counterculture

IPA/ˈkaʊntəkʌltʃə(r)/
KK[kˈaʊntɚkˌʌltʃɚ]IPA/ˈkaʊntərkʌltʃər/

counterculture — 名詞

1. The set of beliefs, values, and ways of living shared by a community that delibe

1.名詞B2
釋義

反文化

反對主流社會價值觀的生活方式與群體

The set of beliefs, values, and ways of living shared by a community that deliberately positions itself against the mainstream — for example, young people in the 1960s who rejected established authority and explored new styles of music, dress, and communal life.

例句

Rania wrote her university thesis on the counterculture of 1960s San Francisco.

Rania 的大學論文寫的是 1960 年代舊金山的反文化。

collocation: the counterculture + of + [place/time period]

The counterculture of the 1960s challenged traditional ideas about family, work, and personal freedom.

1960 年代的反文化挑戰了人們對家庭、工作和個人自由的傳統觀念。

collocation: counterculture + challenged + traditional ideas

同義詞
  • subculture

    Broader term for any group with distinct customs and tastes; does not necessarily imply opposition to the mainstream

  • underground

    Often refers to artistic or musical movements outside commercial channels; emphasises hidden or non-mainstream activity rather than active rejection of social values

  • alternative culture

    Less confrontational term; suggests choosing a different path rather than fighting the establishment

反義詞
  • mainstream

    The dominant culture that most people accept and follow

  • establishment

    The accepted social order and its institutions (government, schools, media) that the counterculture opposes

文法句型

the counterculture + of [period/place]

counterculture + movement / festival / lifestyle / values

用法筆記

The term is most strongly associated with the youth movements of the 1960s and 1970s in the United States and Western Europe, though it can describe any group whose values deliberately oppose mainstream culture. Often used attributively (counterculture movement, counterculture values).

常見錯誤

❌K-pop fans are a counterculture that listens to Korean pop music.
✅K-pop fans are a subculture that listens to Korean pop music.
💡A counterculture actively opposes mainstream values (e.g. rejecting consumerism), while a subculture simply has distinct tastes that may coexist with the mainstream.
❌People in the counterculture did not have any rules at all.
✅People in the counterculture rejected traditional rules but created their own community values.
💡The counterculture was not lawless; it replaced mainstream norms with alternative ones.