colorblind
colorblind — adjective
- colorblindpositive
- more colorblindcomparative
- most colorblindsuperlative
1. having a physical condition in which your eyes cannot tell the difference betwee
having a physical condition in which your eyes cannot tell the difference between certain colors, most commonly red and green, so that those shades look the same to you.
Yuki only discovered she was colorblind when she mixed up the red and green wires in her science class.
predicative: 'be colorblind' — used after a linking verb
The Ishihara test, a booklet of colored dots, is the most common way to check if someone is colorblind.
A colorblind person may struggle to tell whether a banana is ripe when the light is dim.
Vinícius cannot become an airline pilot because he is colorblind and cannot read the colored signal lights.
- color-deficient
a more precise medical term used by eye doctors; 'colorblind' is the everyday word
用法筆記
Describes a medical fact about vision, not a matter of choice or awareness. Most people who are colorblind can still see many colors — they simply confuse certain shades (usually red and green or blue and yellow). Only a very small number of people are completely unable to see any color at all.
常見錯誤
2. treating or judging people based on their character and actions alone, without c
treating or judging people based on their character and actions alone, without considering their racial or ethnic background in any way.
The company promotes a colorblind hiring policy that focuses only on each candidate's skills and experience.
attributive use: 'colorblind hiring policy'
Eli raises his children in a colorblind home where people are judged by their actions, not by race.
Some critics argue that a completely colorblind approach to discipline ignores the real effects of historical inequality.
Layla believes the school's colorblind admission process gives every applicant a fair chance regardless of background.
- race-neutral
more formal and commonly used in legal and policy writing
- non-discriminatory
broader term covering all forms of discrimination, not only race
- racially conscious
sometimes used by critics of colorblind policies to describe approaches that recognize racial identity explicitly
用法筆記
Most common in discussions of social policy and education in the United States. Frequently appears in debates where some people argue that being colorblind (ignoring race) is the fairest approach, while others argue that truly fair treatment requires recognizing racial differences and addressing past disadvantages.
常見錯誤
3. not noticing or not caring about something important that most other people woul
not noticing or not caring about something important that most other people would see or be upset by — for example, someone else's unhappiness, a serious problem at work, or a clear change in a situation.
The manager remained completely colorblind to the low morale and burnout spreading through her team.
collocation: 'colorblind to [something]'
Hugo's friends called him colorblind because he never noticed when his roommate was upset or stressed.
Many politicians seem colorblind to the everyday struggles that ordinary families face in a costly city.
Ife told her brother he was being colorblind to their mother's need for help around the house.
- attuned
suggests being sensitive and responsive to what is happening around you
文法句型
be colorblind to + noun phrase
用法筆記
A figurative extension of the medical meaning that always carries a negative judgment: calling someone colorblind in this way is a criticism of their lack of awareness or concern. Much less common than the medical and race-blind senses.