provincial
provincial — adjective
1. connected with a province — a large territory that a country is split into, each
connected with a province — a large territory that a country is split into, each run by its own regional administration
The provincial government announced a plan to rebuild the old highway this year.
provincial government — standard collocation for regional administration
Mauricio works for the provincial department of education in Córdoba.
Each provincial capital has its own museum and a theatre for local performances.
A new provincial law was passed to protect forests and rivers from pollution.
The election for the provincial assembly drew a very high turnout across the region.
文法句型
provincial + noun
用法筆記
Typically placed before a noun — common pairings include provincial government, provincial capital, and provincial election.
常見錯誤
2. found in or coming from regions away from the capital city, often implying a sim
found in or coming from regions away from the capital city, often implying a simpler or less sophisticated lifestyle
Ife moved from a provincial town to the capital to study at the university.
provincial town — common phrase for non-capital towns
Provincial newspapers rarely report on international events or foreign policy.
Yael grew up in a quiet provincial village and visited the city once a year.
The novel offers a humorous view of provincial life in nineteenth-century England.
Defne preferred the slow pace of provincial living over the rush of the big city.
- urban
relating to a city, especially the capital
- metropolitan
belonging to a large, important city
文法句型
provincial + noun
用法筆記
Can carry a mildly negative tone when contrasted with life in the capital, which is seen as more cultured or sophisticated. The neutrality or harshness depends on context.
常見錯誤
3. having a restricted perspective and resisting unfamiliar thoughts, practices, or
having a restricted perspective and resisting unfamiliar thoughts, practices, or lifestyles
Her provincial attitude toward other cultures embarrassed her friends during the trip to Japan.
provincial attitude — collocation for a closed-minded outlook
The committee's provincial thinking stopped the school from trying any modern teaching methods.
Alessia found some of the older residents charming but their provincial views frustrated her.
Dario's provincial approach to business made it hard for him to work with international partners.
- parochial
very similar, but emphasises narrow local focus rather than general backwardness
- insular
suggests being cut off from outside influences and uninterested in them
- narrow-minded
more direct and common in everyday speech; less formal
- unsophisticated
focuses on lack of worldly experience rather than unwillingness to learn
- cosmopolitan
familiar with and open to many different cultures
- broad-minded
willing to accept different opinions and behaviours
- worldly
having experience and knowledge of the world
文法句型
provincial + noun
provincial in + noun
用法筆記
Strongly negative. Frequently used to criticise attitudes, opinions, or worldviews that resist change or show ignorance of other cultures. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 describes where something is located; sense 3 describes a person's character.
常見錯誤
provincial — noun
1. someone whose home is in a region of the country away from the capital, sometime
someone whose home is in a region of the country away from the capital, sometimes implying they lack urban polish
When Caleb first arrived in the capital, some classmates teased him for being a provincial.
used as a countable noun — a provincial
The novel follows a young provincial who moves to Paris hoping to become an artist.
Abigail felt like a lost provincial among the fashionable crowds of Milan.
The senator defended the interests of provincials against the central government's policies.
- country person
more neutral — simply someone who lives in the countryside
- rustic
literary — can be positive (simple, natural) or negative (rough, unpolished)
- outsider
broader — anyone not belonging to a particular group or place
- city dweller
a person who lives in a city
- cosmopolitan
a worldly person at home in many different cultures
文法句型
a provincial
the provincials
用法筆記
Often carries a dismissive or slightly mocking tone, similar to calling someone a "country bumpkin." However, it can be used neutrally in historical or sociological contexts. The plural form provincials is more common than the singular.