1. relating to a whole group or class; not specific
通用的；一般的；非特定的
The doctor gave me some generic advice about staying healthy.
醫生給了我一些關於保持健康的通用建議。
This is just a generic description of the problem.
這只是對問題的一般性描述。
Generic Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
generic
adjective
快速理解
What does "Generic" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Generic"?
形容事物缺乏獨特性、代表性或特定品牌歸屬。
- 1
通用類別
EN: relating to a whole group or class; not specific
翻譯: 指屬於整個群體或類別，而非特定個體。
- 2
非品牌
EN: not having a brand name; not protected by trademark
翻譯: 指沒有品牌名稱、不受商標保護的產品。
- 3
缺乏特色
EN: lacking imagination or individuality; nondescript
翻譯: 形容事物缺乏想像力或獨特性，平淡無奇。
- 4
生物/醫學
EN: referring to a drug that is not protected by a trademark
翻譯: 指不受商標保護的學名藥或非專利藥物。
小提醒：注意 'generic' 在中文常譯為「通用的」，但在批評事物「缺乏特色、平淡」時，意思更接近「千篇一律的」或「沒有特色的」，而非中性描述。
發音（How to Pronounce "Generic" in English）
How to pronounce "Generic" in English?"Generic" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Generic" from YouTube Videos
Ellen 't Hoen: Pool medical patents, save lives
TED
“There were countries that did not recognize pharmaceutical product patents, such as India, and Indian pharmaceutical companies started to produce so-called generic versions, low-cost copies, of antiretroviral medicines, and make them available in the developing world.”
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Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Generic"?How does "Generic" change by context?
2. (of a product, especially a drug) not having a brand name
（尤指藥品）非專利的；無商標的；學名的
Generic medicines are usually much cheaper than brand-name ones.
學名藥通常比品牌藥便宜得多。
You can buy the generic version of this painkiller at any pharmacy.
你可以在任何藥房買到這種止痛藥的非專利版本。
3. lacking imagination or individuality; dull and ordinary
缺乏想像力或個性的；平淡無奇的
The film's plot was so generic that I forgot it immediately.
這部電影的情節平淡無奇，我立刻就忘了。
He gave a generic speech that failed to inspire the audience.
他發表了一篇缺乏個性的演講，未能激勵聽眾。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Generic"?How to make natural sentences with "Generic"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| generic + noun | 通用的、一般的 | The store sells generic painkillers that are cheaper than brand names. (這家店販售比品牌藥更便宜的通用止痛藥。) |
| generic term for + noun | 對…的統稱 | "Vehicle" is a generic term for cars, trucks, and motorcycles. (「車輛」是對汽車、卡車和摩托車的統稱。) |
| in generic terms | 以概括性的說法 | He described the plan in generic terms without giving specifics. (他以概括性的說法描述了計畫，沒有提供具體細節。) |
| be generic to + noun | 對…來說是普遍的 | This problem is generic to all software of this type. (這個問題對所有此類軟體來說都很普遍。) |
| sound/look generic | 聽起來/看起來很普通 | The design looks generic and lacks originality. (這個設計看起來很普通，缺乏原創性。) |
用法說明
How is "Generic" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Generic"?
generic 與 general 的區別
- generic 強調缺乏獨特性或品牌標識，指適用於一整個類別或群體，而非特定個體。常用於描述藥物、產品或描述。
- general 則指廣泛的、普遍的、不涉及細節的，適用於大多數情況或整體。常用於描述概念、想法、原則或概述。
- 簡單來說，generic 是「非品牌的、通稱的」，general 是「普遍的、概括的」。 EN: You can buy the generic version of this medicine; it's cheaper. 翻譯: 你可以買這種藥的學名藥版本，比較便宜。
EN:The general idea of the project is to promote community health.
翻譯:這個專案的總體構想是促進社區健康。
EN:His description of the suspect was very generic: average height, brown hair.
翻譯:他對嫌疑犯的描述非常籠統：中等身高，棕色頭髮。
EN:She gave a general overview of the company's performance.
翻譯:她對公司的表現做了一個概括性的概述。
總結建議
當指非特定品牌、缺乏獨特特徵時用 generic，而指廣泛適用、不涉及具體細節時用 general。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Generic" and similar words?How to choose "Generic" vs alternatives?
generic vs general
「generic」強調缺乏獨特性或品牌，指一類事物的通稱；「general」則指普遍性、廣泛性或不涉及細節。
generic vs common
「generic」指作為一類事物代表、無獨特屬性的；「common」指常見的、普遍的或共有的。
generic vs universal
「generic」指適用於一類事物、不具體的；「universal」指適用於所有情況、全體或全球的。
口語用法
How is "Generic" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Generic"?
引述
在口語中，有時會用 "generic" 來引述或概括一個模糊、不具體的類別或描述，帶有輕微的諷刺或無奈語氣。 EN: When I asked for details, he just gave me some generic answer about "market conditions." 翻譯: 當我詢問細節時，他只給了我一個關於「市場狀況」的籠統回答。
EN:She didn't describe the person; she just said it was a "generic-looking guy in a suit."
翻譯:她沒有描述那個人，只說是個「長相普通、穿西裝的男人」。
語氣強調
在對話中，可以透過重音或語調強調 "generic"，來凸顯某事物極度缺乏特色、毫無新意，甚至到了可笑的地步。 EN: This isn't just any soda—it's the most generic store-brand cola you can imagine. 翻譯: 這可不是一般的汽水——是你能想像到最普通、最沒特色的商店品牌可樂。
EN:The hotel room was so generic, it felt like I'd seen it in a hundred movies.
翻譯:這飯店房間普通到不行，感覺就像在無數電影裡看過一樣。
停頓填充
在即時對話中，說話者可能用 "...something generic like that" 或 "...just a generic thing" 作為停頓或填充，表示一時想不出更精確的詞，或暗示後續內容不重要。 EN: He brought flowers—roses, or something generic like that. 翻譯: 他帶了花來——玫瑰，或是一些很普通的之類的花。
EN:The gift was fine, just a generic mug with a company logo on it.
翻譯:禮物還可以啦，就是一個印著公司標誌的普通馬克杯。
正式寫作注意：在學術、商業或正式文件中，應避免上述口語用法。正式寫作中，"generic" 應精確地用於描述「屬類的」、「非商標的」或「通有的」概念，例如 "generic drugs"（學名藥）或 "a generic model"（通用模型），並提供明確的定義或上下文，以確保嚴謹性。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Generic"?What fixed phrases with "Generic" should I remember?
generic brand
generic + noun
通用品牌；無品牌商品
generic term
generic + noun
通用術語；統稱
generic drug
generic + noun
學名藥；通用藥物
generic version
generic + noun
通用版本；非品牌版本
generic description
generic + noun
籠統的描述；泛泛的說明
generic response
generic + noun
制式回應；泛泛的回答
become generic
verb + generic
變得通用化；成為統稱
too generic
adverb + generic
過於籠統；太一般化
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Generic"?Which "Generic" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×This is a very generic problem in our society.
✓This is a very general problem in our society.
「generic」指缺乏獨特性、品牌或具體特徵的，而「general」指普遍的、廣泛適用的。描述社會問題時，通常使用「general」。
×It's a generic mistake for beginners.
✓It's a common mistake for beginners.
「generic」不表示「常見的」或「頻繁發生的」，而是「通用的」或「非商標的」。表示某事經常發生或普遍存在時，應使用「common」。
×I bought a generic at the pharmacy.
✓I bought a generic drug / product at the pharmacy.
「generic」主要用作形容詞。雖然在非正式語境中可作名詞指「非專利藥」，但正式寫作或為求清晰時，應使用完整名詞如「generic drug」或「generic product」。
×He gave a very generic Smith presentation.
✓He gave a very generic presentation. / His presentation was very generic.
「generic」描述事物缺乏獨特性，通常不用來直接修飾專有名詞（如人名、品牌名），因為這在邏輯上矛盾。應直接描述事物本身。
×Her instructions were too generic to follow.
✓Her instructions were too vague to follow.
「generic」強調缺乏具體特徵或代表性，而「vague」強調模糊不清、不明確。描述指示、解釋不清楚時，應使用「vague」。
×The design is very generic and common.
✓The design is very generic. / The design is generic and unoriginal.
「generic」本身已包含「普通、缺乏特色」之意，與「common」並用可能顯得多餘。可單獨使用或搭配如「unoriginal」等詞來加強語意。
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Generic"?What are tense/participle forms of "Generic"?