theme
Definitions
The central topic or recurring idea of a work, discussion, or event.
主题；中心思想；（反复出现的）题旨
A recurring melody in a piece of music.
（音乐）主题旋律；主调
To design or decorate something around a particular subject.
（按某一主题）设计、布置
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Greek thema, "something set down" — a subject placed before an audience. The theme is the one idea an author sets at the center and keeps returning to. The same logic runs through theme park (a place built around one idea) and theme song (the tune tied to one show).
Root thes still carries 8 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.central theme核心主题
- 2.recurring theme反复出现的主题
- 3.theme park主题公园
- 4.common theme共同主题
- 5.main theme主旋律
Example Sentences
- 1.
Loneliness is a recurring theme in her novels.
- 2.
The party had a 1920s theme, so everyone dressed up.
- 3.
The composer brings the main theme back in the final movement.
- 4.
They themed the whole café around vintage railways.
Easily Confused
theme vs topic — a topic is simply what something is about (the topic is climate change); a theme is the deeper recurring idea or message running through it (the theme is human resilience). Topic is on the surface; theme is underneath.