Word · Frequency #14440
mainstay
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.
- 1.
A chief support.
主要支持；支柱
- 2.
a prominent supporter
主要的支持者
- 3.
Someone or something that can be depended on to make a regular contribution.
可依靠的骨干；中坚力量
- 4.
a central cohesive source of support and stability
支持与稳定的核心来源
- 5.
A stabilising rope from high on the mainmast to the base of the foremast.
主桅至前桅底部的稳定索
- 6.
the forestay that braces the mainmast
支撑主桅的前桅支索
主桅支索；主桅牵索；主要支持；支柱；主要的支持者；可依靠的骨干；中坚力量；支持与稳定的核心来源
In use
She has been the mainstay of the family since her father passed away.
Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.
He is a mainstay of the basketball team, known for his consistent performance.
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。
serve as a mainstay
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。
become a mainstay
Connections
Collocations
- mainstay of the economy
- 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。
- mainstay of the family
- 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。
- mainstay of the team
- 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。
- become a mainstay
- 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。
- remain a mainstay
- 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。
Idioms & figurative uses
Learner notes
Memory Tip
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”。
Context & Register
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。
Pronunciation & Spelling
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。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.