manual
Definitions
Done by hand or physical effort rather than by machine.
手动的；手工的；体力的。
A book of instructions for using or repairing something.
手册；说明书。
Root Breakdown
Native Englishmanu (manus, hand) + -al = 'of the hand, by hand.' Hence manual labor (by hand) and a manual car (shifted by hand). The noun 'a manual' is the book you hold in your hand to learn how to do something.
Root man still carries 62 more wordsWhy It Means This
All senses of manual circle the hand. As an adjective it means 'done by hand' — manual labor, manual transmission, manual override (you, not the machine, take control). As a noun, a manual is literally a handbook: a book meant to be kept in hand for reference. The connection survives even in 'a car with manual gears' — you change them by hand.
Common Collocations
- 1.manual labor体力劳动
- 2.manual transmission手动变速
- 3.user manual用户手册
- 4.manual override手动接管
Example Sentences
- 1.
The factory still relies on manual labor.
- 2.
Check the user manual before resetting the device.
- 3.
He prefers driving a car with a manual gearbox.