white-collar

/ˌwaɪt ˈkɒlə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌwaɪt ˈkɑːlər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈ(h)wīt-ˈkä-lər How to pronounce white-collar (audio)/ (ame, mw)

white-collar — adjective

1. connected with jobs done in offices or other professional settings, where people

1.形容詞B2
釋義

connected with jobs done in offices or other professional settings, where people mainly use training, paperwork, or computers instead of physical labor.

例句

Eli left his white-collar job at the bank to open a bakery.

white-collar + job

Most white-collar workers in the office tower eat lunch at their desks.

white-collar + workers

同義詞
  • office-based

    plainest alternative; emphasizes the workplace more than the worker's status

  • professional

    broader and often higher-status; can suggest specialist training

  • clerical

    narrower; mainly for routine administrative tasks and record-keeping

反義詞
  • blue-collar

    describes manual or industrial work rather than office-based work

文法句型

white-collar + job/worker/crime

be + white-collar

move into white-collar work

用法筆記

Usually comes before a noun such as job, worker, or crime. After a linking verb, it describes the kind of work someone does and often contrasts with blue-collar for manual labor.

常見錯誤

❌She wants a white collar job at a law firm.
✅She wants a white-collar job at a law firm.
💡use the hyphen when the adjective comes before a noun.
❌My brother does a white-collar.
✅My brother does white-collar work.
💡the adjective needs a following noun such as work, job, or worker.