backwater

/ˈbækwɔːtə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbækwɔːtər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbak-ˌwȯ-tər -ˌwä-/ (ame, mw)

backwater — noun

1. a quiet stretch beside a river, lake, or coast where the water sits almost still

1.名詞C1
釋義

a quiet stretch beside a river, lake, or coast where the water sits almost still, often because it is sheltered by land, blocked by a dam, or pushed back by the tide.

例句

Tova paddled her kayak into a shady backwater behind the willow trees.

into a + backwater (preposition pattern)

Frogs and tiny fish hide in the warm backwaters along the Mekong River.

plural: backwaters along [river]

同義詞
  • lagoon

    shallow water separated from the sea by sandbars; not always river-connected

  • inlet

    narrow arm of water reaching inland; emphasises shape, not stillness

  • creek

    small stream or tidal channel; usually flowing, not stagnant

反義詞
  • rapids

    fast-moving water over rocks — opposite kind of flow

  • main channel

    the central, fast-flowing part of a river

文法句型

the backwaters of [river name]

用法筆記

Often plural ('the backwaters') when describing a network of side channels, especially in tropical regions like Kerala. Distinguish from sense 2 by the literal water reference.

常見錯誤

❌The river has a strong backwater near the bridge.
✅The river has a still backwater near the bridge.
💡a backwater is by definition where the water barely moves; it cannot be 'strong' or 'fast'.

2. a town, region, or area of activity that feels left behind by the modern world —

2.名詞C2
釋義

a town, region, or area of activity that feels left behind by the modern world — somewhere new ideas, jobs, and trends rarely arrive, so life there changes very slowly.

例句

Viraj grew up in a sleepy fishing backwater two hours from the capital.

sleepy / quiet + backwater (figurative)

Once a sleepy backwater, Shenzhen has become a global tech hub in forty years.

from a backwater to [thriving place] (transformation pattern)

同義詞
  • backwoods

    remote rural area, often with rough or simple lifestyle

  • outpost

    small isolated settlement; neutral, not necessarily disapproving

  • hinterland

    land far from cities or coast; geographic, not judgmental

反義詞
  • hub

    busy centre where activity, people, and ideas gather

  • metropolis

    large modern city full of activity

文法句型

a backwater of [field/region]

cultural / political / economic backwater

用法筆記

Almost always disapproving — the speaker sees the place as boring, behind the times, or unimportant. Frequently follows adjectives like 'sleepy', 'cultural', 'political', 'economic'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense never refers to actual water.

常見錯誤

❌Kyoto is a beautiful backwater of Japan.
✅Kyoto is a beautiful old city in Japan.
💡calling a place a backwater is rude; it suggests the place is dull and unimportant.