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an otter
otter 指动物时是可数名词。
An otter was sitting on the riverbank.
一只水獭坐在河岸上。
水獭皮
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
水獭皮
the fur of an otter
An otter was sitting on the riverbank.
一只水獭坐在河岸上。
An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
水獭的毛皮
the fur of an otter
淡水食肉哺乳动物,具有蹼状和有爪的脚及深棕色的毛皮
freshwater carnivorous mammal having webbed and clawed feet and dark brown fur
The tailor trimmed the collar with soft otter.
裁缝用柔软的水獭皮给衣领镶边。
She bought a pair of gloves made from otter at the market.
她在市场上买了一双水獭皮手套。
In the past, otter was traded for cloth and tools.
在过去，水獭皮被用来交换布匹和工具。
otter 指动物时是可数名词。
An otter was sitting on the riverbank.
一只水獭坐在河岸上。
泛指水獭这一类动物时，常用复数形式。
Otters are excellent swimmers.
水獭是出色的游泳者。
otter 也可指水獭皮，常与 fur 搭配使用。
The coat is made of otter fur.
这件外套是用水獭皮做的。
Not this
There are many otter in the river.
Use this
There are many otters in the river.
otter 是可数名词，表示多只时要用复数 otters；汉语名词没有复数形式，学习者容易漏掉词尾 -s。
Not this
Otter is a cute animal.
Use this
The otter is a cute animal.
otter 作单数可数名词时前面需要有冠词或限定词；汉语没有冠词，所以不能直接说 Otter is...，用 The otter 表示类指。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
海獭
The sea otter often floats on its back while eating.
海獭经常仰面漂浮着吃东西。
河獭
We saw a river otter swimming in the stream.
我们看到一只河獭在小溪里游水。
水獭种群
The otter population has declined because of pollution.
由于污染，水獭种群数量有所下降。
水獭保护
Local groups are involved in otter conservation.
当地组织参与水獭保护工作。
水獭皮
Her coat is made of otter fur.
她的大衣是用水獭皮做的。
像水獭一样滑头；狡猾而难以捉摸
That politician is as slippery as an otter—he never commits to a straight answer.
那位政客像水獭一样滑头，从不给出直截了当的回答。
像水獭一样顽皮；非常爱玩耍
The puppy was as playful as an otter, chasing the ball around the garden.
这只小狗像水獭一样顽皮，在花园里追着球跑。
Use otter naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
水獭在水里游动时常弓背画圈，像字母 O；otter 以 O 开头，帮你记住它是圆滚滚的“水獭”，皮就是它那身防水毛皮。
语域：neutral 常见场景：fur trade、clothing materials、historical fashion 在表示“水獭皮”时，多用于毛皮贸易、服装材料或历史服饰等语境；日常口语中若指动物，通常说的是水獭本身。
指动物“水獭”时可数，复数形式为 otters；指“水獭皮”时通常不可数。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.