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a/an + singular count noun
octopus 作可数名词时指动物本身，单数前用 an，因为其发音以元音音素开头。
An octopus has eight tentacles.
章鱼有八条触手。
章鱼须
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
章鱼须
tentacles of octopus prepared as food
An octopus has eight tentacles.
章鱼有八条触手。
Any of several marine molluscs of the order Octopoda, having no internal or external protective shell or bone (unlike the nautilus, squid and cuttlefish) and eight arms each covered with suckers.
作为食物准备的章鱼触须
tentacles of octopus prepared as food
A mollusc from genus Octopus.
底栖的软体动物,具有柔软的椭圆形身体和八条长触须
bottom-living cephalopod having a soft oval body with eight long tentacles
The restaurant is famous for its tender grilled octopus with lemon and olive oil.
这家餐厅以嫩烤章鱼须配柠檬和橄榄油而闻名。
At the market, I bought some fresh octopus to make a traditional seafood salad.
我在市场买了一些新鲜章鱼须，想做一道传统海鲜沙拉。
She simmered the octopus slowly until it was soft enough to eat.
她慢慢炖煮章鱼须，直到它软到可以吃。
octopus 作可数名词时指动物本身，单数前用 an，因为其发音以元音音素开头。
An octopus has eight tentacles.
章鱼有八条触手。
octopus 的复数形式为 octopuses。
Octopuses are intelligent animals.
章鱼是聪明的动物。
octopus 指章鱼肉（食物）时是不可数名词，不用冠词，谓语动词用单数。
Octopus is served in many seafood restaurants.
许多海鲜餐馆供应章鱼。
Not this
There are many octopi in the ocean.
Use this
There are many octopuses in the ocean.
octopus 的复数形式是 octopuses，不是 octopi。常见错误是将其类比为拉丁语复数（如 cactus → cacti），但 octopus 源自希腊语，复数应加 -es。
Not this
I like to eat an octopus.
Use this
I like to eat octopus.
当 octopus 指章鱼肉作为食物时，是不可数名词，不能用不定冠词 an。中国学习者受汉语影响，将“章鱼”既当作动物又当作食物而误用可数形式，应直接使用 octopus 表示食物。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
烤章鱼
We ordered grilled octopus as a starter.
我们点了烤章鱼作为开胃菜。
章鱼沙拉
The octopus salad was fresh and tender.
这道章鱼沙拉新鲜又嫩。
章鱼触腕
The chef grilled the octopus tentacles over charcoal.
厨师用炭火烤章鱼触腕。
水煮章鱼
Boiled octopus is a popular dish in Mediterranean cuisine.
水煮章鱼是地中海美食中一道受欢迎的菜。
章鱼菜肴
This octopus dish is cooked with olive oil and paprika.
这道章鱼菜肴用橄榄油和红椒粉烹制。
我想待在海底 / 在章鱼花园的阴凉处。
This lyric is from the Beatles' 1969 song 'Octopus's Garden', written by Ringo Starr.
这句歌词出自披头士乐队1969年的歌曲《Octopus's Garden》（章鱼花园），由林戈·斯塔尔创作。
Use octopus naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记忆联想：octopus 中的 octo 让人想到“八”，章鱼正好有八条腕足，即八爪鱼。
语域：neutral 常见场景：recipe、restaurant menu、seafood market 该义项特指作为食物的章鱼须，多用于菜谱、餐厅菜单或海鲜市场等饮食场景；属于中性词汇，日常口语和书面语中都较常见，正式学术语境中较少这样使用。
作“章鱼”（动物）解时可数，复数 octopuses；作食材（如章鱼须）解时通常不可数。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.