non-material
non-material — 形容詞
1. relating to things that have value but cannot be touched or measured directly in
非金錢的
與金錢或實物無關的
relating to things that have value but cannot be touched or measured directly in money — for example, influence, reputation, services, or personal relationships.
Tariro believes that non-material rewards like respect and trust are more valuable than money.
Tariro 認為尊重和信任這類非金錢的報酬比金錢更有價值。
collocation: non-material rewards
A company's brand reputation is one of its most important non-material assets.
公司的品牌聲譽是最重要的非金錢資產之一。
collocation: non-material assets
The charity provides non-material help such as legal advice and emotional support.
該慈善機構提供法律諮詢和情感支持等非金錢的幫助。
Cultural exchange is a non-material benefit of international cooperation that is hard to measure.
文化交流是國際合作中難以衡量的非金錢利益。
- intangible
the most common synonym in business contexts; broader than non-material
- non-monetary
emphasises the absence of money rather than physical objects
- non-financial
focuses on the absence of financial value; often used in accounting
文法句型
non-material + noun
be + non-material
用法筆記
Frequently used in economics and business contexts to describe resources that are not physical cash or goods, such as know-how, brand equity, and goodwill.
常見錯誤
2. having no physical body or substance; existing only as a spirit, soul, thought,
非實體的
沒有物理形體的
having no physical body or substance; existing only as a spirit, soul, thought, or abstract concept, with no tangible form.
Many religious traditions describe the soul as a non-material entity that cannot be touched.
許多宗教傳統將靈魂描述為一種摸不著的非實體存在。
collocation: non-material entity
The philosopher argued that thoughts are non-material and not fully explained by brain activity alone.
那位哲學家主張思想是非實體的，無法單靠大腦活動來完全解釋。
Old Japanese folk tales tell of non-material beings that live in forests and rivers.
日本古老的民間故事敘述了住在森林與河流中的非實體存在。
Ari's painting tries to represent non-material ideas like freedom and justice through abstract shapes.
Ari 的畫作試圖透過抽象形狀來表現自由與正義這類非實體的概念。
- incorporeal
more technical; used in philosophy and law for things without a body
- immaterial
overlaps with this sense but also means 'unimportant' — can cause confusion
- spiritual
implies a religious or supernatural aspect that non-material does not always carry
文法句型
non-material + noun
be + non-material
用法筆記
Common in philosophy, theology, and discussions of consciousness. Distinguish from sense 1 (non-financial): this sense focuses on literal lack of physical form, not on value type.
常見錯誤
3. relating to people's feelings, sense of purpose, and psychological needs, as opp
情感上的
與情緒和心理需求相關的
relating to people's feelings, sense of purpose, and psychological needs, as opposed to their physical or financial requirements.
Anya's manager began to address the team's non-material needs like recognition and belonging.
Anya 的主管開始處理團隊的情感需求，例如歸屬感和獲得肯定。
collocation: non-material needs
The school's new programme focuses on non-material development, such as empathy and emotional resilience.
該學校的新課程注重情感層面的發展，如同理心和情緒調適力。
collocation: non-material development
Leo felt that his non-material well-being suffered when he stopped spending time with close friends.
Leo 發現不再常與好友相處後，他的情感幸福感下降了。
Chiara's research shows that non-material factors like job satisfaction affect productivity more than salary does.
Chiara 的研究顯示，工作滿意度這類情感因素對生產力的影響勝過薪資。
Ritu quit her high-paying job to pursue non-material goals like creative freedom and growth.
Ritu 辭去了高薪工作，轉而追求創作自由和成長等情感目標。
- emotional
simpler and more common; narrower in focus on feelings rather than overall psychological needs
- psychological
broader; includes mental health and cognitive needs
- spiritual
implies a moral or religious dimension that non-material does not always have
文法句型
non-material + noun
用法筆記
Predominantly attributive (before a noun). Common in psychology, human resources, and education. The noun that follows is almost always an abstract quality (needs, well-being, goals, development, factors) rather than a concrete thing.