common knowledge

IPA/kˈɒmən nˈɒlɪdʒ/
IPA/kˈɑːmən nˈɑːlɪdʒ/

common knowledge — 慣用語

1. something that is known to most or all members of a group or community — so wide

1.慣用語B2
釋義

眾所皆知

群體中多數人皆知的事實

something that is known to most or all members of a group or community — so widely accepted that people consider it unnecessary to explain or prove.

例句

It is common knowledge among the villagers that the old well has been dry for decades.

村民之間眾所皆知，那口老井已經乾涸了幾十年。

it + be + common knowledge + among [group] + that-clause

The company's financial troubles became common knowledge when the annual report was leaked.

該公司的財務困境在年報外洩後成了眾所皆知的事。

became common knowledge

同義詞
  • well-known fact

    slightly more formal; often used in academic or journalistic writing

  • general knowledge

    broader in scope — can refer to things learned through education, not just everyday awareness

  • public knowledge

    emphasises availability to the general public rather than a specific community

  • open secret

    implies that something is known despite not being officially acknowledged; slightly informal

  • widely known fact

    more explicit about scope; can sound more formal

反義詞
  • secret

    information deliberately kept from others

  • mystery

    implies something puzzling or unexplained, not merely unknown

  • inside information

    known only to a select few with special access

  • rumour

    unverified information; may or may not be true

文法句型

it + be + common knowledge + that-clause

something + be + common knowledge + (among/in/within) + group

用法筆記

Can range from 'known by everyone in a group' to 'known by most members of a group'. The strength depends on context. Frequently used predicatively with a that-clause ('It is common knowledge that…'). Cannot be preceded by an article ('a common knowledge') because it is an uncountable noun phrase.

常見錯誤

❌It is a common knowledge that the moon orbits the Earth.
✅It is common knowledge that the moon orbits the Earth.
💡'common knowledge' is uncountable and does not take an indefinite article.
❌Common knowledge tells us that smoking is bad for health.
✅It is common knowledge that smoking is bad for health.
💡'common knowledge' is not an agent; it cannot 'tell' us things.
❌The common knowledge among engineers is that the bridge needs repairs.
✅It is common knowledge among engineers that the bridge needs repairs.
💡'common knowledge' typically avoids the definite article even when a prepositional phrase follows.