subsistence

/səbˈsɪstəns/ (bre, ipa) · [səbsˈɪstəns] /səbˈsɪstəns/ (ame, ipa) · [səbsˈɪstəns] /səb-ˈsi-stən(t)s How to pronounce subsistence (audio)/ (ame, mw)

subsistence — noun

1. the condition of a person or community who has only just enough food, water, and

1.名詞B2
釋義

the condition of a person or community who has only just enough food, water, and shelter to stay alive, with nothing extra for comfort or growth.

例句

After the drought destroyed their crops, the village faced a daily struggle for subsistence.

struggle for subsistence — common fixed phrase

For thousands of refugee families, life in the camp has been reduced to mere subsistence.

mere subsistence — intensifier emphasising bare minimum

同義詞
  • survival

    broader; can include short-term emergencies, while 'subsistence' suggests an ongoing minimal state

  • existence

    more neutral; does not carry the implication of hardship or scarcity

  • livelihood

    focuses on the work or occupation that provides income, not just the bare minimum

反義詞
  • abundance

    a state of having more than enough of everything

  • affluence

    wealth and material comfort, opposite of scarcity

用法筆記

Uncountable noun; frequently appears in fixed phrases such as 'struggle for subsistence', 'means of subsistence', and 'subsistence level'. Often used to describe communities that produce only what they themselves consume, with no surplus for trade.

常見錯誤

❌The family struggled for subsist.
✅The family struggled for subsistence.
💡'subsist' is a verb; the noun form is 'subsistence'.
❌They have enough for subsistence and luxury.
✅They have enough for subsistence but nothing for luxury.
💡'subsistence' means the bare minimum, so it contradicts having luxury.

2. the minimal amount of food, money, or other resources that a person or group nee

2.名詞B2
釋義

the minimal amount of food, money, or other resources that a person or group needs simply to stay alive.

例句

The family's monthly income barely covers their basic subsistence needs.

subsistence needs — noun modifier pattern

Chidi donated a portion of his salary to help provide subsistence for the orphanage.

provide subsistence for — verb + noun + preposition

同義詞
  • necessities

    more common in everyday use; 'subsistence' emphasises the bare-minimum aspect

  • sustenance

    focuses on food and drink specifically; more literary

  • livelihood

    refers to the means of earning money rather than the basic needs themselves

反義詞
  • luxury

    non-essential goods that add comfort or pleasure

  • surplus

    extra resources beyond what is needed to survive

用法筆記

Commonly used as a modifier before nouns: 'subsistence needs', 'subsistence level', 'subsistence items'. The phrase 'below subsistence level' is especially frequent in discussions of poverty and minimum wage.

常見錯誤

❌They need food for subsistence and pleasure.
✅They need food for subsistence, not pleasure.
💡'subsistence' specifically excludes anything beyond the bare minimum.
❌Subsistence crops are sold at the market for profit.
✅Subsistence crops are grown for the family's own consumption.
💡subsistence farming means growing food to eat, not to sell.