culture
/ˈkʌltʃə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌltʃər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkəl-chər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkʌl.tʃər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌl.tʃɚ/ (ame, ipa)
culture — noun
- culturesingular
- culturesplural
1. The collection of traditions, beliefs, and daily habits that a particular commun
The collection of traditions, beliefs, and daily habits that a particular community shares and passes down from older to younger members.
Travelers often struggle at first with the local culture in a new country.
uncountable: local culture / traditional culture
The culture of the Himba people places great importance on cattle and family connections.
Christopher wrote a report on how wedding ceremonies reflect a country's culture.
Nkechi grew up in two cultures because her parents moved from Nigeria to Canada.
A shared culture helps hold a community together during difficult times.
- civilization
broader term that includes advanced social, political, and technological development
- tradition
narrower — focuses specifically on customs passed down, not the whole way of life
- heritage
emphasizes what a group inherits from past generations
文法句型
culture + of + noun phrase
a/the culture of + group
用法筆記
Frequently used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general concept. As a countable noun ('a culture', 'cultures'), it refers to a particular society with its own distinct traditions.
常見錯誤
2. The values, unwritten rules, and typical ways of behaving that members of an org
The values, unwritten rules, and typical ways of behaving that members of an organization or a social group share with one another.
The company's culture encourages employees to share ideas freely across departments.
possessive: company's culture / school's culture
A culture of fear spread through the office after several people lost their jobs.
collocation: culture of fear / culture of blame
Putri found the culture at her new school more cooperative than at her old one.
Changing the team's culture takes patience because old habits are hard to break.
A positive workplace culture can reduce stress and improve productivity.
- atmosphere
more general and can be temporary; culture is deeper and more lasting
- ethos
more formal; emphasizes the guiding beliefs and character of a group
文法句型
culture of + noun phrase
a/the + adjective + culture
用法筆記
Often paired with a modifying noun or adjective that specifies the group (corporate culture, school culture, team culture). 'Culture of + noun' is common for describing the dominant quality (culture of secrecy, culture of innovation).
常見錯誤
3. Creative works and performances such as music, painting, drama, and books, consi
Creative works and performances such as music, painting, drama, and books, considered together as a field that people enjoy and study.
The city is famous for its culture, with dozens of museums, galleries, and theaters.
uncountable: its culture / arts and culture
The government provides funding to support culture and the creative industries.
Zayd studied French culture and literature at university for three years.
A culture festival is held in the park every summer, showcasing local musicians and painters.
Élise visits the community culture centre every weekend to see art exhibitions.
- the arts
more specific; refers directly to artistic activities without the broader social meaning
- artistic expression
more formal; emphasizes the act of creating art
文法句型
culture as a subject field
culture + noun (culture centre / culture festival)
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense. Often paired with 'arts' in the set phrase 'the arts and culture'. Can function as a noun modifier before another noun (culture festival, culture centre).
常見錯誤
4. Living cells, bacteria, or tissues that are grown in a controlled environment fo
Living cells, bacteria, or tissues that are grown in a controlled environment for medical research, food production, or other scientific work.
The lab technician prepared a bacterial culture to test the effectiveness of the new drug.
countable: a bacterial culture / a cell culture
Doctors took a tissue culture from the patient's lung to check for abnormal cells.
A yeast culture is necessary for making bread rise and for fermenting beer.
Camille examined the cell culture under a microscope to see how the virus was spreading.
The process of growing a culture requires a sterile environment and the right nutrients.
文法句型
a culture of + organism
cell culture / tissue culture / bacterial culture
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a specific batch or sample (a culture of E. coli). Uncountable when referring to the process or technique (culture in a petri dish).
常見錯誤
culture — verb
- culturepresent simple I / you / we / they
- cultures3rd person singular
- culturing-ing form
- culturedpast simple
1. To grow living cells, bacteria, or other microscopic organisms in a specially pr
To grow living cells, bacteria, or other microscopic organisms in a specially prepared nutrient substance so that they can be studied or used to create products.
Researchers culture skin cells in the laboratory to study how wounds heal.
transitive active: culture skin cells / culture bacteria
The bacteria were cultured on a special gel to observe their growth patterns.
passive: were cultured on [medium]
Ignacio learned how to culture yeast in his food science class at university.
Heart tissue can be cultured in a nutrient solution for transplantation research.
文法句型
culture + noun (cells / bacteria / tissue)
be cultured + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Almost always used in scientific or technical contexts. The passive form ('be cultured', 'were cultured') is common in research papers and lab reports. The subject is typically a scientist, lab, or research team.