- 1a/ˌsekənd ˈklæs/treated as inferior (people)次等的
Treated as less important and less valuable than other people, and given fewer rights or worse treatment because of that.
這個用法是把 second-class 放在人身上。它不是在說這個人比較差。它是在說別人把他當成比較差的人。同樣住在這裡，同樣在這個團隊。可是拿到的權利比較少。得到的尊重也比較少。最常一起出現的字是 citizen：a second-class citizen。說這句話的人，幾乎都是在抗議這種對待。所以這個字裡面帶著明顯的不平。它不是中性的描述。
示範例句 · Example
The part-time staff say they are treated like second-class workers at the hotel.
中文翻譯那些兼職員工說，他們在飯店被當成次等的員工對待。
This use puts the word on people. It does not say the person is worse. It says other people treat them as worse. They live in the same place, or work on the same team. But they get fewer rights, less respect, or slower help. The usual partner word is citizen: a second-class citizen. A speaker almost always uses it to complain about that treatment. So the word carries a clear protest inside it. It is not a calm description of someone.
常見搭配
a second-class citizen
次等公民
someone who is given fewer rights and less respect than other people in the same place
New arrivals in the town said they felt like second-class citizens.
treat someone as second-class
把某人當次等的對待
to give someone worse treatment than others get
No school should treat its part-time teachers as second-class.
second-class treatment
次等的待遇
worse service or care than other people receive
Patients who came by bus complained of second-class treatment.
意思相近
inferiorlessersecond-ratelower-status
- 2a/ˌsekənd ˈklæs/lower standard次級的
Of a lower standard or quality than the best of its kind, so that it is not as good as what people expect or hope for.
這裡的 second-class 是在講東西，不是講人。次級的東西還是能用，也還算數。只是它比最好的那一種低一級。說話的人通常覺得這樣不夠好。所以這個字常出現在抱怨或要求裡。像是「我們不接受次級的教育」。它也可以放在很平靜的句子裡，講材料或工法的等級。到底有沒有在批評，要看整句話，不是看這個字。
Here the word is about a thing, not a person. Something second-class still works and still counts. It is simply below the best available. The speaker usually thinks that is not good enough. So the word often appears in a complaint or a demand: we will not accept a second-class service. It can also sit in a calm sentence about parts, materials or work of a lower grade. The judgement comes from the whole sentence, not from the word alone.
常見搭配
a second-class service
次級的服務
a service that is worse than the one people should get
Riders on the late bus said they were paying full price for a second-class service.
a second-class education
次一等的教育
teaching and resources of a lower standard than the best available
No child in this town should get a second-class education.
second-class parts / materials
次級的零件／材料
parts or materials of a lower grade than the best ones
Using second-class materials saved money at first and cost more later.
意思相反
first-classtop-qualityexcellent
- 3a/ˌsekənd ˈklæs/university degree grade二等的（學位）
Used about a British university degree that is as good, but one level below the highest grade.
英國的大學畢業時會給學位一個等第。最高的那一等叫 first。下面那一等就是 second，寫成 second-class。二等學位是不錯的成績。它只是不是最高的那一級。最常看到的說法是 a second-class honours degree。求職廣告寫學歷要求時也常出現。字典把它跟 first class 放在一起對照，就是要讀者看到上面還有一級。
British universities give a degree a grade at the end. The top grade is a first. The grade under it is a second, written second-class. A second-class degree is a good result. It is simply not the highest one. You will most often meet it in the phrase a second-class honours degree, and on job adverts that ask for a certain grade. The level above it is first class.
常見搭配
a second-class honours degree
二等榮譽學位
a British degree graded one level below the highest
She holds a second-class honours degree in engineering.
get / graduate with a second-class degree
以二等學位畢業
to finish university with that grade
He graduated with a second-class degree last summer.
意思相近
upper seconda two-onea second
用法接近
honoursgradeclassification
意思相反
first-classa first