Sporadic describes something that happens now and then, in a scattered way, with no pattern you can rely on. 'Sporadic rain' means it rains, stops, rains again, and you cannot say when. 'Sporadic gunfire' means shots, then quiet, then more shots.

Sporadic describes這個字形容的是 something that happens now and then偶爾發生、時有時無的事, in a scattered way東一次西一次地 with no pattern you can rely on抓不到規律。'Sporadic rain' means「零星降雨」指的是 it rains, stops, rains again下下停停、又下起來, and you cannot say when說不準什麼時候。'Sporadic gunfire' means「零星槍聲」指的是 shots, then quiet, then more shots開幾槍、安靜一下、又開幾槍。

The key idea is not 'rare' — it is 'irregular, scattered, unpredictable'. Something sporadic might happen quite a lot; what it never does is settle into a rhythm. That is worth sitting with, because students often hear it as 'seldom' and lose half the meaning.

The key idea is not 'rare'重點不是「很少」的意思 — it is 'irregular, scattered, unpredictable'而是「不規律、東一次西一次、抓不準」。Something sporadic sporadic的事情 might happen quite a lot可能發生得還不少; what it never does它從來做不到的 is settle into a rhythm就是形成規律。That is worth sitting with這點值得好好想一想, because students often hear it as 'seldom'因為學生常常把它聽成「很少」 and lose half the meaning結果漏掉了一半的意思。

Compare three neighbours. 'Occasional' means not often — it is about how much. 'Intermittent' means it stops and starts — often used for machines, signals, pain. 'Sporadic' means scattered about with no pattern — and it usually carries a faint sense that this is unsatisfactory, that you wish it were steadier.

Compare three neighbours比較三個近義字。'Occasional' means not often「occasional」是指不常, it is about how much講的是次數多寡。'Intermittent' means it stops and starts「intermittent」是指時停時續, often used for machines, signals, pain常用在機器、訊號、疼痛上。'Sporadic' means scattered about with no pattern「sporadic」是指東一次西一次、沒有規律, and it usually carries a faint sense that this is unsatisfactory而且通常帶著一絲不滿意的味道, that you wish it were steadier讓人希望它能穩定一點。

'His attendance has been sporadic' is not a compliment. It is a somewhat formal word, at home in news reports, medical writing, and business talk.

'His attendance has been sporadic'「他出席狀況 sporadic」這句話 is not a compliment不是稱讚。It is a somewhat formal word這是個稍微正式的字, at home in news reports, medical writing, and business talk常出現在新聞報導、醫學文章和商業對話裡。

Doctors also use it in a special technical way: a 'sporadic case' of a disease means one that appeared on its own, not inherited and not part of an outbreak. The adverb is 'sporadically'.

Doctors also use it in a special technical way醫生也會用它來表示一種特殊的技術意義: a 'sporadic case' of a disease疾病的「偶發病例」 means one that appeared on its own指的是自己冒出來的病例, not inherited and not part of an outbreak不是遺傳來的，也不是群聚感染的一部分。The adverb is 'sporadically'副詞是 sporadically。