bureaucracy
A complex system of administration characterized by specialized functions, adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority. While essential for organizing large institutions, it is often used pejoratively to describe inefficiency and excessive 'red tape'.
例句
3 / 5I spent the entire afternoon navigating the local bureaucracy to get a simple parking permit.
I spent the entire afternoon navigating the local bureaucracy to get a simple parking permit.
The state must implement reforms to streamline the federal bureaucracy and improve public transparency.
The state must implement reforms to streamline the federal bureaucracy and improve public transparency.
Trying to get a straight answer from that insurance company is like fighting a brick wall of bureaucracy.
Trying to get a straight answer from that insurance company is like fighting a brick wall of bureaucracy.
词族
记忆技巧
Remember 'Bureau' is French for 'desk' or 'office'. Think of a room full of desks where paper is moved from one to another—that is a bureaucracy.
快速测验
The startup's growth was hindered by the _______ of the large corporation that acquired it.
正确！
正确答案是： bureaucracy
例句
I spent the entire afternoon navigating the local bureaucracy to get a simple parking permit.
everydayI spent the entire afternoon navigating the local bureaucracy to get a simple parking permit.
The state must implement reforms to streamline the federal bureaucracy and improve public transparency.
formalThe state must implement reforms to streamline the federal bureaucracy and improve public transparency.
Trying to get a straight answer from that insurance company is like fighting a brick wall of bureaucracy.
informalTrying to get a straight answer from that insurance company is like fighting a brick wall of bureaucracy.
Max Weber famously analyzed bureaucracy as a rational-legal framework necessary for modern industrial societies.
academicMax Weber famously analyzed bureaucracy as a rational-legal framework necessary for modern industrial societies.
Our international expansion has been significantly slowed down by the heavy bureaucracy of the local regulatory bodies.
businessOur international expansion has been significantly slowed down by the heavy bureaucracy of the local regulatory bodies.
词族
常见搭配
常用短语
red tape
excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules
administrative burden
the cost and time spent complying with regulations
entrenched bureaucracy
a system of administration that is very difficult to change
容易混淆的词
Democracy refers to rule by the people/elected officials, whereas bureaucracy refers to the administrative system of non-elected officials.
Autocracy is rule by one person with absolute power, whereas bureaucracy is rule through complex administrative layers.
使用说明
In academic writing, use 'bureaucracy' neutrally to describe organizational structures. In political or everyday contexts, it almost always carries a negative connotation of being slow or inefficient.
常见错误
The most common mistake is spelling; learners often forget the 'eau' (from French) or the 'cracy' ending. Another mistake is using 'bureaucracy' when you simply mean 'government'.
记忆技巧
Remember 'Bureau' is French for 'desk' or 'office'. Think of a room full of desks where paper is moved from one to another—that is a bureaucracy.
词源
From the French word 'bureau' (desk, office) and the Greek suffix '-kratia' (power or rule).
语法模式
文化背景
In many Western cultures, bureaucracy is a common trope for government inefficiency and is frequently satirized in media (e.g., the film 'Brazil' or 'The Office').
快速测验
The startup's growth was hindered by the _______ of the large corporation that acquired it.
正确！
正确答案是： bureaucracy
相关词汇
相关词
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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