fishbowl
fishbowl — noun
- fishbowlsingular
- fishbowlsplural
1. a round, see-through container, often made of glass, where someone keeps small p
a round, see-through container, often made of glass, where someone keeps small pet fish at home.
Tanvi placed a tiny plastic castle inside her goldfish's fishbowl.
typical possessive: someone's fishbowl
The pet shop near the train station sold round glass fishbowls in three sizes.
plural countable: fishbowls in [sizes]
Asher cleaned the green algae from the inside of the fishbowl every Sunday morning.
Two orange goldfish swam slowly in circles around the small fishbowl on the kitchen counter.
- goldfish bowl
more specific — implies the fish is a goldfish
- fish tank
usually rectangular and larger; holds more water and equipment
用法筆記
Subject is usually a small ornamental fish (goldfish, betta); larger tropical fish require a rectangular tank instead.
常見錯誤
2. a setting where the people around you watch your every move, leaving you almost
a setting where the people around you watch your every move, leaving you almost no privacy in daily life.
Pop singer Ayana said growing up famous felt like living in a fishbowl with no curtains.
idiomatic: living in a fishbowl
Working in the open-plan office felt like a fishbowl, with managers watching every email Lauren sent.
collocation: feel like a fishbowl
Politicians often complain that life in the capital is a fishbowl where reporters notice every small decision.
Darius hated the fishbowl atmosphere of the small village where neighbors gossiped about every visitor.
- spotlight
emphasises public attention more than constant observation
- glass house
similar idea of being watched, but stronger sense of vulnerability to criticism
文法句型
live in a fishbowl
feel like a fishbowl
用法筆記
Often used with 'live in a' or 'feel like a'; distinguish from sense 1 by context — sense 2 always describes a social condition, never a physical container.