The poorer countries of the world — most of Africa, parts of Asia, parts of Central and South America. It means countries that are not rich, that do not have many big factories, where many people do not have enough money, good hospitals, or clean water. You will see it as a noun, almost always with 'the': 'aid to the Third World'. You will also see it in front of another noun: 'a Third World country', 'Third World debt'.

of the world世界上 The poorer countries比較窮的那些國家——most of Africa非洲大部分、parts of Asia亞洲一部分、parts of Central and South America中南美洲一部分。It means它指的是 that are not rich不富有、that do not have many big factories沒有很多大工廠、where many people do not have enough money, good hospitals, or clean water許多人沒有足夠的錢、好醫院或乾淨水的 countries國家。You will see it你會看到它 as a noun當名詞用，almost always with 'the'幾乎都帶著 'the'：'aid to the Third World'對第三世界的援助。You will also see it你也會看到它 in front of another noun放在另一個名詞前面：'a Third World country'第三世界國家、'Third World debt'第三世界債務。

Now the part your dictionary may not tell you. The name did not start as an insult, and it did not mean 'number three, the worst'. In the 1950s people talked about three groups: the West and its friends (the 'First World'), the Soviet Union and its friends (the 'Second World'), and everyone else — the countries that stayed out of that fight. That third group was the 'Third World'. Then the Soviet side ended, so there is no 'Second World' any more, and the name stopped making sense.

Now接下來是 your dictionary may not tell you你的字典可能不會告訴你 the part的部分。The name這個名字 did not start as an insult一開始不是罵人的話，and it did not mean也不是指 'number three, the worst'「第三名、最差的」。In the 1950s在一九五〇年代，people talked about人們談的是 three groups三個群體：the West and its friends西方和它的朋友（the 'First World'第一世界）、the Soviet Union and its friends蘇聯和它的朋友（the 'Second World'第二世界），and everyone else和其餘所有國家——that stayed out of that fight置身那場對抗之外的 the countries那些國家。That third group那第三群 was就是 the 'Third World'「第三世界」。Then後來 the Soviet side ended蘇聯那一邊結束了，so所以 there is no 'Second World' any more再也沒有「第二世界」，and the name stopped making sense這個名字就說不通了。

What people hear now is only 'third = last = poor', so many people feel it is rude. Careful writers, and news reporters, now say 'developing countries', 'low-income countries', or 'the Global South' instead.

What people hear now現在人們聽到的 is only只剩「third = last = poor第三＝墊底＝窮」，so many people feel所以很多人覺得 it is rude它不禮貌。Careful writers, and news reporters謹慎的寫作者和新聞記者，now say現在改說 'developing countries'開發中國家、'low-income countries'低收入國家，or 'the Global South'或「全球南方」 instead來代替。

And notice something else: it puts very different places in one box. Taiwan, South Korea, Ghana and Bolivia are not one thing. That is another reason people avoid it.

And notice something else還要注意另一件事：it puts它把 very different places非常不同的地方 in one box裝進同一個箱子。Taiwan, South Korea, Ghana and Bolivia台灣、南韓、迦納和玻利維亞 are not one thing並不是同一回事。That is那是 people avoid it人們避開它的 another reason另一個原因。

So: you should understand this word, because you will meet it in older books, in films, and in speech. Use it yourself only carefully, and know that some listeners will not like it.

So所以：you should understand this word這個字你應該要看得懂，because因為 in older books, in films, and in speech在比較舊的書裡、電影裡和口語裡 you will meet it你都會遇到它。Use it yourself自己要用的話 only carefully務必小心，and know that並且要知道 some listeners有些聽的人 will not like it不會喜歡它。

There is one more use, and it is the rudest: people say 'this is so Third World' about a bad road, a power cut, or a slow office in a rich country. That is a complaint, it is unkind, and I would not say it.

There is one more use還有一種用法，and it is the rudest而且是最不禮貌的：in a rich country在富裕國家裡，about a bad road, a power cut, or a slow office對一條爛路、一次停電或一間動作慢的辦公室，people say人們說 'this is so Third World'「這也太第三世界了」。That is a complaint那是在抱怨，it is unkind並不厚道，and I would not say it我自己不會這樣說。