An idealist is someone who tries to live by high standards or principles, especially in a way that other people think is not practical or even possible. The word can be warm — we need people who will not give up on fairness — and it can be a little cutting: ‘You’re such an idealist’ can mean ‘you are not facing how the world works.’ The opposite people reach for is often realist.

An idealist idealist（理想主義者） is是 someone who tries to live by high standards or principles努力照著高標準或原則生活的人, especially in a way that other people think is not practical or even possible尤其是別人覺得不切實際、甚至不可能做到的那種方式。The word can be warm這個字可以是溫暖的 — we need people who will not give up on fairness我們需要不放棄追求公平的人 — and it can be a little cutting也可以帶點刺: 'You're such an idealist' can mean 'you are not facing how the world works.'「你真是個 idealist」可能意思是「你根本沒面對現實」。The opposite people reach for is often realist人們常會拿來對照的相反詞是 realist。

There is also a specialist, philosophical sense: an idealist in philosophy is someone who thinks mind or ideas sit at the base of reality. That is a different, technical use.

There is also a specialist, philosophical sense另外還有一個哲學上的專門用法: an idealist in philosophy is someone who thinks mind or ideas sit at the base of reality哲學裡的 idealist 指的是認為心靈或觀念才是實在世界根基的人。That is a different, technical use這是另一個不同的專業用法。

In ordinary English, and in the sense a learner will meet first, it is the person with high hopes and high ‘shoulds’, sometimes impractical. It is ideal plus -ist: a person of that kind.

In ordinary English在一般英語裡, and in the sense a learner will meet first也是學習者最先遇到的意思, it is the person with high hopes and high 'shoulds', sometimes impractical它指的是抱著高期望、心中很多「應該要」、有時候不切實際的人。It is ideal plus -ist它是 ideal 加上 -ist: a person of that kind那種人。