Xenophobia is fear or hatred of people who come from other countries. It is a strong, serious word. It does not mean "I feel a bit shy with foreigners" or "I am nervous about my English" — it means treating people badly, or wanting to keep them out, because of where they come from.

Xenophobia is fear or hatred of people who come from other countries.xenophobia指的是對來自其他國家的人的恐懼或憎恨。It is a strong, serious word.這是一個語氣很重、很嚴肅的字。It does not mean "I feel a bit shy with foreigners" or "I am nervous about my English"它的意思不是「我跟外國人在一起有點害羞」或「我對自己的英文沒自信」 — it means treating people badly, or wanting to keep them out, because of where they come from它指的是因為別人來自哪裡就對他們不好、或想把他們排除在外。

You hear it in the news, in the classroom, and in serious writing: "a rise in xenophobia", "xenophobia against migrant workers". It is an uncountable noun, so no "a" and no plural: say "xenophobia is growing", not "a xenophobia".

You hear it in the news, in the classroom, and in serious writing你會在新聞、課堂和嚴肅的文章裡聽到它: "a rise in xenophobia", "xenophobia against migrant workers".「a rise in xenophobia」、「xenophobia against migrant workers」。It is an uncountable noun這是不可數名詞, so no "a" and no plural所以不加a、也沒有複數: say "xenophobia is growing", not "a xenophobia".說「xenophobia is growing」，不說「a xenophobia」。

Two honest things a dictionary often leaves out. First, although -phobia usually names a fear (like arachnophobia, fear of spiders), xenophobia is rarely about being frightened; in real use it is much closer to prejudice and dislike.

Two honest things a dictionary often leaves out.有兩件字典常常沒說的老實話。First第一, although -phobia usually names a fear (like arachnophobia, fear of spiders)雖然-phobia通常是在指一種恐懼（像arachnophobia指怕蜘蛛）, xenophobia is rarely about being frightenedxenophobia卻很少是在講害怕; in real use it is much closer to prejudice and dislike實際使用時它更接近偏見和厭惡。

Second, it is an accusation. Calling a person or a policy xenophobic is a heavy charge, so people argue about whether the label fits.

Second, it is an accusation.第二，這是一種指控。Calling a person or a policy xenophobic is a heavy charge說一個人或一項政策是xenophobic是很重的指控, so people argue about whether the label fits所以人們會爭論這個標籤貼得對不對。

Related words sit near it: racism is about race, and the two often overlap but are not the same — you can be xenophobic toward people of the same skin colour from a different country.

Related words sit near it有相關的詞跟它很接近: racism is about raceracism講的是種族, and the two often overlap but are not the same這兩者常常重疊，但並不是同一件事 — you can be xenophobic toward people of the same skin colour from a different country你可以對來自不同國家、但膚色相同的人有xenophobic的態度。