conservation
/ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkɑːnsərˈveɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən/ (ame, mw)
conservation — noun
1. the act of taking care of wild animals, plants, forests, oceans, and historicall
the act of taking care of wild animals, plants, forests, oceans, and historically important buildings so that they are not damaged or destroyed by people
Ada joined a conservation project that protects sea turtles on the coast of Mexico.
collocation: conservation project
The old railway station in Christopher's town was saved by a local conservation group.
Government funding for wildlife conservation increased after the bushfire destroyed large areas of forest.
Xiu volunteers at a conservation centre that looks after injured birds and small animals.
Strict conservation laws prevent builders from knocking down historic buildings in the city centre.
- preservation
Preservation aims to keep things exactly as they are; conservation allows careful management and sustainable use.
- protection
Protection is a broader, more general term; conservation implies active, planned management over time.
- safeguarding
Safeguarding is more formal and often used for legal or security contexts rather than the natural environment.
- destruction
The opposite of protecting natural areas or historic buildings.
- neglect
Conservation requires active care; neglect means failing to take care of something.
用法筆記
Often used before another noun to describe a type of protection, as in 'conservation area', 'conservation group', or 'conservation project'.
常見錯誤
2. the practice of using limited natural resources like water, oil, and gas in a ca
the practice of using limited natural resources like water, oil, and gas in a careful way so that they do not run out too quickly
The hotel asks guests to join their water conservation programme by reusing towels.
collocation: water conservation
Ravindra's family follows strict energy conservation rules, such as turning off lights in empty rooms.
collocation: energy conservation
New conservation technologies help farmers use less water while growing the same amount of food.
During the drought, the city introduced conservation measures that limited each home's water usage.
Soraya installed solar panels on her roof as part of a long-term energy conservation plan.
- saving
Saving is a more general, everyday word; conservation suggests a planned long-term effort.
- economy
Economy (as in 'fuel economy') focuses on efficiency and cost reduction; conservation focuses on preventing waste.
- preservation
Preservation of resources suggests keeping them untouched; conservation allows careful use.
- waste
Wasting resources is the opposite of using them carefully.
- overconsumption
Using more than necessary, especially of limited natural resources.
用法筆記
Typically combined with the name of the resource being saved, such as 'energy conservation', 'water conservation', or 'fuel conservation'. The phrase 'conservation of + resource' is also possible but less common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
3. in physics, the principle that within a closed system, measurable properties lik
in physics, the principle that within a closed system, measurable properties like energy and the amount of matter stay constant, simply shifting from one form to another
Mayumi learned about the conservation of energy by studying a swinging pendulum in physics class.
grammar pattern: the conservation of [property]
The conservation of mass shows that burning wood turns matter into gas and ash rather than destroying it.
The law of conservation of momentum says a moving billiard ball passes its motion to the ball it hits.
Joaquín solved the physics problem by applying the principle of conservation of electric charge.
文法句型
the conservation of [physical property]
用法筆記
In formal physics writing, always followed by 'of' plus the property — 'conservation of energy', 'conservation of mass', 'conservation of momentum'. The fixed expression 'the law of conservation of ...' is common in textbooks.