entitlements
entitlements — 名詞
- entitlementssingular
- entitlementsesplural
1. things that a person or group is legally or contractually allowed to have, keep,
法定權利
法律或合約保障的權益
things that a person or group is legally or contractually allowed to have, keep, or receive — for example, pension payments, insurance coverage, paid leave, or access to services that are guaranteed by an agreement or a law.
Under the new contract, every employee is entitled to full healthcare entitlements from the first day at work.
根據新合約，每位員工從入職第一天起就享有完整的醫療保健法定權利。
contractual right: entitled to + entitlement
The retired teacher went to the social security office to claim the pension entitlements she had earned over thirty years.
那位退休老師到社會安全局申請她任教三十年累積的退休金法定權益。
collocation: pension entitlements — shows how they accumulate over a career
Bao's travel insurance policy lists the specific entitlements for emergency medical treatment abroad.
Bao 的旅遊保險單上列出了海外緊急醫療可享有的具體法定權利。
The court decided that the company had violated the workers' legal entitlements to overtime pay.
法院裁定該公司侵犯了員工領取加班費的法定權利。
Alessia checked her employment contract to understand her annual leave entitlements.
Alessia 仔細查閱了勞動合約，了解自己每年特休假的法定權利。
- right
broader term; 'right' can be moral or legal, while 'entitlement' strongly implies a formal, documented basis
- claim
focuses on the act of demanding something you believe you should have; slightly more assertive than 'entitlement'
- benefit
emphasises what is received (money, service) rather than the legal right to receive it
- obligation
something you must do rather than something you are allowed to receive
用法筆記
Most often appears in plural form (entitlements) or in the pattern 'entitlement to [something]'. Subject is typically an individual, a group of workers, or an organisation that holds a right.
常見錯誤
2. a publicly funded scheme that delivers money, food, medical care, or other servi
社會福利
政府針對合格群體的福利
a publicly funded scheme that delivers money, food, medical care, or other services to people who meet specific conditions, such as age, income level, or disability status.
Social Security and Medicare are the two largest entitlement programs in the United States.
社會安全金與醫療保險是美國兩項規模最大的社會福利方案。
collocation: entitlement program
The government is debating whether to expand entitlement benefits to cover free dental care for seniors.
政府正在討論是否擴大社會福利範圍，為銀髮族提供免費牙科照護。
Niran works at a local agency that helps families apply for food assistance entitlements.
Niran 在一間地方機構工作，協助家庭申請食物補助的社會福利。
Gabriela's study examines how entitlement spending on Social Security now consumes over half of the US federal budget.
Gabriela 的研究探討社會安全金的福利支出如今如何佔去美國聯邦預算的一半以上。
Any citizen who meets the income requirements can receive these housing entitlements from the state.
任何符合收入規定的公民都可以向政府申請這些住宅補助福利。
- welfare
more specific to aid for low-income people; 'entitlement' covers broader programs (e.g. Social Security for retirees of all income levels)
- social benefit
common in British English contexts; less politically charged in US usage
- public assistance
narrower, usually means means-tested aid rather than universal programs
- discretionary spending
government spending that Congress must approve each year, not guaranteed by prior law
用法筆記
This sense is common in US political and policy discussions. 'Entitlement program' and 'entitlement spending' are fixed phrases. The term is sometimes used critically by those who oppose large government welfare systems, but it is also used neutrally in policy analysis.
常見錯誤
3. the unjustified belief that you deserve special treatment, rewards, or admiratio
特權心態
自認應得特殊待遇的心理
the unjustified belief that you deserve special treatment, rewards, or admiration without having earned them through effort or achievement.
Yuki's constant sense of entitlement made it difficult for her teammates to work with her.
Yuki 那種理所當然的特權心態，讓同事們很難跟她合作。
collocation: sense of entitlement
The manager felt that the intern had an attitude of entitlement, expecting praise for very little work.
經理認為那位實習生抱著特權心態，做的很少卻期待得到讚賞。
Selim quit the book club, unable to bear members whose entitlement demanded praise just for showing up.
Selim 退出讀書會，受不了那些成員的特權心態——光出席就要求獲得表揚。
Meera's entitlement became obvious when she demanded a promotion after only two months on the job.
Meera 只上任兩個月就要求升遷，她的特權心態表露無遺。
- arrogance
stronger and more openly hostile; 'arrogance' implies open boastfulness, whereas 'entitlement' can be a quieter but still unreasonable expectation
- self-importance
focuses on inflated self-worth rather than expecting external rewards
用法筆記
This sense is almost always singular (entitlement, not entitlements). Frequently appears in the phrases 'sense of entitlement' and 'attitude of entitlement'. Carries a negative, critical tone — it describes a quality the speaker disapproves of.