rudimentary

rudimentary — adjective

1. relating to the most simple and essential parts of a skill, subject, or activity

1.形容詞B2
釋義

relating to the most simple and essential parts of a skill, subject, or activity — the parts that a person learns or needs at the very beginning.

例句

The course teaches rudimentary cooking skills such as chopping vegetables and boiling rice.

rudimentary + skills (typical collocation)

Mayumi has only a rudimentary understanding of Spanish after her first week of classes.

rudimentary understanding / knowledge

同義詞
  • basic

    more common and neutral in register; suitable for everyday use

  • elementary

    often describes the simplest level in an educational sequence

  • fundamental

    stresses the essential nature of the principles, not their simplicity

反義詞

文法句型

rudimentary + noun (knowledge, understanding, skills, principles)

常見錯誤

❌She has a rudimentary of grammar.
✅She has a rudimentary understanding of grammar.
💡rudimentary is an adjective, not a noun; it must modify a noun like understanding or knowledge.
❌They built a rudimentary house that was perfectly comfortable.
✅They built a basic house that was perfectly comfortable.
💡rudimentary often implies underdeveloped or incomplete, not simply simple but adequate.

2. basic and simple in design or structure, showing that something has not been mad

2.形容詞B2
釋義

basic and simple in design or structure, showing that something has not been made or developed to a high or complete level.

例句

The village clinic had only rudimentary equipment such as a few bandages and basic medicine.

rudimentary equipment (typical for systems / facilities)

The newborn chicks have only rudimentary feathers that are not yet suitable for flying.

同義詞
  • primitive

    stronger implication of crudeness and early-stage development

  • crude

    suggests rough, unrefined construction without care

  • vestigial

    specific to biology; describes a body part that has lost its original function over evolution

反義詞

文法句型

rudimentary + noun (tools, equipment, shelter, system, organs)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (BASIC): sense 2 focuses on physical objects, equipment, or body parts that are basic and poorly built or developed, rather than on the first lessons of a subject.

常見錯誤

❌The couple decorated their rudimentary apartment with expensive furniture.' (inconsistent context)
✅The couple's shelter was rudimentary, with mud walls and a tin roof.
💡rudimentary in this sense works best for simple, crude, or underdeveloped structures, not for ordinary small homes.