sustenance

指维持生命、力量或发展所需的食物、物资，也可指能够提供这种支持的事物。

💡 记忆钩子

把它想成“让人撑得下去的养分”：最基本的是食物和生活所需的供养，后来也可以把知识、希望等比作支撑人的精神养分。

📝 学习建议

先记住“供养、滋养、维持”的核心概念，再理解它在抽象语境中表示精神或其他方面的支持。
不要只把它理解成普通的“食物”；它既可以指实际的营养，也可以指更宽泛的支持来源。

📖 中文释义

noun

core 供养；滋养；支持来源

📖 指让人或事物能够继续存在、保持力量或发展的食物、物资或支持；核心画面就是“给人补充养分，让人撑下去”。在抽象用法中，它也可以指知识、希望等带来的精神支持。

💡 常用句型是 provide sustenance for/to somebody 或 a source of sustenance for somebody/something；作不可数名词时通常不加冠词。它比“食物”或一般的“帮助”更正式，也更容易带有“维持生命或长期支撑”的意味；不要把它机械地理解为每一顿饭。

countable uncountable

The small farm provides sustenance for the whole family.

这个小农场为全家提供生活所需的食物。

For many readers, books are a source of emotional sustenance.

对许多读者来说，书籍是情感上的精神支柱。

sustenances plural

📘 英文释义 (WordNet) 共 3 组

the act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence;

同义词集: sustenance sustentation sustainment maintenance upkeep

they were in want of sustenance

fishing was their main sustainment

上位: support

a source of materials to nourish the body

同义词集: nutriment nourishment nutrition sustenance aliment alimentation victuals

上位: food, nutrient 下位: course, dainty, delicacy, dish, goody, kickshaw, kosher, meal, mess, milk, mince, puree, repast, treat, vitamin

the financial means whereby one lives; ;

同义词集: support keep livelihood living bread and butter sustenance

each child was expected to pay for their keep

he applied to the state for support

he could no longer earn his own livelihood

上位: resource 下位: amenities, comforts, conveniences, creature comforts, maintenance, subsistence

🌳 词源

源自中古英语和古法语，最终与拉丁语中表示“支撑、维持”的词有关。

From Middle English sustenaunce, from Old French sustenance, from sustenir with the suffix -ance, from Vulgar Latin *sustenire, from Latin sustinere. Compare also Late Latin sustinentia. Equivalent to sustain + -ance.

🔄 变式

sustenances plural

🏷 单词标签 & 词根