小词详解 | plaque

plaque 英 [plæk] 美 [plæk]

TEM8 GMAT GRE

外刊例句

• Sweat, tears, saliva and even dental plaque will do.
  汗液、泪水、唾液，甚至牙菌斑都可以。
  ——《经济学人》
• People can occasionally be seen pulling over with cameras outside a nondescript shopping center along 53rd Street, where an easy-to-overlook plaque notes the Obamas’ first date.
  偶尔可以看到人们在53街的一个不起眼的购物中心外面停下车来，拿出照相机，那里有个很容易错过的匾牌，上面的标识说那是奥巴马夫妇第一次约会的地方。
  ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[noun] an ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event
[名词] 一种装饰性的匾牌，通常由金属、瓷器或木头制成，固定在墙上或其他表面以纪念某人或某事件

深入解读

Plaque 是一个与熟词 plague 十分形似的单词，源自中古荷兰语 placke （圆盘、斑点、污渍），现主要表示附在建筑物或家具上木制、陶制或金属制的“匾牌、匾额、饰板”，多用来纪念某重要人物或某重要事件，比如：

• 今天在十字路口有大群的当地居民在拍照，因为总统夫人在那里为一块纪念匾牌揭幕。
  Today at the crossing there were swarms of local residents taking photographs, because the First Lady was there to unveil a commemorative plaque.
• 门外有一块铜牌，上面用拉丁字母列着各位牙科医生的名字。
  There was a brass plaque outside the door listing the various dentists' names rendered in the Latin alphabet.

等到了19世纪末， plaque 开始在医学上用来表示牙齿上的细菌斑点，即“牙斑、牙菌斑”，比如：

• 我偶然发现了一把很好的电动牙刷，价格不贵。这个牙刷可以温和去除牙菌斑而不损伤齿龈。
  I came across a really good electric toothbrush without the hefty price tag. The toothbrush gently removes plaque without damaging the gums.

值得注意的是，牙菌斑这种在牙齿上不断形成的带粘性而无色的细菌和糖分层，是造成蛀牙和牙龈疾病的主要原因，如果不每天清除，就会硬化成黄色或棕色的牙垢或者说牙结石（calculus or tartar）。

名著用例

They climbed two more flights until they reached a door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, saying RONALD'S ROOM.
他们又爬了两层，来到一扇油漆剥落的房门前，门上有块小牌子写着“罗恩的房间”。

出自英国作家J.K.罗琳创作的长篇小说《哈利·波特与密室》（Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets）。该小说是《哈利·波特》系列的第二部。

同近义词

• plate: a small, flat piece of metal or other material bearing a name or inscription and attached to a door or other object
• tablet: a flat slab of stone, clay, or wood, used especially for an inscription
• tartar: a hard calcified deposit that forms on the teeth and contributes to their decay

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