culture
Definitions
The shared customs, arts, beliefs, and way of life of a particular society or group.
文化；一个社会或群体共享的习俗、艺术、信仰与生活方式
Refinement of the mind and taste through education and the arts.
修养；通过教育与艺术获得的心智与品味的提升
Microorganisms or cells grown in a prepared nutrient medium.
（实验室）培养物；培养基中生长的微生物或细胞
To grow (bacteria, cells, or tissue) in a controlled medium.
（在培养基中）培养（细菌、细胞或组织）
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcult (tend, grow) + -ure (act, result) = 'a tending or growing.' It began as literal soil-tilling (cultura), then the Romans applied it to the mind (cultura animi, 'cultivation of the soul'). From there it grew into 'refinement,' and finally into 'the whole shared way of life of a people.' The lab sense — growing bacteria in a dish — quietly keeps the original farming idea.
Root cult still carries 38 more wordsWhy It Means This
Why does one word cover farming, refinement, society, and lab dishes? Because all four are the same act: tending something so it grows. Latin cultura meant tilling soil. Transferred to a person, it meant 'farming' the mind into refinement. Transferred to a whole group, it became their collective grown habits — their culture. And a bacterial culture is, literally, something grown. One image of nurturing, four destinations.
Common Collocations
- 1.popular culture流行文化
- 2.corporate culture企业文化
- 3.cultural heritage文化遗产
- 4.culture shock文化冲击
- 5.rich culture丰富的文化
Example Sentences
- 1.
Japanese culture places great value on respect and harmony.
- 2.
The company has a strong culture of openness and feedback.
- 3.
She grew up surrounded by music, art, and culture.
- 4.
Scientists cultured the bacteria for two days before testing.
Easily Confused
culture vs civilization — culture is the customs, art, and values a group lives by; civilization is the large-scale, organized stage of a society (cities, writing, institutions). A small tribe has a culture but may not be called a civilization. Roughly: culture = the shared way of life; civilization = an advanced, organized society.