lump together

lump together — 慣用語

1. to consider two or more different people, things, or situations as part of a sin

1.慣用語B2
釋義

混為一談

將不同的人事物歸為同類

to consider two or more different people, things, or situations as part of a single group, especially in a way that ignores important differences between them

例句

You cannot lump all Asian countries together — each has its own culture and language.

你不能把所有亞洲國家混為一談——每個國家都有自己的文化和語言。

negative: 'cannot lump + [category] together'

Esteban felt the principal was wrong to lump his son together with the class troublemakers.

Esteban 覺得校長不該把他的兒子和班上的問題學生混為一談。

lump + [someone] together with + [someone else]

常見搭配
  • lump all [things] together
  • lump [someone/something] together with [someone/something else]
  • be lumped together as [a category]
  • unfairly lumped together
  • conveniently lumped together
同義詞
  • conflate

    more formal; suggests confusing distinct things as if they were the same

  • bundle together

    more neutral; can describe physical or abstract grouping without the negative judgment

  • group together

    neutral in tone; does not carry the implication of unfairness

反義詞
  • distinguish

    to recognize and treat things as different

  • separate out

    to divide a larger group into smaller, distinct parts

文法句型

lump + [plural noun group] + together

lump + [noun A] + together with + [noun B]

be lumped together (passive)

用法筆記

This idiom often carries a negative connotation of unfairness or oversimplification. The speaker implies that the grouping is too broad and ignores important details or differences.

常見錯誤

Please lump all the documents together by date.
Please group all the documents together by date.
'lump together' suggests rough or careless grouping, not a careful, neutral sorting.
The manager lumped together the reports and studied each one carefully.
The manager gathered the reports and studied each one carefully.
The careful study contradicts the careless implication of 'lumped together'.