enlightenment

/ɪnˈlaɪ.tən.mənt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌɛnlˈaɪtənmənt] /ɪnˈlaɪ.tən.mənt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌɛnlˈaɪtənmənt] /in-ˈlī-tᵊn-mənt en-/ (ame, mw)

enlightenment — 名詞

1. the condition of having gained a clear and accurate understanding of a subject,

1.名詞B2
釋義

理解；領悟

對事物清楚了解的狀態

the condition of having gained a clear and accurate understanding of a subject, situation, or problem, especially after effort or study

例句

After months of research, Dr. Okafor reached a moment of enlightenment about the data.

經過數月研究，Okafor 博士忽然領悟了數據背後的意義。

collocation: moment of enlightenment

The workshop brought enlightenment to many young teachers who had struggled with classroom management.

這場工作坊讓許多在班級管理上碰壁的年輕教師豁然開朗。

verb pattern: bring + enlightenment + to + person

同義詞
  • insight

    more commonly used for a single penetrating observation; enlightenment suggests a broader state of understanding

  • understanding

    more general and less intense; enlightenment implies a deeper, transformative clarity

  • clarity

    focuses on the quality of being clear rather than the broader state of knowing

  • awareness

    a less analytical, more perceptual kind of knowing than enlightenment

反義詞

文法句型

uncountable noun

enlightenment + about + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often appears in fixed phrases such as 'a moment of enlightenment' or 'a flash of enlightenment' to describe a sudden, clear understanding. Unlike 'education,' which implies formal instruction, enlightenment suggests a deeper personal grasp.

常見錯誤

❌I received enlightenment from the math class' (too broad).
✅I experienced a moment of enlightenment when I finally understood the formula.
💡'enlightenment' is rarely used as a direct object of 'receive' in everyday contexts; use 'moment/flash of' to indicate a specific insight.

2. the supreme spiritual goal in Buddhism and Hinduism — a state beyond desire and

2.名詞C1
釋義

覺悟；開悟

佛教與印度教的最高精神境界

the supreme spiritual goal in Buddhism and Hinduism — a state beyond desire and suffering, reached through deep meditation and moral living

例句

Through years of silent meditation, the monk said he had moved closer to enlightenment.

經過多年的靜坐冥想，那位僧人說自己離覺悟又近了一步。

verb pattern: move closer to + enlightenment

After three years at a monastery in Thailand, Anong felt she was beginning to glimpse what enlightenment meant.

在泰國的一座寺院待了三年後，Anong 覺得自己開始隱約領悟覺悟的意義。

verb pattern: begin to glimpse + enlightenment

同義詞
  • bodhi

    the Sanskrit/Pali term specifically used in Buddhism; more precise than the English word

  • nirvana

    often used interchangeably with enlightenment, but technically refers to the end of suffering rather than the full awakening

  • awakening

    informal synonym with a strong spiritual connotation

  • liberation

    emphasizes freedom from worldly bonds rather than the insight aspect

反義詞
  • ignorance

    in Buddhist philosophy, ignorance (avidya) is the root condition that enlightenment removes

  • samsara

    the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth from which enlightenment provides escape

文法句型

uncountable noun

enlightenment + as + noun phrase

用法筆記

Commonly paired with 'attain,' 'reach,' or 'achieve.' In Buddhist contexts, enlightenment (bodhi) is distinct from nirvana — nirvana refers to the extinguishing of desire, while enlightenment is the full awakening to the true nature of reality. In everyday usage the two terms overlap.

常見錯誤

❌He gained enlightenment from a vacation.
✅He hoped that years of meditation would lead him to enlightenment.
💡Spiritual enlightenment is a profound, long-term goal in Eastern traditions, not a casual benefit from a short holiday.

3. an 18th-century European intellectual movement that championed reason, science,

3.名詞B2
釋義

啟蒙運動

十八世紀歐洲推崇理性的思想運動

an 18th-century European intellectual movement that championed reason, science, and individual rights over tradition, religious authority, and monarchy

例句

Immanuel Kant's essay 'What Is Enlightenment?' urged readers to think for themselves and escape intellectual dependence.

康德的文章〈何謂啟蒙？〉呼籲讀者為自己思考，擺脫思想上的依賴。

concrete reference: Kant's essay 'What Is Enlightenment?'

Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau and Voltaire questioned the authority of kings and churches.

盧梭、伏爾泰等啟蒙思想家質疑國王與教會的權威。

collocation: Enlightenment thinkers

同義詞
反義詞
  • the Dark Ages

    a contrasting historical period perceived as lacking rational thought and scientific progress

  • the Middle Ages

    sometimes contrasted with the Enlightenment in discussions of intellectual history

文法句型

the Enlightenment

the Age of Enlightenment

用法筆記

Almost always capitalized when referring to the historical period. The definite article 'the' is standard ('the Enlightenment'). 'Enlightenment' as a common noun (sense 1) is never capitalized.

常見錯誤

❌I studied enlightenment in history class.' (lowercase, vague).
✅I studied the Enlightenment in my history class.
💡Use capital 'E' and 'the' to refer to the 18th-century movement.