核心畫面

You can picture 'mutual' as something that goes both ways — passed back and forth between two people, not just one-directional. Whatever it is (respect, help, a decision), each side gives it to the other, so it bounces in both directions at once.

mutual 可以想成「兩邊互相來回」的東西——不是只有一方給,而是在兩個人之間你來我往地傳。不管傳的是什麼(尊重、更多收起mutual 可以想成「兩邊互相來回」的東西——不是只有一方給,而是在兩個人之間你來我往地傳。不管傳的是什麼(尊重、幫助、一個決定),每一方都同時給對方,所以它是雙向同時發生的。

From the word’s history

From Latin 'mutuus' = 'reciprocal, done in exchange', from the PIE root *mei- 'to change, exchange'. The idea of things swapped back and forth is exactly the modern core: mutual = given in both directions.

來自拉丁文 mutuus,意思是「相互的、彼此交換的」,源自更古老的字根 *mei-(改變、交換)。這種東西被來回交換的意象,正好就是今天的核心:mutual=雙向互給。

Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com/word/mutual)

Two branches

你來我往(彼此對彼此)

這一組直接就是核心畫面:兩邊互相給同一樣東西。

mutual respect · adjective · C1

A feeling such as respect or trust that two or more people have for each other equally.

相互的 / 彼此的

共同擁有的

從「你來我往」再走一步:既然兩邊都連著同一樣東西,那樣東西就成了兩人共有的。焦點從「互相給」滑到「共同有」。

shared by both · adjective · C1

Belonging to or shared by both of two people.

共同的

原始詞典資料8 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

mutualadj/ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/

  • 1

    Having the same relationship, each to each other.

    • They were mutual enemies.
  • 2

    Collective, done or held in common.

    • Mutual insurance.
  • 3

    Reciprocal.

    • They had mutual fear of each other.
  • 4

    Possessed in common.

    • They had been introduced by a mutual friend.
    • On his area the pursuer built a dwelling-house, of which the gable and garden-wall were mutual with his neighbour Smith […]
  • 5

    businessfinanceinsuranceOwned by the members.

mutualnoun/ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/

  • 1

    A mutual fund.

  • 2

    businessfinanceinsuranceA mutual organization.

  • 3

    Either of a pair of people who follow each other's social media accounts.

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。