undercurrent

undercurrent — 名詞

1. a feeling or attitude that is not directly shown or stated but exists beneath wh

1.名詞B2
釋義

暗流

隱藏於表面的情緒或傾向

a feeling or attitude that is not directly shown or stated but exists beneath what people say or do — for example, an undercurrent of anger at a meeting where everyone speaks politely.

例句

An undercurrent of nervousness filled the room as Lan waited for the doctor's results.

Lan 等待醫生報告時，一股緊張的暗流瀰漫在房間裡。

undercurrent of [emotion] fills [place]

Despite their polite smiles, there was an undercurrent of tension between the two colleagues.

儘管兩人臉上掛著禮貌的笑容，他們之間仍有一股緊張的暗流。

despite [surface behaviour] + undercurrent of [emotion]

同義詞
  • undertone

    more limited — usually refers to an implied quality in someone's voice or words, not a broad group atmosphere; 'an undertone of sarcasm'

  • overtone

    suggests an additional quality that is noticeable but not the main one; broader and less negative than 'undercurrent'

  • subtext

    used specifically for the unspoken meaning in writing, film, or conversation; more intellectual and analytical

文法句型

undercurrent + of + [emotion / quality]

there + be + an undercurrent of + [emotion]

用法筆記

Frequently paired with an emotion noun through the preposition of — the most common pattern is 'an undercurrent of [anger / tension / anxiety / hostility / distrust / violence]'. Often appears in descriptions of social situations where the surface atmosphere contradicts the hidden mood.

常見錯誤

❌There was an undertone of anger in the room.' (when referring to a general hidden mood, not voice quality).
✅There was an undercurrent of anger in the room.
💡'undertone' suggests a quality in someone's voice; 'undercurrent' suggests a broad emotional atmosphere affecting a group.

2. a flow of water that moves beneath the surface, often in a different direction f

2.名詞B1
釋義

潛流

水面下的水流

a flow of water that moves beneath the surface, often in a different direction from the water on top, and can be dangerous for swimmers.

例句

The river looks calm on the surface, but a powerful undercurrent can pull swimmers under.

這條河表面看起來平靜，但強勁的潛流可能會把游泳者拉入水中。

dangerous undercurrent + pull [person] under

Karim was a strong swimmer, yet he struggled against the hidden undercurrent near the reef.

Karim 是個游泳好手，但他在礁石附近仍費力地與隱藏的潛流搏鬥。

同義詞
  • undertow

    a specific type of undercurrent near the shore that pulls water back from the beach; narrower and location-specific

  • riptide

    a strong narrow surface current running out to sea, created by waves; different mechanism from an undercurrent

文法句型

adjective + undercurrent

be caught in / pulled by + an undercurrent

用法筆記

Common in safety warnings and coastal descriptions. The plural form undercurrents is frequent when referring to general conditions ('dangerous undercurrents in the area'). Distinguish from undertow, which specifically means the current that pulls water away from a beach back into the sea.

常見錯誤

❌A strong undertow pulled the kayak out into the bay.' (used to mean any underwater current).
✅A strong undercurrent pulled the kayak out into the bay.
💡'undertow' is a specific type of undercurrent found at beaches where waves hit the shore; 'undercurrent' is any current below the surface.