「off」是離開、停止，有時還是開始

介副詞 off 給人的感覺是離開。開關是 off，外套脫了是 off，飛機起飛是 take off。這部分很簡單。

但接著 off 開始加班：put off a task、call off a game、set off an alarm、go off at six、show off a new watch、drop off a package，還有 pay off a loan。突然之間，off 不只是「離開表面」。它可以表示停止、取消、延後、觸發、分離、啟程，或還清一筆債。

好消息是，大多數 off 片語仍然帶著同一種基本感覺：某樣東西離開了它原本的位置、原本的時間、原本的狀態，或原本的連結。

快速解答

off 常常加上「離開、分離、停止、延後、觸發或完成」的概念。動詞提供動作；off 標示與當前狀態的斷裂。

• take off：脫掉衣物、離地起飛，或一炮而紅
• turn off／switch off：關掉電源、聲音或注意力
• call off：取消
• put off：延後，或讓人倒胃口
• set off：啟程、觸發，或襯托突顯
• go off：響起、爆炸、變質或發生
• drop off：送達、下滑或睡著
• show off：得意地展示，常常太得意
• pay off：付清，或帶來好結果

關鍵問題是：被分離、停止、延後、觸發或送走的是什麼？

核心概念

字面上的 off 是脫離接觸。杯子從桌上掉下來是 falls off a table，你把標籤從盒子上撕下來是 take a label off a box。在 phrasal verbs 裡，這種分離變得更抽象。

如果你 turn off 一盞燈，你讓它脫離電源。如果你 call off 一場會議，你讓它脫離行事曆。如果你 put off 一個決定，你把它從現在挪開。如果警報 goes off，它打破了寂靜。如果飛機 takes off，它離開了地面。如果努力 pays off，那份付出終於析出了有用的結果。

off 常常給人果斷的感覺。某樣東西本來是連著的、排定的、安靜的、未付清的、附著的，或等待中的。現在不是了。

Off 表示移除：Take Off、Peel Off、Wipe Off

off 最具體的意思是移除。

• Please take off your shoes at the door.
• She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.
• The sticker peeled off easily.
• I wiped off the table after lunch.
• He brushed off the dust from his jacket.

這些片語通常表示某樣東西離開一個表面、身體或物品。Take off 表示脫掉衣物或取下物品時是可分的：

• She took off her coat.
• She took her coat off.
• She took it off.

談到衣物，off 非常自然。"Remove your shoes." 沒有錯但很正式；日常口語裡 "Take off your shoes." 才是常態。

Off 表示停止：Turn Off、Switch Off、Shut Off

當機器、燈光、聲音或某種流動停止時，off 很常出現。

• Please turn off the lights.
• I switched off my phone during the movie.
• The city shut off the water for repairs.
• The heater cut off automatically.

Turn off 和 switch off 通常表示關掉裝置。Shut off 常表示停止供應：水、瓦斯、電力、存取權或某種流量。

它們都是可分的：

• Turn off the fan.
• Turn the fan off.
• Turn it off.

Switch off 也可以描述注意力：

• I switched off during the long speech.

意思是你的腦袋不再專心。沒有真正的開關，雖然感覺起來很像有一個。

Off 表示取消與延後：Call Off、Put Off

off 可以把一個活動從計畫中移走。

• They called off the picnic because of the storm.
• The match was called off after heavy rain.
• We had to put off the decision until next week.
• Do not put off your appointment for too long.

Call off 表示取消。計畫原本在行事曆上，現在被移掉了。

Put off 表示延後。你把任務從現在挪到未來。它是可分的：

• We put off the meeting.
• We put the meeting off.
• We put it off.

Put off 也可以表示讓人反感或退避三舍。

• The rude service put me off the restaurant.
• The strong smell put her off eating.

在這個意思裡，有某樣東西把你的興趣推開了。

Off 表示開始：Take Off、Set Off、Start Off

這是讓許多學習者意外的部分：off 可以標示一個開始。

• The plane took off on time.
• We set off before sunrise.
• The runners started off slowly.
• The project started off as a small experiment.

為什麼 off 會表示開始？因為動作是從離開起點開始的。飛機離開地面，旅人離開家門，賽跑從起跑線出發，專案離開它最初的構想往前走。

Take off 也可以表示快速走紅或起飛式的成功：

• Her small channel took off after one popular video.
• Sales took off in December.

畫面就是一架快速爬升的飛機：迅猛的動勢、能量和成功。

表示啟程的 set off 通常是不及物的：

• We set off at six.
• They set off for the coast.

Off 表示觸發：Set Off、Go Off

off 也可以表示某樣東西因為被觸發而突然啟動。

• Smoke set off the alarm.
• One small comment set off a long argument.
• The alarm went off at 6:30.
• Fireworks went off all night.
• A bomb went off near the bridge.

Set off 通常是及物的：某樣東西讓另一樣東西啟動。

• The smell set off my allergies.
• The mistake set off a chain of problems.

Go off 通常描述「啟動的那個東西」：警報響起、煙火炸開、裝置啟動，或事件突然發生。

要小心：go off 也可以表示食物變質：

• The milk has gone off.

這個意思在某些地區很常見，其他地方的人可能會說 "spoiled" 或 "went bad"。不論哪種說法，食物都離開了它的良好狀態。

Off 表示送走與送達：Drop Off、Send Off、See Off

當某人或某物被送走時，off 很好用。

• Can you drop off this package at the front desk?
• I dropped my sister off at the station.
• The company sent off the documents yesterday.
• We went to the airport to see off our friends.

Drop off 可以表示把人或物送到某個地點。它是可分的：

• I dropped off the keys.
• I dropped the keys off.
• I dropped them off.

它也可以表示下滑：

• Attendance dropped off after lunch.

還可以表示睡著：

• I dropped off during the movie.

每一個意思裡都有東西在離開：包裹離開你的手，數字從原本的水準往下走，或你的意識離開清醒狀態。

Off 表示展示：Show Off

Show off 表示得意地展示某樣東西，而且常常得意過了頭。

• He bought a new guitar and wanted to show it off.
• Stop showing off and help us clean up.
• The dress shows off the design beautifully.

當它描述一個人想讓別人刮目相看時，常帶負面意味。

• "He is showing off." 通常表示他在炫耀或表現得很浮誇。

但當主詞是物品、展現出某個優點時，它可以是正面或中性的：

• The lighting shows off the artwork.

概念是某樣東西被帶出來，從平凡的背景中突顯出來。

Off 表示結果：Pay Off、Finish Off、Pull Off

有些 off 片語指向最終的結果。

• She finally paid off her student loan.
• All that practice paid off.
• We finished off the last slice of cake.
• Somehow, they pulled off the surprise party.

Pay off 有兩個常見意思。第一，付清債務：

• They paid off the car loan.

第二，努力之後開花結果：

• Months of practice paid off.

Finish off 表示完成最後一部分，常常是吃完、擊敗或結束某樣東西：

• Who finished off the cookies?

Pull off 表示成功辦到一件困難的事：

• I cannot believe they pulled it off.

這三組片語裡，off 都在標示結果已經脫離了「未完成」的狀態。

常見錯誤

• "The meeting was put off forever." 聽起來是延後，不是取消。如果它不會舉行了，要說 "The meeting was called off."
• 想表示下車時，"I took off the bus." 通常聽起來不對。要說 "I got off the bus."
• "The alarm rang off." → "The alarm went off." · 警報是 go off。
• "Please off the light." → "Please turn off the light." · Off 需要搭配動詞。
• "He showed me off his phone." → "He showed off his phone" 或 "He showed me his phone." · 這兩句的意思不一樣。

小練習

1. The outdoor concert was _____ _____ because of lightning.
2. Please _____ _____ the stove before you leave.
3. The plane _____ _____ twenty minutes late.
4. Smoke from the kitchen _____ _____ the alarm.
5. I keep _____ _____ this task, but I need to do it today.

解答

1. called off — 取消活動是 call off。
2. turn off／switch off — 關掉裝置是 turn off 或 switch off。
3. took off — 飛機離地是 take off。
4. set off — 讓警報啟動是 set off。
5. putting off — 拖延任務是 put off。

小結

遇到 off，找出那個斷裂點：脫離接觸、脫離行程、打破寂靜、中斷供應，或擺脫未完成的狀態。有東西離開了、停止了、啟動了、被觸發了，或終於塵埃落定。

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