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Lina Chu
China still relies heavily on labour-intensive industries.
中國仍然十分依賴勞動密集的工業。
上面的英文句子包含了一個以連字號構成的形容詞labour-intensive。
Labour-intensive是把labour（勞動力）和intensive（密集）連在一起，即是勞動密集。
可令到句子更精簡
以連字號構成的形容詞，作用是以一個詞扼要地交代一個繁複的概念。其好處是把概念濃縮起來，令到句子更加精簡，可以表達更豐富的內容。
如果不採用連字號構成的形容詞，上面的句子或許會變成這個模樣。
China still relies heavily on industries that need a huge supply of labour in its production.
是不是較為繁複累牘？用字越精簡，可以用較短的篇幅表達更多的意念。
我們常常碰到連字號複合形容詞，例如well-known、bad-tempered、time-saving、time-consuming等等。
He is a figure known by many people in the financial sector. 可寫成
He is a well-known figure in the financial sector.
他是金融界的知名人士。
Some members who easily get angry and annoyed shouted at the chairman during the meeting. 可寫成
Some bad-tempered members shouted at the chairman during the meeting.
一些壞脾氣的會員在會議期間向主席叫喊。
用作描述年齡規模體積長度
又例如:
Litigation is a time-consuming process. It will be much easier and time-saving to solve the problem by mediation.
訴訟是很費時的過程。以調解方式解決問題會簡單和省時得多。
在寫作時，這類形容詞十分有用。可用作一些描述年齡、規模、體積或長度的形容詞。
The seventy-year-old runner managed to finish the race within the specified time.
那名70歲的跑手在指定時間內跑完全程。
這樣便不必另外寫一句He was seventy years old。
The 20-billion-dollar project takes off after years of debates.
耗資200億元的計劃終於在多年爭論之後起飛。
這樣便不必寫成：
The project costs 20 billion dollars and it takes off after years of debates.
另一例子:
He signed a three-year tenancy agreement for the four-bedroom apartment.
他簽了一份3年期租約租用有4個睡房的住宅。
這樣就可以言簡意賅。
■linachu@hkbu.edu.hk
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