totem
totem — 名詞
- totemsingular
- totemsplural
1. A special animal, plant, image, or similar natural sign that a community uses to
圖騰
受族群敬重的文化象徵物
A special animal, plant, image, or similar natural sign that a community uses to express shared identity or sacred belief.
At the museum, Emi sketched the raven totem from the village hall.
在博物館裡，Emi 描下了村會堂裡的烏鴉圖騰。
pattern: [animal] totem
The wooden pole showed each family's totem at the winter ceremony.
那根木柱在冬季儀式上展示各家的圖騰。
Grandfather explained why the whale was their clan's totem.
祖父解釋了為什麼鯨魚是他們氏族的圖騰。
copula: be + group's totem
Visitors learned that the eagle totem protected the fishing community.
訪客得知，鷹圖騰守護著這個捕魚社群。
Children painted their group's totem on flags for the cultural fair.
孩子們為文化園遊會在旗子上畫出自己族群的圖騰。
- animal totem
- clan totem
- family totem
- totem pole
- protective totem
文法句型
[animal/object] totem
totem of [group]
用法筆記
Usually refers to a traditional cultural or religious symbol shared by a family, clan, or community rather than by one person alone.
常見錯誤
2. A person or thing that comes to stand for a larger value, belief, or way of life
象徵
被視為某種價值的代表
A person or thing that comes to stand for a larger value, belief, or way of life in people's minds.
For many fans, the old stadium remains a totem of local pride.
對許多球迷來說，那座老球場仍是地方自豪的象徵。
totem of [value]
The black umbrella became a totem of the protest movement.
那把黑傘成了抗爭運動的象徵。
In the debate, cheap fuel was treated as a totem of freedom.
在這場辯論裡，便宜燃料被當成自由的象徵。
treated as a totem of
Her grandmother's sewing box stayed a family totem of strength after loss.
她祖母的縫紉盒一直是家人面對失去時堅強的象徵。
After the strike, the red scarf turned into a totem for workers' unity.
罷工之後，紅圍巾成了工人團結的象徵。
- political totem
- cultural totem
- totem of pride
- totem of resistance
- totem for unity
文法句型
totem of [idea/value]
totem for [group/cause]
用法筆記
Common in cultural, political, and media writing. Unlike sense 1, this use does not describe a traditional sacred object; it highlights the symbolic weight people give to someone or something.
常見錯誤
3. A family, clan, or larger group whose members see themselves as connected throug
圖騰族群
以同一圖騰認親的家族或部族
A family, clan, or larger group whose members see themselves as connected through the same totem.
In the old records, each totem had its own marriage rules.
在舊紀錄中，每個圖騰族群都有自己的婚配規則。
each totem + singular verb
Children learned which totem their mother's family belonged to.
孩子們學著分辨母親家族屬於哪個圖騰族群。
The elders asked visitors which totem they came from.
長老會問來訪的人出自哪個圖騰族群。
which totem ... come from
A marriage between the same totem was not allowed.
同一圖騰族群之間不可以通婚。
At the meeting, three totems shared the fishing grounds peacefully.
會議上，三個圖騰族群和平地共享漁場。
- same totem
- different totems
- belong to a totem
- totem marriage rules
- totem group
文法句型
belong to [a] totem
the same totem
用法筆記
Used mainly in anthropology or history. Here the word names the people linked by the symbol, not the symbol itself.
常見錯誤
同根字
- totemic形容詞C2
- totemism名詞C2