hierarchical
/ˌhaɪəˈrɑːkɪkl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌhaɪəˈrɑːrkɪkl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl also hir-ˈär-/ (ame, mw)
hierarchical — 形容詞
- hierarchicalpositive
- more hierarchicalcomparative
- most hierarchicalsuperlative
1. having a structure in which people or things are placed in a series of levels, w
階層式的
按重要性或層級高低排列的
having a structure in which people or things are placed in a series of levels, where those at the top have more power or importance than those below — for example, a company's chain of command from the CEO down to entry-level workers.
The company's hierarchical structure meant that every decision had to go through several layers of management.
這家公司的層級式結構意味著每個決策都必須經過好幾層管理階層才能通過。
attributive use: hierarchical + structure
In a hierarchical society, a person's opportunities are often shaped by the social class they are born into.
在一個階層式的社會中，一個人的機會往往取決於他出身於哪個社會階級。
prepositional phrase: 'hierarchical + society' in sociological context
Priya found the university's system frustrating because it was so hierarchical — junior staff had almost no say in major decisions.
Priya 覺得大學的制度令人沮喪，因為它太階層化了——資淺人員對重大決定幾乎沒有發言權。
Traditional military organisations are highly hierarchical, with ranks running from private all the way up to general.
傳統的軍事組織具有高度的階層性，從士兵一路到將軍都有明確的軍階。
The team replaced their old hierarchical model with a flat structure so that every member's voice would carry equal weight.
團隊用一個扁平結構取代了舊有的階層模式，讓每位成員的意見都能得到同等重視。
- ranked
more general; can refer to any ordered sequence, not necessarily by importance
- layered
focuses on the presence of levels without the authority/power dimension
- stratified
more formal and academic, especially in sociology and geology
- tiered
emphasises distinct layers, common in business contexts (tiered pricing, tiered access)
- flat
direct opposite in organisational design — no middle management layers
- egalitarian
describes a system where all members have equal power, regardless of rank
文法句型
hierarchical + noun
be + highly/very + hierarchical
用法筆記
Common in academic and professional writing about organizations, systems, and social structures. In everyday conversation, simpler alternatives such as 'ranked' or 'layered' are often preferred. The adverb 'hierarchically' is frequently used in technical contexts (e.g., 'hierarchically structured data').