BBC Learning English - English in a Minute: 4 meanings of ’tank'

Episode 261013 / 13 Oct 2026

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核心介绍

项目	内容
节目	English in a Minute
集数	Episode 261013
发布日期	13 Oct 2026
级别	Intermediate (中级)
主持人	Phil
时长	约 1 分钟
主题	多义词：tank 的四个含义

中文简介

本期节目介绍单词 “tank” 的 四个不同含义。你可能已经知道 “tank” 是“储罐/坦克”，但还有：

汽车油箱容量 - a tank of fuel
无袖背心 - tank top
表现惨败/价值暴跌 - to tank (verb)
故意输掉比赛 - to tank a game (verb)

Phil 通过生动例句演示每个含义的用法，帮你一分钟掌握这个多义词！

重点词汇表

单词/短语	英文释义	中文释义	来源语境
tank (n.)	a container for liquid or gas	储罐；油箱	基础含义
a tank of fuel	the maximum amount of fuel a car can hold	一箱油；油箱容量	含义 1
tank top (n.)	a piece of clothing that covers your upper body but has no sleeves	无袖背心；吊带衫	含义 2
tank (v.)	to perform very badly or lose a lot of value	表现惨败；价值暴跌	含义 3
tank a game/match (v.)	to deliberately lose a game or match	故意输掉比赛；打假球	含义 4
tanked (past)	past tense of tank	惨败了；暴跌了	例句变位
tanking (gerund)	present participle of tank	惨败中；故意输球中	例句变位

四大含义详解

1. amount of fuel a car can hold — 汽车油箱容量

A tank of fuel is the maximum amount your car can hold, so can be used to measure what volume of fuel you will need for a journey.

例句:

It’s a long drive – it’ll take two tanks.
- 路程很远 —— 要跑两箱油。
We used nearly a full tank of petrol getting to Cornwall.
- 我们去康沃尔差不多用了一整箱汽油。

2. sleeveless top — 无袖背心

A tank top is a piece of clothing that covers your upper body but has no sleeves.

例句:

Are you trying to show off your muscles with that ridiculous tank top?
- 你穿那件荒唐的背心是想秀肌肉吗？
It’s really hot today, so I’m going to wear a tank top.
- 今天真热，我要穿件无袖背心。

3. perform very badly — 表现惨败 / 价值暴跌

If something tanks, it performs very badly or loses a lot of value.

例句:

That wasn’t the right product. Our profits have tanked since we launched it.
- 那产品不对路。自从上市以来我们的利润暴跌了。
The movie tanked after it received so many bad reviews.
- 那电影收获一堆差评后票房惨败。

4. deliberately lose a game — 故意输掉比赛 / 打假球

If a team tanks a game or match, it deliberately loses.

例句:

What are you doing? Are you trying to tank the match?
- 你干嘛呢？你是想故意输球吗？
She scored an own goal – if that’s not tanking the game, then I don’t know what is!
- 她乌龙球 —— 这要不是打假球，我不知道什么是！

词形变化对比表

形式	含义 1 (名词)	含义 2 (名词短语)	含义 3 (动词)	含义 4 (动词)
原形	tank	tank top	tank	tank
复数/第三人称单数	tanks	tank tops	tanks	tanks
过去式	-	-	tanked	tanked
现在分词	-	-	tanking	tanking
典型搭配	a tank of fuel/water	wear a tank top	profits tanked, movie tanked	tank the match/game

批判性思考题

多义词的语义网络：tank 从 “container for liquid” 语义延伸出 “fuel capacity” (整体代部分)、“sleeveless garment” (形状隐喻)、“fail badly” (概念隐喻：像坦克压垮/油箱空了)、“throw a game” (引申义)。这种 polysemy chain (多义链) 如何体现英语词汇的 economy principle (经济原则)？
动词化的生产力：tank (n.) → tank (v.) 是英语典型的 zero derivation (零派生/功能转换)。类似 google, email, text, uber。为何 container → fail 能建立联系？conceptual metaphor: FAILURE IS A CONTAINER COLLAPSING / RESOURCE DEPLETION。
体育语境的道德模糊地带：tank a game 暗示 intentional underperformance。相关英语表达：throw a game, take a dive, sandbag, shave points。如何用英语讨论 tanking strategy 在职业体育中的 ethical dilemma (道德困境) 与 draft lottery incentives (选秀彩票激励)？
时尚词汇的跨文化借用：tank top (美式) vs vest/singlet (英式/澳式/新西兰) vs marcel (法语借词，指男式背心)。如何用英语表达 regional lexical variation？US/UK clothing vocabulary differences。
金融/商业语境的隐喻投射：profits tanked, stock tanked, crypto tanked。金融英语中 downward movement metaphors：plummet, crash, nosedive, freefall, sink, slump, tank。这些动词在 register (语域)、 intensity (强度)、 volitionality (自主性) 上有何细微差别？

完整对话记录

Transcript

Phil: You might already know one meaning of ’tank’ – a container for water or another liquid. But do you know these four other meanings? Get to know the word ’tank’ with me!

Meaning 1: amount of fuel a car can hold A tank of fuel is the maximum amount your car can hold, so can be used to measure what volume of fuel you will need for a journey.

It’s a long drive – it’ll take two tanks.
We used nearly a full tank of petrol getting to Cornwall.

Meaning 2: sleeveless top A tank top is a piece of clothing that covers your upper body but has no sleeves.

Are you trying to show off your muscles with that ridiculous tank top?
It’s really hot today, so I’m going to wear a tank top.

Meaning 3: perform very badly If something tanks, it performs very badly or loses a lot of value.

That wasn’t the right product. Our profits have tanked since we launched it.
The movie tanked after it received so many bad reviews.

Meaning 4: deliberately lose a game If a team tanks a game or match, it deliberately loses.

What are you doing? Are you trying to tank the match?
She scored an own goal – if that’s not tanking the game, then I don’t know what is!

网页设计建议（如需制作学习卡片/页面）

组件	设计建议
音频播放器	顶部固定播放条，支持倍速、下载、进度条、显示时间轴
四含义卡片网格	2×2 网格，每卡片：大号含义标题 + 图标 (⛽👕📉🏈) + 1 例句 + 点击展开详情
词形变化表	可折叠对比表，高亮动词变位，支持点击发音
语义网络图	中心 “tank” 辐射四义，箭头标注延伸机制：Metonymy / Metaphor / Zero Derivation
Quiz 互动	场景匹配： “Car needs 2 ___ for trip” (tanks) / “Wore a ___ in summer” (tank top) / “Stock ___ after scandal” (tanked) / “Accused of ___ the match” (tanking)
同义词光谱	含义 3: tank / plummet / crash / nosedive / slump — 强度排序含义 4: tank / throw / dive / sandbag — 语域/隐晦度排序
跨词汇对比	tank top (US) vs vest (UK) vs singlet (AU/NZ) vs marcel — 地区差异地图
关键概念图谱	节点：Container → Capacity / Garment Shape / Failure Metaphor / Sports Strategy
思考题区	可展开的问答卡片，适合教学/自测/讨论区
资源下载区	显眼按钮：📥 MP3 / 📄 PDF(文字稿) / 🌐 BBC 原文页
导航链接	底部 “Previous / Next Episode” + “View All English in a Minute”

BBC Learning English - English in a Minute: 4 meanings of 'tank'