holiday的含义是“假日”,on holiday为“处于假日的[状态]”。
“状态”没有数数的需求,所以不可数,因此这里holiday前不用加件(冠)词。
on holiday可以真的处于假日状态,也就是不用上班、不用上学,如
【例句1】We rang Duncan to ask where he was going on holiday. (我们打电话给邓肯,问他要去哪里休假。)[柯林斯高级学者词典]
【例句2】I'm away on holiday until the 1st of June. (我休假直到6月1日。)[朗文当代英语辞典]
【例句3】I'm afraid Mr Walsh is away on holiday this week. (恐怕沃尔什先生本周离职休假。)[牛津高级学者辞典]
然而,英美芸芸大众的生活水平高,holiday要出去浪,所以on holiday也指“外出旅游、度假”,如
【例句4】He caught malaria while on holiday in Africa. (他在非洲度假时感染了疟疾。)[朗文当代英语辞典]
【例句5】Patricia is on holiday next week. (帕特里夏下周度假。) [剑桥高级学者辞典]
【例句6】They met while on holiday in Greece. (他们在希腊度假时相遇。)[牛津高级学者辞典]
【例句7】We went on holiday together last summer. (去年夏天我们一起去度假了。) [牛津高级学者辞典]