food for thought
考えるべきこと
解説 Definition
深く考えさせられる話題や意見のこと。熟考に値する事柄を指す。
"Food for thought" means an idea or information that makes you think seriously about something. It is often used when a comment, question, or experience gives you something important to consider. The phrase is usually positive and suggests careful reflection.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
直訳は「思考のための食べ物」。ここでの food は食べる物ではなく、考えを進める材料だと捉えると覚えやすいです。つまり、すぐ結論を出す話ではなく、頭の中で少し噛んで考える価値がある話題ということ。That’s food for thought. の形で会話の締めに出やすく、「重要な助言」よりも「あとでじわっと考えさせる点」というニュアンス。advice や lesson より柔らかく、考えるきっかけを渡す表現です。
Take the phrase literally first: food helps your body grow, and food for thought helps your mind work. It is not a final answer or direct advice, but something you can mentally chew on later. Remember it as an idea that stays with you after the conversation ends.
例文
The documentary gave us a lot of food for thought about the environment.
そのドキュメンタリーは環境について多くの考えるべきことを与えてくれた。
His speech provided food for thought on the future of education.
彼のスピーチは教育の未来について考えさせられる内容だった。
That article was real food for thought — I've been thinking about it all day.
あの記事は本当に考えさせられた。一日中考えていた。
food for thought の語源・成り立ち Etymology
food は古英語 foda「食物」、thought は think と同根の古英語 geþoht「思考」です。食べ物が体を養うように「考えを養う材料」という比喩で、think や thoughtful と結びつけると意味が腑に落ちます。
Food comes from Old English foda, and thought comes from Old English geþoht, from the same root as think. The phrase uses a simple metaphor: just as food feeds the body, ideas can feed the mind. Over time it came to mean something that gives material for careful thinking. Related English words include think and thoughtful.
外部辞書で調べる
この単語を英単語クイズで覚えよう