microcosm

IPA/ˈmaɪkrəʊkɒzəm/
KK[mˈaɪkrəkˌɑzəm]IPA/ˈmaɪkrəʊkɑːzəm/

microcosm — noun

  • microcosmsingular
  • microcosmsplural

1. a place, group, or event that, although small, reflects the same qualities and p

1.名詞C2
釋義

a place, group, or event that, although small, reflects the same qualities and patterns as a much larger whole — a small world standing in for a big one.

例句

The small fishing village was a microcosm of the whole country's struggles.

a microcosm of [a much larger whole]

Ayesha described her small clinic as a microcosm of the entire health system.

describe X as a microcosm of Y

同義詞
  • epitome

    stresses being a perfect example of a quality, not a scaled-down whole system

  • miniature

    focuses on small size alone, without the idea of mirroring a larger whole

反義詞
  • macrocosm

    the large whole that a microcosm reflects in small form

文法句型

a microcosm of + noun

用法筆記

Almost always followed by 'of' plus the larger whole it stands for (a microcosm of society / of the nation). Used to argue that studying the small case teaches you about the big one.

常見錯誤

❌My bedroom is a microcosm.
✅My bedroom is a microcosm of my whole messy life.
💡microcosm needs 'of' plus the bigger whole it represents; it does not just mean 'something small'.
❌The town shrank into a macrocosm of the country.
✅The town was a microcosm of the country.
💡the small thing is the microcosm; the large whole it mirrors is the macrocosm.