自现象级英语
VIABLE
1. 英英释义:able to be done, or worth doing
例句:Renewables are economically viable alternatives.
2. 为什么选这个词?
“viable”是个形容词,它本身的意思是“可以存活的”,常被引申使用表示“可行的” “值得做的”。正如健康的生命才可以存活,好的想法、产品、解决方案才能存活,我们可以用 viable 来形容表示想法、产品、解决方案这一类词,也常可以用它替换 effective, feasible 等词。
在产品设计中,有个概念叫“最简可行产品”,它的英文就是 Minimum Viable Product(MVP),我们可以从它的英文解释中体会一下 viable 的意思:
A minimum viable product (MVP) is a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and to provide feedback for future product development.
这里的 viable 就可以理解为“satisfy early customers”。如果一个产品可以满足用户的需求,实现盈利,那它就是一个 viable product。
比如星巴克在某一个四线城市开店半年以来,收入明显好于预期,就可以说:
Starbucks' new store in this fourth-tier city has proved commercially viable.
从经济角度来看,可再生能源是合适的替代能源。用英文可以说成:
Renewables are economically viable alternatives.
《经济学人》在一月份一篇讲电脑芯片的文章中就用到了 viable:
To keep its design pipeline full of viable new ideas, the firm must constantly forecast the computer industry’s direction.
3. 怎样学会使用这个词?
1)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“viable”,了解它作为形容词时的常用搭配。
2)翻译下面的句子:
中国经济下行,许多 O2O 模式显得不再可行。
With China's economy on the decline, many O2O businesses no longer seem viable.
As China’s economy is going downhill, many online-to-offline (O2O) businesses no longer seem (commercially/economically) viable.
造句:
例1:The learning pyramid, also known as the cone of learning, illustrates that the most viable way of learning is through teaching others. 学习金字塔显示,最有效的学习方式是传授。
例2:As I see it, a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is more a process than a product. It serves as a stepping stone for producers to collect feedback from early adopters and stakeholders and adapt accordingly to be on the right path. 我认为,最小化可行产品与其说是产品,不如说是产品研发过程的一环。厂商借它来收集初期用户和利益相关人的反馈信息,做出相应调整,以迈入正轨。
例3:We have concerns about whether the global community will be able to provide a viable solution to waste disposal, especially that of single-use plastic bags. 我们担忧全球是否能提供可行方案,解决垃圾处置问题,尤其是一次性塑料袋。
个人拓展:
搭配
remain/ be/seem/ prove/ sound /become commercially / economically/ financially/ politically viable
extremely/ truly/ perfectly/ potentially viable
a viable candidate/ alternative/ option/ proposition/ business/ company/ market / plan/ project
We have concerns about whether the government will be able to provide viable social services for poorer families.
背诵:
viable, effective, feasible
Renewables are economically viable alternatives./ We hope to provide a viable alternative to car travel.
Home-working offers a viable solution to the work/family conflict.