suburbia
suburbia — noun
1. The residential districts that lie on the edge of a city, where most buildings a
The residential districts that lie on the edge of a city, where most buildings are houses with gardens rather than offices, factories, or large shopping centres.
Eitan spent his childhood in suburbia, cycling along quiet streets lined with cherry trees.
uncountable noun: suburbia as a general concept, not a specific place
New shopping centres are slowly changing the face of suburbia across the region.
Rin's parents bought a house in suburbia for the children to enjoy a large garden.
The bus service connecting suburbia to the city centre runs only once every hour.
- suburbs
more specific and countable; refers to individual districts rather than the general idea
- outskirts
focuses on the fringe position rather than the residential character
- residential area
neutral term without the cultural associations suburbia carries
- city centre
the densely built-up core area of a city
- downtown
the main business and commercial district, especially in North America
用法筆記
Suburbia is typically used without an article to refer to suburban areas in general, unlike the countable noun 'suburb' (e.g. 'a suburb of London').
常見錯誤
2. The distinctive culture, daily habits, and social attitudes that characterise re
The distinctive culture, daily habits, and social attitudes that characterise residential areas on the fringe of a city — a comfortable way of life that can also feel unchanging and predictable.
Sofie longed to escape the predictability of suburbia and travel the world.
often carries a connotation of uniformity or boredom
The novel draws a funny yet sad picture of suburbia in 1990s Japan.
Amira wrote a blog about raising three children in suburbia while working from home.
Rodrigo missed the sense of community he had known in suburbia after moving downtown.
- suburban life
more neutral and descriptive, without the slightly critical edge of suburbia
- suburban culture
focuses on shared values and social patterns specifically
- city life
the faster-paced, more diverse lifestyle of urban centres
- rural life
life in the countryside, with different social patterns and daily rhythms
用法筆記
This sense often carries a mildly critical tone — it can suggest conformity, conservatism, or lack of excitement, though it is also used neutrally by sociologists and cultural commentators.