indigenous

indigenous — 形容詞

1. describes people whose ancestors were the first human groups to inhabit a land,

1.形容詞B2
釋義

原住民的

指某地最早的居民及其文化

describes people whose ancestors were the first human groups to inhabit a land, particularly before colonizers or settlers arrived from other places.

例句

The indigenous peoples of Australia have lived on the continent for over 60,000 years.

澳洲原住民族群已經在這片大陸上生活了超過六萬年。

collocation: indigenous peoples / indigenous communities

Noa's research focuses on the land rights of indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest.

Noa 的研究重點在於亞馬遜雨林中原住民群體的土地權利。

同義詞
  • native

    more general; can mean 'born in a place' for any person, not just original inhabitants

  • aboriginal

    more specific to Australia and Canada; often capitalized as a proper noun

  • original

    less precise as a synonym, but conveys the idea of 'first' or 'earliest'

反義詞
  • foreign

    describes people or things from outside the area

  • settler

    as a noun contrast: settler populations arrived after the indigenous inhabitants

文法句型

indigenous + noun (peoples / communities / culture / rights)

用法筆記

When referring to specific ethnic groups, 'Indigenous' is often capitalized as a proper adjective (e.g., 'Indigenous Australians'), reflecting the group's identity status rather than a general description. Distinguish from sense 2 (plants/animals) and sense 3 (locally originating things).

常見錯誤

❌The native people of Taiwan are also called indigenous.
✅The indigenous peoples of Taiwan are also called the original inhabitants.
💡'native' can sound colonial in some contexts; 'indigenous' is the preferred term in legal and cultural discussions.

2. describes plants or animals that develop and live naturally within a given area,

2.形容詞B2
釋義

原生的

指動植物自然生長於某地

describes plants or animals that develop and live naturally within a given area, suited to the local environment rather than brought there by people.

例句

The eucalyptus tree is indigenous to Australia but now grows in many other parts of the world.

尤加利樹原產於澳洲，但現在世界上許多其他地方也有種植。

pattern: [species] + is indigenous to + [place]

Gita's garden only contains plants that are indigenous to the island, so they need very little care.

Gita 的花園裡只種了這座島嶼的原生植物，所以幾乎不需要費心照料。

同義詞
  • native

    more common in everyday use for plants and animals; 'native species' and 'indigenous species' are interchangeable in ecology

  • local

    less formal; 'local plants' is fine for casual conversation

  • endemic

    stronger meaning: found only in that place and nowhere else

反義詞
  • introduced

    brought to the area by humans

  • invasive

    introduced species that spreads aggressively and harms local ecosystems

  • exotic

    from a foreign place, often brought intentionally for gardens or farms

文法句型

[species] + be + indigenous + to + [place]

用法筆記

This sense typically requires the preposition 'to' after the adjective: 'indigenous to [place].' The subject is always a living organism or group of organisms. Distinguish from sense 1 (people) and sense 3 (objects, resources, or ideas).

常見錯誤

❌This plant is indigenous in Taiwan.
✅This plant is indigenous to Taiwan.
💡'indigenous' must be followed by 'to', not 'in'.

3. describes something that comes from or belongs to the area where it exists, rath

3.形容詞C1
釋義

當地的

非外來、源自當地

describes something that comes from or belongs to the area where it exists, rather than being brought in or imported from outside.

例句

The village uses indigenous building materials such as bamboo and clay instead of imported bricks.

這個村莊使用當地的建築材料，例如竹子和黏土，而不是進口的磚塊。

collocation: indigenous materials / indigenous resources

Hoa argued that indigenous knowledge of herbal medicine can be as effective as modern treatments.

Hoa 主張，關於草藥的當地知識可能與現代療法一樣有效。

同義詞
  • local

    less formal and more general; 'local materials' is the everyday alternative

  • home-grown

    informal; used for ideas, food, or products developed internally rather than imported

  • domestic

    used for products or resources originating within a country's borders

反義詞
  • imported

    brought from another country or region

  • foreign

    originating outside the area

  • external

    coming from outside; often used for influences or resources

文法句型

indigenous + noun (materials / resources / customs / knowledge)

用法筆記

This broader sense covers resources, customs, knowledge, or materials that originate in the local area. It overlaps with senses 1 and 2 but applies where neither people nor living organisms are the subject. Frequently used in discussions about sustainability and traditional practices.