monolith
/ˈmɒnəlɪθ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɑːnəlɪθ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmä-nə-ˌlith/ (ame, mw)
monolith — 名詞
- monolithsingular
- monolithsplural
1. a huge organization or system that works as one force, changes slowly, and pays
僵化體系
龐大且不願改變的單一機構
a huge organization or system that works as one force, changes slowly, and pays little attention to individuals.
After the merger, staff feared the bank would become a distant monolith.
合併後，員工擔心銀行會變成一個疏離的僵化體系。
critical use for a huge unresponsive institution
Residents saw the ministry as a monolith that ignored local problems.
居民把那個部會看成一個無視地方問題的僵化體系。
Years of rules turned the hospital into a monolith nobody challenged.
多年的規章把那家醫院變成了一個沒人敢挑戰的僵化體系。
In the novel, the party appears as a cold monolith controlling daily life.
在那本小說裡，黨被描寫成一個控制日常生活的冷酷僵化體系。
- bureaucracy
stresses layers of rules and procedures more than sheer scale
- institution
is more neutral and does not by itself suggest rigidity
- apparatus
is more formal and often used for political or state structures
用法筆記
Usually carries criticism. It often describes governments, companies, or institutions that seem too large to listen or adapt. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about treating a group of people as identical.
2. a set of people spoken about as if they all think, want, or behave in the same w
鐵板一塊
被看成想法都一樣的一群人
a set of people spoken about as if they all think, want, or behave in the same way.
Some reporters treated rural voters as a monolith with one opinion.
有些記者把鄉村選民看成只有一種意見的鐵板一塊。
treat X as a monolith
Teenagers are not a monolith, and schools should not label them that way.
青少年不是鐵板一塊，學校也不該那樣替他們貼標籤。
The ad assumed parents were a monolith who all wanted luxury brands.
那支廣告假定父母是鐵板一塊，大家都想要奢侈品牌。
Online comments often turn immigrants into a monolith instead of real people.
網路留言常把移民說成鐵板一塊，而不是一個個真實的人。
- bloc
often suggests a political group acting together in voting or policy
- collective
can be neutral, while monolith usually criticizes oversimplification
用法筆記
Common in arguments about identity, politics, and public opinion, especially in negative statements such as 'not a monolith'. Distinguish from sense 1, which focuses on a powerful institution rather than a category of people.
3. a single huge stone set upright, especially one raised in ancient times for reli
獨立巨石
古代豎立的單塊大石
a single huge stone set upright, especially one raised in ancient times for religious or ceremonial reasons.
Visitors walked around the monolith at sunrise before entering the ruins.
遊客在日出時繞著那塊獨立巨石走了一圈，才進入遺址。
standing stone at an ancient site
Archaeologists found a monolith beside the old temple on the hill.
考古學家在山上的古老神殿旁找到一塊獨立巨石。
A cracked monolith still marks the center of the ancient burial ground.
一塊裂開的獨立巨石至今仍標示著古代墓地的中心。
Jin sketched the monolith while the guide described local rituals.
Jin 一邊素描那塊獨立巨石，一邊聽導覽員講解當地儀式。
- standing stone
is the broader archaeological term for an upright stone monument
- pillar
can mean any upright support and is less specific than monolith
- column
often suggests a shaped architectural support rather than one solid stone
用法筆記
Usually refers to an upright stone at an ancient site, grave area, or ritual setting. Distinguish from sense 4, which uses monolith metaphorically for an imposing building.
4. a very big building or block-like structure that looks heavy, plain, and imposin
巨型建築
龐大厚重的建築物
a very big building or block-like structure that looks heavy, plain, and imposing.
From the ferry, the casino looked like a black monolith on the shore.
從渡輪上看去，那間賭場像岸邊一座黑色的巨型建築。
used for an imposing block-like building
The new office tower rises as a glass monolith above the station.
那棟新辦公塔樓像一座玻璃巨型建築般矗立在車站上方。
Beatrix hated the apartment monolith blocking light from the park.
Beatrix 很討厭那棟擋住公園採光的公寓巨型建築。
At night, the museum became a glowing monolith beside the river.
到了晚上，那座博物館成了河邊一座發亮的巨型建築。
用法筆記
Often appears in architectural description or criticism to stress a building's size, simple shape, or overpowering presence. Distinguish from sense 3, which names a single upright stone.