of tiredness or sleep.

a container used for boiling water

英式常说 put the kettle on，意为烧水。

a soft metal or a metal container

Tin can mean the metal or, especially in British English, a metal container for food.

a container with a lid, handle and spout used for making and serving tea

A teapot holds tea while it brews and is served. A kettle is normally used to heat the water; the two are not the same object.

a small container for a drink, or the amount it holds

This sense refers to an ordinary drinking container or measure.

a trophy awarded to the winner of a competition

This sense is a trophy or the competition represented by it.

to hold something in hands curved into a cup shape

The verb describes shaping the hands to hold or protect something.

a piece of clothing worn over other clothes

Use coat for an outer garment; a jacket is usually shorter and lighter.

a layer covering a surface

This sense names a layer spread over a surface, not a piece of clothing.

a short coat worn on the upper body

A jacket is usually shorter than a coat.

trousers made of strong cotton cloth, usually blue denim

Jeans is plural: say a pair of jeans, not a jean when you mean the trousers.

a covering worn on the head

Hat is countable and is worn for warmth, protection, or style.

a covering for the hand, worn for warmth, protection, or sport

Gloves are normally used in the plural because people usually wear one on each hand.

a strip worn round the waist or used to hold someone safely in place

先掌握腰带与 seat belt；机器传动义不作为核心义。

the part of a shirt or coat around the neck, or a band around an animal's neck

A shirt has a collar; a dog wears a collar. Use on the collar for something attached to its surface, such as a name tag.

a delicate cloth made of a pattern of threads, used for decoration

Lace is uncountable when it means decorative open-pattern cloth.

a string that is used to fasten a shoe

For shoes, lace is countable; laces is common when speaking about both shoelaces.

a valuable stone used in jewellery

可指真的宝石，也可比喻最珍贵的事物。

decorative items such as rings and necklaces

美式拼写 jewelry；通常不可数。

a popular style of clothes, hair, or behaviour

fashion 作“时尚”时通常不可数；in fashion 表示“流行”。

a covering worn over the face

A mask can hide the face, protect it, or be used in a performance.

hide a feeling or fact from others

Mask takes a direct object when it means conceal.

worn and in poor condition, or dressed in such clothes

Shabby can describe clothing, furniture or buildings that look worn and neglected. A shabby person is poorly dressed; the word does not necessarily mean dirty.

to become smaller or make something smaller

The usual past form is shrank and the past participle is shrunk; shrunk also occurs as a past form. The subject may shrink by itself, or something may shrink it.

to move back or avoid something because of fear or reluctance

Shrink from is followed by a noun or an -ing form. It means avoid facing something difficult, not become physically smaller.

a repeated design or regular way of happening

Pattern can describe a visual design or a repeated regular arrangement.

how big something is, or the number that describes clothes or shoes

询问衣服或鞋的尺码常说 What size ...?。

fitting closely, firmly fixed or stretched rather than loose

Tight can describe close-fitting clothes, a firm fastening or a strong hold. It contrasts with loose; a tight garment may be uncomfortable.

closely controlled or allowing little freedom or room for error

Tight security means carefully controlled access and strong precautions, not a physical fastening.

firmly and securely

Tight is an adverb in common combinations such as hold tight and shut tight. Tightly is also an adverb, but these fixed combinations naturally use tight.

a fastening with two rows of teeth

A zip fastens clothing or bags by pulling two rows of teeth together.

fasten something with a zip

Double p in zipped and zipping. Zip up can be separated: zip it up.

a device for fastening clothes or bags

Zipper is the American word for zip.

a piece of clothing for the upper body, usually with a collar and sleeves

shirt 通常有领和袖子。

a piece of clothing covering the legs

trousers 通常用复数；量词用 a pair of。

a warm knitted piece of clothing for the upper body

英式也常说 jumper；sweater 指针织上衣。

a sleeveless piece of clothing

Vest can mean a sleeveless garment; a safety vest is worn for visibility.

a piece of clothing worn on the foot inside a shoe

通常说 a pair of socks 表示一双袜子。

the part of a shirt or coat that covers an arm

A sleeve is the part of clothing that covers all or part of an arm.

a traditional Chinese dress for women

qipao 是可数名词；一件旗袍说 a qipao。

a casual shirt with short sleeves and a T-shaped body

T-shirt 中的 T 要大写，常与 jeans 等搭配。

a piece of cloth worn around the neck, head, or shoulders

可数名词。

a piece of jewellery worn around the neck

A necklace is worn around the neck; it is not the neck itself.

a necklace made from pearls

pearl necklace 是由珍珠串成的项链。

a round band worn or shaped like a circle

Ring as a noun can be jewellery or a circular shape.

make a bell sound or telephone someone

Ring means make a bell sound or call someone by phone. The bell rings has no object; ring the bell means make it sound. The past tense is rang and the past participle is rung.

a covering for the foot, usually made of leather or fabric

通常说 a pair of shoes 表示“一双鞋”。

a casual shoe with a flexible rubber sole, worn for sport or everyday use

Sneaker is common in American English; trainer is common in British English. The plural sneakers often refers to the two shoes worn together.

a person who makes clothes

Tailor is countable when it names a person who makes or alters clothes.

to make or adapt something for a particular person or purpose

Tailor something to someone's needs means adapt it for them; the verb also refers to making fitted clothing.

a thin pointed tool for sewing

thread a needle 指把线穿过针眼。

a thin strand for sewing

Thread is used for sewing; it is thinner than string.

a connected sequence of ideas

Use the thread for the line connecting ideas in speech or writing.

to join or repair material with a needle and thread

Sew is pronounced like so. Its past tense is sewed; the past participle can be sewn or sewed.

a soft, smooth material made from threads produced by silkworms

silk 通常不可数；表示材料时用 made of silk。

the soft hair from sheep used for cloth

Wool is uncountable when it means the material.

made of wool

Woolen is the usual American spelling; British English generally uses woollen. Both describe something made of wool.

material made by weaving or knitting fibres

Fabric is generally uncountable when referring to material; fabrics can name different types.

the connected parts that make a society or structure work

The fabric of society is a metaphor for its connected relationships, customs and institutions.

the outside top covering of a building

Roof is the outside covering, while ceiling is inside a room.

the upper surface of a roof

Rooftop focuses on roof space that people can stand or build on.

a vertical side of a room or building

on the wall 表示物体附着或挂在墙上。

an opening in a wall with glass in it

open the window 中 window 是可数名词，通常要有冠词。

an area of ground next to a house, or a unit of length equal to 0.9144 metres

yard 指住宅旁的院子；表示距离时一 yard 约为 0.91 米。

an area outside the centre of a city

A suburb is a residential area on the edge of a city.

a very small town in the countryside

village 通常比 town 小，常用于乡村聚落。

a person who lives in a village

villager 指住在村庄里的人；复数 villagers 很常见。

a place where people live that is smaller than a city

in town 常指在城里或镇上。

the area near a particular place where people live

Use in the neighbourhood for an area nearby; it does not mean one particular neighbour.

a long comfortable seat for two or more people

sofa 通常比单人扶手椅大。

a piece of furniture with a flat top

at table 指“在吃饭”；at the table 指“在桌旁”。

a set of facts arranged in rows and columns

阅读题中 table 常指数据表格。

a soft support for your head in bed

A pillow supports your head when you lie down or sleep.

a warm bed covering made from layers of cloth, often with filling stitched between them

A quilt is a bed covering, often stitched through several layers. A patchwork quilt has a top made from pieces of different fabrics.

a large piece of cloth used on a bed

Sheets are bed linen; change the sheets means replace the used ones with clean ones.

a thin flat piece of material

A sheet of names a flat piece of paper, glass, metal or another material.

a broad thin layer covering a surface

A sheet of ice or water spreads across an area rather than forming a small separate piece.

a flat board fixed to a wall or inside a cupboard for holding things

复数为 shelves。

a container used for holding flowers

A vase is normally used for holding cut flowers or as a decorative container.

the coloured part of a plant that produces seeds, or a plant grown for its flowers

Flower can name one bloom or a plant grown for its blooms. The plural flowers is common when speaking generally.

to put furniture in a room or provide what is needed

furnish sb with sth 表示提供某人所需之物。

having furniture provided

常修饰 flat、room、accommodation。

large movable items used in a room

不可数；不能说 furnitures，一件家具用 a piece of furniture。

a device that controls water, or a light hit

英式英语中 tap 常指水龙头。

hit something lightly

tap 语气比 hit 轻。

an act of washing your body under running water

have/take a shower 均表示“洗淋浴”。

a short period of rain

shower 指短时降雨，不等于持续整天的大雨。

a piece of cloth for drying

Use towel to dry a person or object after washing.

a room or fixture used for going to the toilet

British English often uses toilet for both the room and the fixture.

a long hollow tube that carries water, gas, or other material

Pipe is countable; use water pipe or gas pipe to specify what it carries.

a long hollow object, or a soft container that releases its contents when squeezed

A tube may carry liquid or gas, or contain a product such as toothpaste. Use a tube of for the amount held in a squeezable container.

the underground railway system in London

The Tube, often capitalised, is the familiar name for London's underground railway. It is not the usual name for every city's metro system.

an electronic tube that produces an image on the screen of some older televisions or monitors

This sense belongs especially to older screen technology. A picture tube is an electronic component, not an ordinary pipe carrying water.

a piece of glass that shows a reflection

Mirror is countable.

smooth and shiny like a mirror

Mirror-like is a hyphenated adjective often used before a noun; it can also follow a linking verb.

something kept to remind you of a place or event

A souvenir is something bought or kept to remind you of a place or event.

an object that a child plays with

toy 作名词时通常可数。

an object held over the head to protect from rain or sun

umbrella 是可数名词。

a substance that becomes soft or melts when heated and is used for candles, polish and similar products

Wax is generally uncountable for the material. A piece of wax refers to one amount; wax may come from bees or other sources.

to put wax on a surface to protect it or make it shine

Wax takes the surface as its direct object. In this sense, it describes applying a coating rather than making the object itself from wax.

a small case for money and cards

wallet 通常指放钱、银行卡等的小钱包。

to look at something for a period of time

watch 后可接电影、比赛等持续观看的事物。

a small timepiece worn on the wrist

watch 作名词时通常指戴在手腕上的表。

free from dirt or unwanted marks

clean + 名词可表示清洁且未被污染。

to remove dirt from something

clean up 强调把某处收拾干净。

a person or machine that cleans

可指清洁工，也可指清洁设备。

in a neat and complete way

cleanly 常修饰动作完成的方式。

a dirty mark

A stain is a mark that is often hard to wash away; use on before the marked surface.

not likely to rust

Stainless commonly describes steel that resists rust; use it before steel rather than as a general synonym for clean.

a type of steel designed to resist rust

Stainless steel is an uncountable material name; use made of to describe an object made from it.

a tool for cleaning floors

A mop has an absorbent head for cleaning a floor with water.

clean a floor with a mop or wipe liquid away

The past tense and -ing form double p: mopped, mopping.

a substance used for washing

Soap is generally uncountable when referring to the substance used for washing.

to clean with water

wash 可直接接被洗的物品，如 hands 或 dishes。

to clean or dry by rubbing with cloth

Wipe + object + dry means remove moisture; wipe something off names what is removed.

to move a hand or object repeatedly over a surface

rub against 表示“与……摩擦”。

a small piece of old cloth

A rag is usually an old piece of cloth kept for cleaning or wiping.

a substance for making a surface shine, or an act of rubbing it shiny

Polish is uncountable for the cleaning substance; a polish can refer to one act of polishing.

to rub a surface until it becomes smooth and shiny

Polish names the action of rubbing; polished describes the shiny result.

to improve something by making small final changes

For writing or performance, polish means refine details after the main work has been done.

smooth and shiny from rubbing or treatment

Polished describes the finished surface; the final -ed is pronounced /t/ after /ʃ/.

skilful, confident and carefully finished

A polished performance or presentation runs smoothly because it has been carefully prepared.

a regular job that has to be done, especially at home

多用复数 chores 指一系列家务，如 washing dishes、taking out the rubbish；后接元音时，英式连读中可能听到 /r/。

a task that is boring or difficult but must be done

a chore 可泛指让人觉得麻烦的任务，不只指家务。

earth or a substance that makes something unclean

Dirt is soil or unwanted grime.

covered with dirt or not clean

Dirty describes something that has dirt on it.

very small dry particles of dirt

作“灰尘”时通常不可数。

to remove dust from a surface

dust 后接要清洁的表面或物品；dust off 还可表示掸掉灰。

a container for rubbish

主要用于英国英语；美式英语常说 trash can。

covered with dust

常形容很久没有清扫的地方或物品。

small pieces of rubbish left in a public place

Litter is uncountable; use a litter bin for a public rubbish container.

a state of being dirty or untidy, or one untidy situation or area

Mess is uncountable for untidiness in general; a mess is one untidy situation or area.

dirty or untidy

Messy describes something not neat.

liquid or gas escapes through a hole

Leak as an intransitive verb describes liquid or gas escaping through a hole.

give secret information to others

Leak information means reveal it without permission.

the grey powder left after something has burned

Ash is usually uncountable when it means the powder left after burning.

a wide container for water or washing

A basin holds water; a bathroom basin usually has taps and a drain.

a low area of land, or the area drained by a river

A river basin includes the land whose water flows into that river; a land basin is lower than the surrounding ground.

a long seat for several people

A bench is a long seat, often found in parks, gardens or stations.

a strong table used for practical work

A bench in a workshop or laboratory is a work surface rather than a seat.

the seats or players available to replace players in a game

A player on the bench is available to join the game as a substitute.

a container for rubbish, especially in British English

BrE 常说 rubbish bin；AmE 常说 trash can。

the lowest part of something

常用 at the bottom of；可指容器、页面或山谷的最下端。bottom drawer/shelf 表示“最下面的抽屉/架子”。

the lowest position in a list or competition

常见 at the bottom of the list；与具体物体的底部不同。

a round deep dish used for food

a bowl of + 食物；注意与 bottle 的窄口容器不同。

a tool with bristles used for cleaning, tidying, or painting

toothbrush 是由 tooth 和 brush 构成的名词；brush 单独作名词时可指刷子或画笔。

to clean or make something neat by using a brush

brush one’s teeth 表示“刷牙”；brush 作动词后可接名词。

an open container with a handle

A bucket is a container with a handle, often used for water, sand, or cleaning materials.

a container with bars or wire for keeping an animal inside

A cage has bars or mesh that let air through while keeping an animal enclosed.

to put or keep an animal in a cage

Cage is also a verb; the animal being enclosed is its object.

the tall stem of a plant, especially sugar cane, or material made from it

sugar cane 为不可数的作物名称；a cane 可指一根藤条。读 /keɪn/，不要和 can /kæn/ 混淆；二者没有词族关系。

a stick used to help a person walk

常说 walk with a cane；这里的 cane 指助行手杖。

a hard transparent material used for windows, bottles, and many containers

Glass is uncountable when it means the material.

a drinking container made of glass, or the amount it holds

A glass is countable when it means a drinking container or one serving of a drink.

very pleasing to see, hear, or think about

可形容人、风景、声音、音乐等；常用 very/so/quite 修饰。

very good, kind, or skilfully done

多用于肯定评价，如 a beautiful idea / a beautiful piece of work。

the quality that gives pleasure to the senses or the mind

常见 beauty of + 名词；natural beauty 指自然美景。

a person or thing that is especially beautiful or excellent

a real beauty 既可称赞人，也可称赞漂亮或出色的物品。

not covered or decorated

Bare describes something without its usual covering, clothes, leaves, or furniture.

only just; almost not

Barely has a negative meaning: barely enough means only just enough, and barely any means almost none.

a cover worn over clothes to keep them clean