A microcosm is a small group, place, or situation that seems to hold the same qualities as a much larger one.

A microcosm is a small group, place, or situationmicrocosm是一個小團體、小地方，或小情況 that seems to hold the same qualities as a much larger one看起來擁有和一個大得多的東西一樣的特質。

A classroom can be a microcosm of the whole school. One street market can feel like a microcosm of the city. People use it when they want to say: if you understand this small picture, you understand the big one.

A classroom can be a microcosm of the whole school一間教室可以是整間學校的縮影。One street market can feel like a microcosm of the city一個街市可能讓人感覺像是整座城市的縮影。People use it when they want to say有人會用這個字來表達：if you understand this small picture, you understand the big one只要你懂這個小畫面，就等於懂了那個大的。

It is a little formal; you meet it in news, essays, and speeches more than in chat. It is not a science word for atoms, and it is not the same as microscope.

It is a little formal這個字有點正式；you meet it in news, essays, and speeches more than in chat比較常出現在新聞、文章和演講裡，而不是聊天中。It is not a science word for atoms它不是用來講原子的科學用語，and it is not the same as microscope也跟microscope（顯微鏡）不一樣。

The old idea behind it is “a small universe.” You often meet it in the pattern a microcosm of…. Though actually, it is always a claim, not a proof: someone is saying the small thing is like the big thing, and you are allowed to wonder if that is really true.

The old idea behind it is "a small universe."它背後的舊觀念是「一個小宇宙」。You often meet it in the pattern a microcosm of…你常會看到a microcosm of…這樣的句型。Though actually, it is always a claim, not a proof不過其實，它永遠只是一種說法，不是證明：someone is saying the small thing is like the big thing有人在說這個小東西就像那個大東西，and you are allowed to wonder if that is really true而你完全可以懷疑那是不是真的。