- [countable]
a small piece of glass, wood, etc., with a hole through it, that can be put on a string with others of the same type and worn as jewellery, etc. （有孔的）珠子 
Extra ExamplesTopics Clothes and Fashionc1A strand of coral beads hung round her neck. 她脖子上挂着一串珊瑚珠子。 She threaded the beads carefully. 她小心翼翼地用线将珠子串在一起。 He wore a string of wooden beads. 他戴着一串木珠。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- amber
- glass
- wooden
- …
- strand
- string
- wear
- string
- thread
- …
- hang
- bracelet
- necklace
- curtain
- …
- beads[plural]
a rosary （天主教徒念经时用的）数珠，念珠 In one of the pews a woman was fingering her beads. 在一个长凳上，一个女人正在抚弄她的珠子。
- [countable]
a small drop of liquid （液体的）小滴 There were beads of sweat on his forehead. 他的额头上挂满汗珠。 Little beads of blood seeped out from a cut on her cheek. 小血珠从她脸颊上的伤口渗出。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryphrases- a bead of moisture, perspiration, sweat, etc.
Word OriginOld English gebed ‘prayer’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bede and German Gebet, also to bid. Current senses derive from the use of a rosary, each bead representing a prayer.
Idioms
draw/get a bead on somebody/something
- (especially North American English)
to aim carefully at somebody/something before shooting a gun （射击前）瞄准 One of the police officers drew a bead on the gunman and fired. 其中一名警察瞄准枪手开枪。