fundamentals
fundamentals — noun
1. the basic rules, ideas, or skills that something is built on and that you need t
the basic rules, ideas, or skills that something is built on and that you need to know first before you can do or understand more advanced things
Valentina spent her first month learning the fundamentals of Mandarin grammar.
fundamentals of [field of study]
A good coach focuses on the fundamentals before teaching any fancy tricks.
the fundamentals before [advanced material]
The new manager wanted to get the fundamentals of the business right before expanding.
Darius and Ayesha argued for hours about the fundamentals of fair taxation.
Once you master the fundamentals of cooking, you can follow almost any recipe.
- basics
more informal; everyday speech preferred
- essentials
stresses what is strictly necessary, not just foundational
- principles
stresses general rules or theories rather than skills
- rudiments
formal; suggests the very earliest stage of learning
- details
smaller, secondary points layered on top of the basics
文法句型
the fundamentals of [topic]
用法筆記
Almost always plural and almost always preceded by 'the'. Typically followed by 'of + [field/topic]' to name the area whose basics are meant.
常見錯誤
fundamentals — adjective
1. forming the most important base of something, so that without it the thing could
forming the most important base of something, so that without it the thing could not exist, work properly, or make sense
Trust is fundamental to any lasting friendship between two people.
fundamental to [noun]
Olivia believes that honesty is a fundamental part of good teaching.
a fundamental part of [noun]
There are fundamental differences between how Eitan and Nadia view the problem.
Clean water is a fundamental human right, not a luxury.
The new evidence forced the team to rethink their fundamental assumptions about the case.
文法句型
fundamental to [noun]
fundamental + noun
用法筆記
Often used attributively before nouns like 'right, problem, question, change, difference, principle'. The 'fundamental to + noun' pattern carries the strongest 'cannot work without it' meaning.
常見錯誤
2. being the first thing from which other things grow or come — the original source
being the first thing from which other things grow or come — the original source rather than something later or copied
Hunger and shelter are the fundamental causes of much human migration.
the fundamental cause of [noun]
Ada traced the fundamental source of the river to a small spring in the hills.
fundamental source
The fundamental motive behind Wei's decision was love for her aging mother.
Greed was the fundamental driver of the policies that wrecked the local fishing industry.
- primary
stresses 'first in a sequence'; close synonym for this sense
- underlying
stresses being hidden beneath surface effects
- root
often in 'root cause'; very close to this sense
- secondary
derived from a more basic source rather than being the source
文法句型
fundamental + noun
用法筆記
Used attributively before nouns of origin or causation (cause, source, motive, reason, driver). Distinguish from sense 1: here the word names the starting point of a chain of effects, not just something that is important.
常見錯誤
3. following a strict, traditional form of a religion in which every word of the sa
following a strict, traditional form of a religion in which every word of the sacred text is treated as literally true
Élise was raised in a fundamental Christian community that read the Bible literally.
fundamental + religious community
Some fundamental religious schools refuse to teach the theory of evolution.
fundamental religious + noun
Zola wrote her thesis on how fundamental movements use modern media to recruit young members.
The town's fundamental preachers attracted both loyal followers and angry critics.
- fundamentalist
much more common; works as both adjective and noun
- orthodox
stresses keeping to traditional teaching; less politically charged
文法句型
fundamental + religious noun
用法筆記
Always attributive and always paired with a religion-related noun (community, movement, preacher, school). In modern English the noun 'fundamentalist' is far more common for the same idea — distinguish from sense 1 (where 'fundamental' simply means 'most important').