小词详解 | industrious

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小词详解 | industrious
industrious 英 [ɪnˈdʌstriəs] 美 [ɪnˈdʌstriəs]

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外刊例句

  • North Americans are more industrious than South Americans, according to data compiled by Mercer, a consultancy.
    根据美世咨询公司汇编的数据,北美人比南美人更勤劳。
    ——《经济学人》
  • At least in her public persona, Clinton gives off an exclusively professional vibe: industrious, calculated, goal-oriented, distrustful.
    克林顿给人一种完全职业化的感觉,至少她的公众形象如此:勤勉、深思熟虑、目标导向、不轻信。
    ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[adjective] diligent and hard-working
[形容词] 勤奋努力的

深入解读

从 industrious 的拼写不难猜到该词与熟词 industry (工业、行业)相关,这样又很容易将 industrious 误以为与 industrial (工业的、产业的;工业化的、工业发达的)同义。

实际上, industrious 同 industry 一样,都是源自拉丁语 industria (勤奋、活跃),16世纪50年代进入英语后,开始用作褒义词表示“勤奋的、勤劳的”以及“忙碌的、常年不闲的”,多指一种习惯性的或持续的非常认真的勤奋,常用来形容那些以专注于自己的事业、工作或业余爱好为特征的人,比如:

  • 她不聪明,但是她很用功。这就是为什么她的外语总是出类拔萃。
    She is not smart, but she is very industrious. That's why she has always excelled in foreign languages.
  • 她是个勤劳肯干的员工,且身处逆境时,她从不垂头丧气。
    She was an industrious and willing worker, and she was always cheerful in adversity.

值得注意的是,想要以名词形式表达“勤劳、勤奋”时,则可以用 industry 表示,比如小站(微信公众号:田间小站)之前在 小词详解 | patron 中提到过的双语名言就有用到:

No man’s genius, however shining, can raise him from obscu­rity unless he has industry, opportunity and also a patron to recom­mend him.
一个人不管有多么光辉的天才,假如没有勤奋和机会以及赞助人的推介,也会湮没无闻的。

权威用例

中华民族是历经磨难、不屈不挠的伟大民族,中国人民是勤劳勇敢、自强不息的伟大人民,中国共产党是敢于斗争、敢于胜利的伟大政党。
The Chinese nation is a great nation; it has been through hardships and adversity but remains indomitable. The Chinese people are a great people; they are industrious and brave; and they never pause in the pursuit of progress. The Communist Party of China is a great party; it has the courage to fight and the mettle to win.

出自党的十九大报告(双语全文)

同近义词

  • diligent: having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties
  • assiduous: showing great care and perseverance
  • sedulous: (of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence