nihilism

IPA/ˈnaɪɪlɪzəm/
KK[nˈaɪəlˌɪzəm]IPA/ˈnaɪɪlɪzəm/

nihilism — 名詞

1. a way of thinking that rejects the idea that life or the world has any meaning,

1.名詞C1
釋義

虛無主義

否定生命意義與傳統價值的觀點

a way of thinking that rejects the idea that life or the world has any meaning, purpose, or moral truth, viewing traditional beliefs about right and wrong as having no real value.

例句

Depressed for months, Hassan told his sister that life had no purpose, embracing nihilism.

憂鬱了幾個月後，Hassan 告訴妹妹人生毫無目的，因而接受了虛無主義。

collocation: embrace + nihilism

The teacher explained that nihilism rejects the idea that moral rules come from universal truth.

老師解釋說，虛無主義否定道德規範源自任何普世真理的說法。

nihilism rejects + [idea/belief]

同義詞
  • fatalism

    Fatalism holds that events are predetermined, but does not deny that meaning or value exists — it only denies free will.

  • skepticism

    Skepticism questions whether we can know things for certain, but does not claim that nothing has meaning.

  • cynicism

    Cynicism doubts people's motives but often retains strong moral judgments; nihilism rejects moral judgment itself.

反義詞
  • optimism

    The belief that life has positive meaning and that good outcomes are possible.

  • idealism

    The belief that values, principles, and moral truths have real and lasting significance.

用法筆記

Frequently used in discussions of existentialism, postmodernism, and social criticism. Often confused with pessimism: a nihilist denies that meaning exists at all, while a pessimist merely expects bad outcomes.

常見錯誤

❌After losing the game, she felt nihilism.
✅After losing the game, she felt that nothing mattered.
💡Nihilism is a philosophical worldview, not a momentary emotion that comes and goes.
❌He has nihilism about his career.
✅He has a sense of nihilism about his career.
💡Nihilism is an abstract belief system, not a feeling one 'has' toward a specific topic.

2. the philosophical view that nothing actually exists in a real or objective way,

2.名詞C2
釋義

虛無論

主張一切皆幻象的哲學理論

the philosophical view that nothing actually exists in a real or objective way, and that what we think of as reality, including our own sense of self, is merely an illusion.

例句

Buddhist teachings see the world as an illusion, but stop short of nihilism denying the self.

佛教教義認為世界是幻象，但未走向否定自我的虛無論。

The philosopher said ontological nihilism defeats itself: if nothing is real, the claim cannot be true.

哲學家說本體虛無論是不攻自破的：如果沒有事物是真實的，那麼這個說法也不能為真。

ontological nihilism (metaphysical sense)

同義詞
  • solipsism

    Solipsism doubts the existence of anything outside one's own mind; it is narrower than nihilism, which doubts everything including the mind.

  • irrealism

    A less common term that questions the reality of the external world without necessarily denying the self.

反義詞
  • realism

    The view that the physical world and other minds exist independently of our perception.

用法筆記

Restricted almost entirely to academic philosophy. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 denies that values or meaning exist; sense 2 denies that reality itself exists.

常見錯誤

❌He believes in nihilism that the table does not exist.
✅He holds a nihilistic view that physical objects have no independent reality.
💡Nihilism in this sense is a theoretical position about the nature of reality, not a practical claim about everyday objects.

3. the belief that social and political systems are so hopelessly broken that destr

3.名詞C2
釋義

激進虛無

為破壞而破壞的激進信念

the belief that social and political systems are so hopelessly broken that destroying them is desirable simply for the sake of destruction, with no plan for what should come next.

例句

Radicals turned to nihilism, planting bombs to prove the old order could fall, the historian said.

歷史學家說，激進份子轉向激進虛無，放置炸彈以證明舊體制是可以被推翻的。

historical: 19th-century Russian nihilism

An activist argued for a nihilism rejecting all parties and elections as corrupt.

一名社運人士主張一種拒絕所有政黨和選舉的激進虛無，認為它們同樣腐敗。

political nihilism (specific domain)

同義詞
  • anarchism

    Anarchism seeks to abolish the state in order to build a free society; nihilism in this sense seeks only destruction without a constructive goal.

  • radicalism

    Radicalism demands deep structural change but usually has a vision for what should replace the old system; nihilism does not.

反義詞
  • reformism

    The belief that change should come gradually through working within the existing system.

  • gradualism

    The approach of making slow, step-by-step improvements rather than destroying institutions entirely.

用法筆記

Primarily historical in reference (19th-century Russian revolutionaries) but also used in modern political commentary. The focus is on destruction of institutions rather than on a philosophical denial of meaning or reality.

常見錯誤

❌The riot was nihilism because it destroyed property.
✅The riot was driven by nihilism only if the goal was destruction itself, not a specific demand.
💡Political nihilism means destruction for its own sake, not destruction as a tactic to achieve reform.