caste

IPA/kɑːst/
KK[kˈæst]IPA/kæst/

caste — noun

  • castesingular
  • castesplural

1. a traditional system in Hindu society where people are born into social groups t

1.名詞B2
釋義

a traditional system in Hindu society where people are born into social groups that control what jobs they can do, who they can marry, and how they interact with others

例句

Liang wrote a paper about how the caste system changed after India gained independence in 1947.

caste system — the definite-article form referring to the Hindu hierarchy

A small temple at the edge of town was built by lower-caste members centuries ago.

同義詞
  • varna

    the specific Sanskrit term for the four traditional Hindu categories; not used in everyday English

  • jati

    the thousands of sub-groups within the varna system; more precise in academic contexts

文法句型

caste + noun (attributive)

用法筆記

The phrase 'the caste system' almost always refers to the Hindu social hierarchy in South Asia. For other kinds of rigid social divisions, use sense 2. 'Scheduled caste' is the official Indian government term for historically disadvantaged groups.

常見錯誤

❌He was born in a lower caste family.
✅He was born into a lower-caste family.
💡The correct preposition is 'into', not 'in', for describing membership by birth.
❌The caste system only exists in India.
✅The caste system is traditionally part of Hindu society in South Asia, including India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
💡The system is tied to the Hindu cultural sphere, not the modern political borders of one country.

2. a system that separates people into groups based on family background, money, or

2.名詞B2
釋義

a system that separates people into groups based on family background, money, or social position, where it is extremely hard to move from one group to another

例句

The novel paints a dark picture of caste divisions among wealthy families in 19th-century London.

caste divisions — used outside Hindu context, with families

Social caste at Ignacio's school meant certain friend groups never ate together.

同義詞
  • class

    a more flexible term; class can change with wealth or education, caste cannot

  • stratum

    a formal, academic term for a layer in a social hierarchy; neutral about rigidity

  • rank

    usually refers to position within an organization or military, not inherited social groups

反義詞
  • classlessness

    a society without caste or class distinctions; theoretical

文法句型

caste + noun (attributive)

用法筆記

This sense is used metaphorically to describe any rigid, inherited social hierarchy, not just the Hindu one. 'Caste' implies stronger barriers than ordinary 'class' — marriage across caste lines is usually forbidden or strongly discouraged.

常見錯誤

❌In the US, there are castes based on money.
✅In the US, there is social stratification based on wealth, but it is not a caste system.
💡True caste systems are hereditary and culturally enforced with marriage restrictions, which is different from class-based inequality.

3. one of the distinct physical types found among insects like ants and bees that l

3.名詞C1
釋義

one of the distinct physical types found among insects like ants and bees that live together in colonies, each type performing a different task such as gathering food, defending the nest, or reproducing

例句

In a leafcutter ant colony, the worker caste carries leaves into the underground nest.

the worker caste — specific caste name in its colony

Kemi examined how the soldier caste of termites develops a larger head for fighting.

soldier caste of [insect species]

同義詞
  • type

    a general non-technical word; 'caste' is the correct biological term

  • form

    used in biology (polymorphic forms); less specific than 'caste'

文法句型

[type] caste

caste of [insects]

用法筆記

This is a technical term in entomology. The main insect castes are queens (reproductive), workers (non-reproductive labourers), and soldiers (defenders). A single colony may contain several physically distinct castes.