First-rate means excellent — the very best quality there is. 'A first-rate teacher', 'a first-rate meal', 'first-rate work'.

First-rate means意思是 excellent出色極了—— there is找得到的 the very best quality最好的那種品質。 'A first-rate teacher'一流的老師、 'a first-rate meal'一流的一餐、 'first-rate work'一流的作品。

It is warm, confident praise, and it comes with a small feeling of a judge stepping back and giving something its proper grade, because that is literally where it comes from: ships in the old British navy were sorted into rates, first rate down to sixth, by how big and powerful they were. First rate was the top class. The word kept that job long after the ships went.

It它 is是 warm, confident praise溫暖而有把握的稱讚， and it comes with而且帶著 a judge一位評審 stepping back退後一步、 giving something its proper grade給東西打上應得等級 of a small feeling的那麼一點感覺， because that is literally where it comes from因為它真的就是這麼來的： in the old British navy在舊時的英國海軍裡， ships船艦 by how big and powerful they were依大小和火力 were sorted into rates被分成等級， first rate down to sixth從一等排到六等。 First rate was是 the top class最高的一級。 long after the ships went船艦早已走入歷史之後， The word這個字 kept that job還一直做著那份工作。

There is a matching family — second-rate and third-rate — and here is the interesting bit: those two are much more common today, and both are insults. 'A second-rate hotel' means not good, and 'third-rate' is close to rubbish. So the set is lopsided: one strong compliment, two sharp complaints.

There is有 a matching family一整組配套的字—— second-rate and third-rate—— and here is the interesting bit有趣的地方在這裡： those two那兩個 today如今 are much more common常見得多， and both而且兩個 are insults都是罵人的話。 'A second-rate hotel'「二流旅館」 means意思是 not good不好， and 'third-rate'而「三流」 is close to就接近 rubbish爛透了。 So所以 the set這一組字 is lopsided是歪一邊的： one strong compliment一個有力的稱讚、 two sharp complaints兩個尖銳的抱怨。

As for feel, 'first-rate' sounds a little old-fashioned and a little British to younger ears. It is safe and polite in writing — a reference letter, a review, a formal thank-you. Among friends, people are more likely to say 'brilliant', 'amazing', or 'really good'. Nothing is wrong with 'first-rate'; it just wears a jacket.

As for feel說到語感， to younger ears在年輕人耳裡 'first-rate' sounds聽起來 a little old-fashioned有點老派、 and a little British也有點英國。 in writing用在書面上 It它 is safe and polite安全又得體—— a reference letter推薦信、 a review評論、 a formal thank-you正式的道謝。 Among friends朋友之間， people人們 are more likely to say更可能說 'brilliant'、 'amazing' or 'really good'。 with 'first-rate'「first-rate」 Nothing is wrong並沒有哪裡不對； it它 just只是 wears a jacket穿了件正式的外套。