commonplace
/ˈkɒmənpleɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkä-mən-ˌplās/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkɒm.ən.pleɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɑː.mən.pleɪs/ (ame, ipa)
commonplace — 形容詞
- commonplacepositive
- more commonplacecomparative
- most commonplacesuperlative
1. so widely seen, heard, or experienced that people no longer find it surprising,
常見;普通
頻繁出現而不足為奇
so widely seen, heard, or experienced that people no longer find it surprising, interesting, or worth special attention
Smartphones have become so commonplace that even young children carry them to school.
智慧型手機已變得十分常見,連年幼的學童都會帶去學校。
collocation: become commonplace
Car theft in this neighbourhood is commonplace, so residents now park inside locked garages.
這個社區汽車竊案很常見,居民現在都把車停在有鎖的車庫裡。
The nurse told us that minor side effects from the vaccine are quite commonplace.
護理師告訴我們,疫苗的輕微副作用相當常見。
Ravi found it strange that standing in line for an hour was considered commonplace there.
Ravi 覺得很奇怪,在那個國家排隊一小時竟被視為稀鬆平常的事。
For the Watanabe family, eating dinner at nine in the evening was completely commonplace.
對 Watanabe 家來說,晚上九點吃晚飯是再平常不過的事。
- ordinary
less formal; describes something average or typical without the 'so frequent it is unremarkable' emphasis
- unremarkable
focuses on the lack of anything special or noteworthy
- run-of-the-mill
informal; suggests something is average and uninspiring
- widespread
emphasises geographical or demographic range rather than frequency
- rare
the direct opposite in terms of frequency
- unusual
describes something that stands out because it is not common
- exceptional
something so good or special that it is far from ordinary
用法筆記
Frequently paired with 'become', 'seem', or 'be' to describe broad social patterns or widespread phenomena. More common in formal or written English than in casual conversation.
常見錯誤
commonplace — 名詞
- commonplacesingular
- commonplacesplural
1. a statement or idea that has been repeated so many times that it feels boring an
老生常談
說了太多次而失去新意的話語
a statement or idea that has been repeated so many times that it feels boring and loses its original impact or meaning
Politicians often rely on tired commonplaces like 'we need change' without explaining the details.
政治人物經常搬出「我們需要改變」這類老掉牙的老生常談,卻不解釋具體做法。
collocation: rely on commonplaces
Theo was tired of hearing the same commonplaces at every wedding ceremony he attended.
Theo 聽膩了每場婚禮上千篇一律的老生常談。
collocation: the same commonplaces
The director's speech was full of empty commonplaces that failed to impress the audience.
那位導演的演講盡是空洞的老生常談,未能打動聽眾。
What began as a sincere observation became a dull commonplace after the manager said it at every team meeting.
原本真誠的觀察,在主管每次團隊會議都重複之後,成了一則乏味的老生常談。
- original remark
a statement that is fresh and not heard before
- insight
a deep or clever observation that adds value
用法筆記
Often used in the plural form 'commonplaces'. More formal than 'cliché' and carries a slightly less negative tone — 'commonplace' suggests overuse rather than lack of originality.