subtext

/ˈsʌbtekst/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈʌbtˌɛkst] /ˈsʌbtekst/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈʌbtˌɛkst] /ˈsəb-ˌtekst How to pronounce subtext (audio)/ (ame, mw)

subtext — noun

  • subtextsingular
  • subtextsplural

1. an idea, feeling, or message that is not stated directly but can be understood f

1.名詞B2
釋義

an idea, feeling, or message that is not stated directly but can be understood from what someone says or writes, often running beneath the surface of a conversation or piece of writing.

例句

Although Marta said she was fine, the subtext of her silence was clear disappointment.

subtext + of + [noun phrase] (silence)

The novel's subtext about class inequality gives the story a deeper layer of meaning.

subtext + about + [topic]

同義詞
  • undertone

    focuses more on the emotional atmosphere or quality felt beneath what is said, rather than a specific hidden idea

  • implication

    broader; can refer to a logical consequence rather than a deliberately hidden layer of meaning

  • undercurrent

    suggests a hidden feeling or tendency (often negative) flowing beneath the surface of a situation

反義詞
  • explicit meaning

    the meaning that is stated openly and directly, with nothing left to infer

文法句型

subtext + of + [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Often used with the preposition 'of' to name the source (subtext of a conversation, subtext of a film) or with 'about' to name the topic. The word is common in literary criticism, film analysis, and discussions of social situations where people communicate indirectly.

常見錯誤

❌The subtext of the movie is freedom.' (when referring to the overt central idea)
✅The movie's subtext about freedom is never stated directly, but emerges through the characters' choices.
💡'subtext' must refer to something implied, not the surface-level message.