The zeitgeist is the general feeling, mood, and set of ideas that belong to one period of time. Not what one person thinks — what seems to be 'in the air' for everyone. If you say the 1960s zeitgeist was one of change and freedom, you mean that this feeling was everywhere then: in the songs, in the clothes, in what young people argued about.

The zeitgeist zeitgeist is是 the general feeling, mood, and set of ideas that belong to one period of time屬於某一個時代的整體感覺、氛圍和思想. Not what one person thinks不是某一個人怎麼想 — what seems to be 'in the air' for everyone而是大家似乎都感覺到「瀰漫在空氣中」的東西. If you say the 1960s zeitgeist was one of change and freedom如果你說1960年代的 zeitgeist 是變革與自由, you mean that this feeling was everywhere then意思是那種感覺當時無所不在: in the songs, in the clothes, in what young people argued about在歌曲裡、在服裝裡、在年輕人爭論的話題裡.

The word almost always comes with 'the', and it almost always points at a time: the zeitgeist of the 1990s, the current zeitgeist, capture the zeitgeist. That last one is the most common thing people do with it — a film, a song, or a book 'captures the zeitgeist' when it says out loud what many people were already half-feeling.

The word這個字 almost always comes with 'the'幾乎都會加「the」, and it almost always points at a time而且幾乎都會指向某個時代: the zeitgeist of the 1990s, the current zeitgeist, capture the zeitgeistthe zeitgeist of the 1990s、the current zeitgeist、capture the zeitgeist. That last one is the most common thing people do with it最後那個是大家最常用的搭配 — a film, a song, or a book 'captures the zeitgeist'一部電影、一首歌或一本書「captures the zeitgeist」 when it says out loud what many people were already half-feeling指的是它把很多人已經隱約感覺到的東西講了出來.

You will meet it in writing about culture, art, politics and news, and in serious talk. It sounds educated, and a little bit borrowed, because it is: people know it is a German word and enjoy using it.

You will meet it你會碰到它 in writing about culture, art, politics and news在講文化、藝術、政治和新聞的文章裡, and in serious talk還有在正經的談話裡. It sounds educated聽起來很有學問, and a little bit borrowed也帶點外來字的感覺, because it is因為它本來就是: people know it is a German word and enjoy using it大家知道這是個德文字，而且喜歡用它.

Two honest warnings, though.

Two honest warnings, though不過，有兩個老實的提醒.

First, it is often used loosely, to mean not much more than 'what is popular right now' — a writer may say a new app 'fits the zeitgeist' when they really just mean lots of people like it. Careful users keep it for something bigger and slower than a trend: a shared way of thinking.

First第一, it is often used loosely它常常被用得很鬆散, to mean not much more than 'what is popular right now'其實差不多就是「現在流行什麼」的意思 — a writer may say a new app 'fits the zeitgeist'作家可能會說一個新app「fits the zeitgeist」 when they really just mean lots of people like it但其實只是想說很多人喜歡它. Careful users keep it講究的人會把它留給 for something bigger and slower than a trend比潮流更大、更慢的東西: a shared way of thinking一種共同的思考方式.

Second, the whole idea is a guess. Nobody can measure the spirit of an age; we only decide afterwards what it was. So writers say 'the zeitgeist' with great confidence about a thing that is really an opinion.

Second第二, the whole idea is a guess整個概念其實是一種猜測. Nobody can measure the spirit of an age沒有人能真正測量一個時代的精神; we only decide afterwards what it was我們都是事後才決定它是什麼. So writers say 'the zeitgeist' with great confidence所以作家講「the zeitgeist」時語氣總是很篤定, about a thing that is really an opinion但講的其實是一種意見.