crux

/krʌks/ (bre, ipa) · /krʌks/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkrəks ˈkru̇ks/ (ame, mw)

crux — noun

1. The single key point at the centre of a problem, argument, or difficult situatio

1.名詞B2
釋義

The single key point at the centre of a problem, argument, or difficult situation — the part that everything else depends on and that must be resolved or understood first before any progress can be made.

例句

The crux of Wei's argument is that climate policy must help poor communities first.

crux + of + [someone]'s argument / issue

Finding affordable housing remains the crux of the city's planning debate.

同義詞
  • core

    more general; the central part of anything, not necessarily difficult

  • heart

    emphasises the emotional or fundamental centre; less analytical than crux

  • essence

    focuses on the basic nature or quality of something, not necessarily a point of difficulty

  • nub

    informal synonym for the central point; less common in formal writing than crux

文法句型

the crux + of + [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Often followed by of + a noun phrase (the crux of the matter / argument / problem). Almost always used with the definite article: the crux. Do not use crux for everyday or trivial matters — it implies a central difficulty that must be overcome before progress is possible.

常見錯誤

❌The crux of my day was having lunch with a friend.
✅The crux of the negotiation was the price of the raw materials.
💡crux refers to the central or most difficult part of a serious issue, not just any important event.
❌This is a very crux point in the discussion.
✅This is a crucial point in the discussion.
💡crux is a noun; use crucial (adjective) before a noun.