consumerism

/kənˈsjuːmərɪzəm/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈsuːmərɪzəm/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈsü-mə-ˌri-zəm -mər-ˌi-/ (ame, mw)

consumerism — 名詞

1. a condition in modern industrial economies where buying and selling products has

1.名詞B2
釋義

消費社會

工業社會以大量買賣為核心的狀態

a condition in modern industrial economies where buying and selling products has become a central social and economic activity for a large part of the population

例句

The rise of consumerism in the 20th century changed how people shop for everyday items.

20 世紀消費社會的興起，改變了人們購買日常用品的方式。

the rise of + consumerism

Japan's post-war consumerism turned the country into a major market for imported luxury goods.

日本戰後的消費社會使該國成為進口奢侈品的主要市場。

同義詞
  • mass consumption

    focuses on the act of consuming rather than the social system

  • consumer culture

    more specific to the cultural attitudes, slightly less formal

  • market economy

    broader term that includes production and trade, not just buying

反義詞
  • austerity

    a society or period where spending is limited and goods are scarce

常見錯誤

❌Consumerism is when I go to the store and buy food.
✅Consumerism describes a society where buying and selling are central economic activities.
💡'Consumerism' refers to a broad social condition, not a single shopping trip.

2. a cultural situation in which people devote too much time and importance to shop

2.名詞B2
釋義

過度消費

過分重視購物與擁有的現象

a cultural situation in which people devote too much time and importance to shopping for goods and accumulating possessions, often beyond what they truly need

例句

Critics argue that modern consumerism encourages people to buy things they do not really need.

批評者認為，現代人的過度消費鼓勵人們購買自己並不需要的東西。

modern consumerism + encourages people to buy

The Sakura family chose to reject consumerism after they saw how much money they wasted.

Sakura 一家在看到自己浪費了多少錢之後，選擇拒絕過度消費。

同義詞
  • materialism

    focuses more on valuing possessions and wealth than on the act of buying

  • overconsumption

    emphasises using too many resources rather than the social pressure to buy

  • commercialism

    stresses the profit-driven aspect; often used in cultural criticism

反義詞
  • minimalism

    a lifestyle choice to own fewer things, directly opposed to excessive buying

  • frugality

    the practice of careful, limited spending

用法筆記

Frequently appears with negatively charged adjectives such as 'rampant,' 'mindless,' or 'excessive.' Compare with sense 3, which treats the same idea from a neutral economic perspective.

常見錯誤

❌Consumerism is bad for the environment.' (vague)
✅Rampant consumerism harms the environment by creating excessive waste.
💡Add a modifier to clarify which aspect of consumerism you mean.

3. the economic idea that rising levels of consumer spending are good for a country

3.名詞C1
釋義

消費經濟說

認為增加消費有利經濟的理論

the economic idea that rising levels of consumer spending are good for a country's economy and should be encouraged by policy makers

例句

According to consumerism theory, the best way to grow an economy is to encourage more spending.

根據消費經濟說，促進經濟成長最好的方法就是鼓勵更多消費。

theory of consumerism

Governments that follow consumerism often lower taxes to put more money in people's hands.

奉行消費經濟說的政府經常減稅，以便讓民眾手上有更多錢可用。

同義詞
反義詞

用法筆記

Most common in academic writing and economic policy discussions. Rarely used in everyday conversation. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes a social condition rather than a theoretical position.

常見錯誤

❌The government's consumerism helped the economy.
✅The government's belief in consumerism led it to encourage more spending.
💡Sense 3 is an economic theory or policy stance, not a policy action itself.

4. a social and political movement that works for stronger legal rights and safety

4.名詞B2
釋義

消費權益

爭取消費者權益保障的運動

a social and political movement that works for stronger legal rights and safety protections for people who buy goods and services

例句

Consumerism gave rise to laws that protect buyers from unsafe products and misleading adverts.

消費權益運動催生了相關法律，保護購買者免受劣質產品和誤導性廣告的傷害。

consumerism gave rise to + laws

The consumerism movement of the 1960s pushed companies to list ingredients on food packaging.

1960 年代的消費權益運動促使企業在食品包裝上標示成分。

the consumerism movement of the 1960s

同義詞

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2 — this sense describes a reform-oriented movement with a positive connotation. Often appears with 'movement,' 'advocacy,' 'laws,' or 'rights.'

常見錯誤

❌Consumerism is about buying too many shoes.' (confusing with sense 2)
✅Consumerism in the 1960s led to important safety laws for household products.
💡Use context clues like 'movement,' 'rights,' or 'laws' to signal sense 4.