1
be the mainstay of sth
Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.
旅游业是当地经济的主要支柱。
中流砥柱；支柱；主要依靠
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
中流砥柱；支柱；主要依靠
A person or thing that is the chief support or most important element of something.
Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.
旅游业是当地经济的主要支柱。
主要支持；支柱
A chief support.
主要的支持者
a prominent supporter
可依靠的骨干；中坚力量
Someone or something that can be depended on to make a regular contribution.
支持与稳定的核心来源
a central cohesive source of support and stability
She has been the mainstay of the family since her father passed away.
自父亲去世以来，她一直是家庭的支柱。
Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.
旅游业是当地经济的支柱。
He is a mainstay of the basketball team, known for his consistent performance.
他是篮球队的中流砥柱，以稳定的表现而闻名。
Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.
旅游业是当地经济的主要支柱。
These volunteers serve as the mainstay of the community center.
这些志愿者是社区中心的中流砥柱。
The product quickly became a mainstay in households across the country.
该产品迅速成为全国家庭的主要用品。
Not this
She mainstays the community center.
Use this
She is a mainstay of the community center.
‘mainstay’ 是名词，不能作动词使用。应使用 ‘is a mainstay of’ 结构表示‘是……的中流砥柱’。
Not this
He is mainstay of the family.
Use this
He is a mainstay of the family.
‘mainstay’ 是可数名词，单数形式前需加不定冠词 ‘a’。
Not this
She is a mainstay for the organization.
Use this
She is a mainstay of the organization.
搭配介词应为 ‘of’，表示‘……的中流砥柱’，而非 ‘for’。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
经济的主要支柱
Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.
旅游业是当地经济的主要支柱。
家庭的主要依靠
She has always been the mainstay of the family.
她一直是这个家庭的主要依靠。
团队的中流砥柱
The veteran goalkeeper is the mainstay of the team.
这位老门将是球队的中流砥柱。
成为中坚力量
Online classes have become a mainstay of education.
在线课程已成为教育的中坚力量。
仍然是主要支柱
Folk music remains a mainstay of the festival.
民间音乐仍然是这个节日的主要支柱。
某事物的支柱；中坚力量
Rice is the mainstay of the local diet.
大米是当地饮食的主食。
发长 /eɪ/ 音 (如 rain, wait)
Use mainstay naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
main（主要的）+ stay（支撑索）→ 主桅上最重要的绳索撑起整艘船，即“支柱、中流砥柱”。
语域：neutral 常见场景：新闻报道、商务或正式发言、日常比喻性表达 作名词时通常指支撑大局的人或事物，多用于书面或较正式的表达，也常见于日常比喻；注意它还有航海术语“主桅支索”的含义，与常用比喻义不同。
这些词中，stay、overstay 与 mainstay 都含 stay 且读作 /steɪ/；day、way、stray 的重读元音也是 /eɪ/，与 mainstay 的后一个音节押韵。注意 staid 拼写与 stay 接近，但读 /steɪd/，末尾有 /d/，所以和 mainstay 不押韵。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.