A ton of
Meaning: A very large amount of something — an emphatic way to say 'a lot.'
'A ton of' is one of many American hyperbolic quantity expressions (alongside 'a bunch of,' 'a load of,' 'tons of'). It adds emphasis beyond 'a lot' — 'I have a ton of work' sounds more overwhelming than 'I have a lot of work.' It's used for both countable and uncountable things.
Examples
- I have a ton of homework to finish this weekend. 这周末我有一大堆作业要完成。Tengo un montón de deberes que terminar este fin de semana.今週末に終わらせなきゃいけない宿題が山ほどある。이번 주말까지 끝내야 할 숙제가 산더미야.
- We had a ton of fun at the amusement park. 我们在游乐园玩得超开心。Nos lo pasamos genial en el parque de atracciones.遊園地でめちゃくちゃ楽しんだ。놀이공원에서 엄청 재미있었어.
- There are tons of good restaurants in this neighborhood. 这个街区有很多很棒的餐厅。Hay un montón de buenos restaurantes en este barrio.この界隈には美味しいレストランがたくさんあるよ。이 동네에 맛집이 정말 많아.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: quantity, emphasis, everyday speech
Tone: emphatic, casual
✓ Do Say
- I have a ton of work.我有一大堆工作。Tengo un montón de trabajo.I have a ton of work.(仕事が山ほどある。)할 일이 산더미야.
- Thanks a ton!非常感谢!¡Muchísimas gracias!Thanks a ton!(本当にありがとう!)정말 고마워!
✗ Don't Say
- In formal writing, use 'a great deal of' or 'numerous' instead of 'a ton of'在正式写作中,用'a great deal of'或'numerous'代替'a ton of'En textos formales, usa 'una gran cantidad de' o 'numerosos' en lugar de 'un montón de'フォーマルな文章では「a ton of」の代わりに「a great deal of」や「numerous」を使う方が適切격식 있는 글에서는 'a ton of' 대신 'a great deal of'나 'numerous'를 사용하자
Origin & History
Natural American English hyperbole using the weight measurement 'ton' (2,000 pounds) to express large quantities. This kind of exaggeration is characteristic of American casual speech, where everything is 'a million' or 'a ton.'
Cultural Context
Era: Modern, common throughout 20th-21st century
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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