A utopia is an imagined place or society where everything is perfect: no poverty, no crime, no unfairness, everyone happy. It exists in someone's mind, in a book, or in a plan — not on any map. That is the point of the word, and there is a joke buried in its birth, which we will come to in 'parts'.

A utopiautopia（烏托邦） is an imagined place or society where everything is perfect是一個想像出來的地方或社會，裡面一切都完美： no poverty, no crime, no unfairness, everyone happy沒有貧窮、沒有犯罪、沒有不公平，人人都快樂。 It exists in someone's mind, in a book, or in a plan它只存在於某個人的腦海裡、書裡、或計畫裡—— not on any map不存在於任何一張地圖上。 That is the point of the word這正是這個字的重點， and there is a joke buried in its birth, which we will come to in 'parts'而且它誕生的時候還藏了一個玩笑，我們等一下會講到。

Three ways you will meet it. First, as the name of an imaginary society in stories and political writing — Thomas More's book, and everything since. Second, in the phrase 'a utopia' or 'utopia' for any dreamed-of ideal world: 'a workers' utopia', 'a green utopia'. Third, loosely and warmly, for a real place that feels wonderful to someone: 'For a book lover, that shop is utopia.' In that last use it is an exaggeration and everyone knows it.

Three ways you will meet it你會用三種方式遇到它。 First, as the name of an imaginary society in stories and political writing第一種，是故事和政治寫作裡想像社會的名字—— Thomas More's book, and everything since湯瑪斯摩爾的書，以及之後所有跟著這樣用的作品。 Second, in the phrase 'a utopia' or 'utopia' for any dreamed-of ideal world第二種，是用『a utopia』或『utopia』這個詞組，來指任何夢想中的理想世界： 'a workers' utopia', 'a green utopia'『a workers' utopia』勞工的烏托邦、『a green utopia』綠色烏托邦。 Third, loosely and warmly, for a real place that feels wonderful to someone第三種，比較鬆散、比較溫暖，用來說一個對某人來說感覺很美好的真實地方： 'For a book lover, that shop is utopia.'「對愛書人來說，那間店就是 utopia。」 In that last use it is an exaggeration and everyone knows it在這最後一種用法裡，這是誇張的說法，而且大家都知道那是誇張。

There is a shadow on this word. Because so many attempts to build a perfect society ended badly, 'utopia' often carries a hint of 'lovely, but impossible' or even 'dangerous dream'. When someone says 'that's a utopia', they usually mean 'that will never work'.

There is a shadow on this word這個字帶著一層陰影。 Because so many attempts to build a perfect society ended badly因為太多次想打造完美社會的嘗試都以失敗收場， 'utopia' often carries a hint of 'lovely, but impossible' or even 'dangerous dream'『utopia』常常帶著一點『很美好，但不可能』、甚至『危險的夢』的意味。 When someone says 'that's a utopia'當有人說『那是個 utopia』， they usually mean 'that will never work'他們通常是在說『那永遠行不通』。

Its opposite is dystopia — an imagined terrible world (The Hunger Games, 1984), and in English today dystopia is honestly the more common word of the two. Plural: utopias. Often capitalized (Utopia) when it names More's island specifically.

Its opposite is dystopia它的反義詞是 dystopia（反烏托邦）—— an imagined terrible world (The Hunger Games, 1984)一個想像出來的可怕世界（像《飢餓遊戲》、《1984》）， and in English today dystopia is honestly the more common word of the two而老實說，在今天的英文裡，dystopia 其實比 utopia 更常被用到。 Plural: utopias複數是 utopias。 Often capitalized (Utopia) when it names More's island specifically當它特指摩爾那座虛構島嶼時，常常會大寫成 Utopia。