figurehead
의미: A nominal leader or head of state who holds a title but wields little or no real power; originally, a carved figure at the prow of a sailing ship.
Figurehead is almost always used to indicate a disconnect between appearance and reality — the person occupies a prominent position but lacks genuine authority. It carries mild criticism, implying that true power lies elsewhere. In British constitutional discourse, the monarch is sometimes described as a figurehead, though this is debated. The nautical origin provides a vivid metaphor: ornamental and leading in appearance, but not steering the vessel.
예문
- The chairman was widely regarded as a figurehead, with the real decisions being taken by the chief executive behind closed doors. 董事长被普遍认为是一个名义上的领导者,真正的决策是由首席执行官在幕后做出的。Se consideraba ampliamente que el presidente de la junta era un mero figurehead, ya que las verdaderas decisiones las tomaba el director ejecutivo a puerta cerrada.会長は広くお飾りと見なされており、実際の意思決定は最高経営責任者が密室で行っていた。회장은 널리 허수아비로 여겨졌으며, 실질적인 의사결정은 최고경영자가 비밀리에 내리고 있었다.
- Critics argued that the president was merely a figurehead whose authority had been systematically undermined by the military council. 批评者认为,总统不过是一个傀儡,其权力已被军事委员会系统性地架空。Los críticos argumentaban que el presidente no era más que un figurehead cuya autoridad había sido socavada sistemáticamente por el consejo militar.批評家たちは、大統領は軍事評議会によって組織的に権限を骨抜きにされた単なるお飾りに過ぎないと主張した。비평가들은 대통령이 군사평의회에 의해 조직적으로 권한이 잠식된 단순한 허수아비에 불과하다고 주장했다.
- The carved figurehead on the restored clipper ship was unveiled at the Greenwich maritime museum to great public interest. 修复后的快帆船上的雕刻船首像在格林威治海事博物馆揭幕,引起了公众的极大兴趣。La figura tallada del clíper restaurado fue descubierta en el museo marítimo de Greenwich ante un gran interés público.修復されたクリッパー船の船首彫像がグリニッジ海事博物館で公開され、大きな公衆の関心を集めた。복원된 클리퍼선의 선수 조각상이 그리니치 해양 박물관에서 공개되어 큰 대중적 관심을 끌었다.
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사용 가이드
맥락: political, media, business
어조: critical
기원과 역사
A compound of 'figure' and 'head,' originally referring to the ornamental carving at the bow of a ship. The figurative sense of a nominal leader developed in the mid-19th century, drawing on the image of something prominent but powerless.
문화적 배경
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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