bourgeoisie

IPA/ˌbɔːʒ.wɑːˈziː/
KK[bˌʊrʒwˌɑzˈi]IPA/ˌbʊrʒ.wɑːˈziː/

bourgeoisie — noun

1. people in the middle social rank, especially when they are seen as comfortable,

1.名詞C1
釋義

people in the middle social rank, especially when they are seen as comfortable, conventional, and eager to protect respectable ways of living.

例句

The novel mocks the careful manners of the city bourgeoisie at dinner parties.

bourgeoisie in social criticism

Many young artists felt shut out by the wealthy bourgeoisie in Paris.

wealthy bourgeoisie in a city

同義詞
  • middle class

    neutral everyday term without the critical tone often carried by bourgeoisie

  • respectable classes

    older phrase that stresses social manners and conventional values

  • professional class

    narrower term for educated salaried workers rather than the whole class

反義詞
  • working class

    people whose position is linked more directly to wage labour than property

  • aristocracy

    social rank above the bourgeoisie, especially in older class systems

文法句型

the bourgeoisie + verb

the bourgeoisie of + place/period

用法筆記

Often used critically in writing about society, culture, or politics. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense means the middle class in general, while sense 2 is the Marxist label for the class that controls capital and labour.

常見錯誤

❌He comes from a bourgeoisie family.
✅He comes from a bourgeois family.
💡bourgeoisie names the social class as a group, not one person or an adjective.

2. the class of owners and employers in Marxist thought, whose power comes from con

2.名詞C1
釋義

the class of owners and employers in Marxist thought, whose power comes from controlling money, business, and the work of others.

例句

In the pamphlet, the bourgeoisie grows rich while factory workers stay hungry.

bourgeoisie contrasted with workers

The speaker blamed the bourgeoisie for owning the mills and setting wages.

owning industry and wages

同義詞
反義詞
  • proletariat

    the wage-earning class opposed to the bourgeoisie in Marxist theory

  • working class

    broader everyday term for workers rather than owners

文法句型

the bourgeoisie + exploit/control/dominate + workers

the bourgeoisie and the proletariat

用法筆記

This sense belongs to Marxist or Marxist-influenced analysis and usually contrasts the bourgeoisie with the proletariat. It is not just a neutral label for office workers or comfortable middle-income families.

常見錯誤

❌In Marxism, the bourgeoisie means ordinary office workers.
✅In Marxism, the bourgeoisie means the class that owns capital and employs labour.
💡this sense is about ownership and power, not simply income level.