元宇宙到底是什么？

最近有一个词特别火——元宇宙（Metaverse）。

上月底，马克·扎克伯格宣布把公司名Facebook改为“Meta”（源于“元宇宙”Metaverse 一词），更是将这一概念推向新高潮。

这两天，好几位小伙伴都在私信问我有没有相关内容，

那么，我们今天就来学一学什么是元宇宙？

无注释原文：

Everyone wants to own the metaverse including Facebook and Microsoft. But what exactly is it?

USA TODAY

The metaverse has been a hot topic of conversation recently, with Facebook and Microsoft both staking claims. But what is the metaverse? And when will it get here?

Author Neal Stephenson is credited with coining the term "metaverse" in his 1992 science fiction novel "Snow Crash," in which he envisioned lifelike avatars who met in realistic 3D buildings and other virtual reality environments.

Since then, various developments have made mileposts on the way toward a real metaverse, an online virtual world which incorporates augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D holographic avatars, video and other means of communication. As the metaverse expands, it will offer a hyper-real alternative world for you to coexist in.

Inklings of the metaverse already exist in online game universes such as Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox. And the companies behind those games have ambitions to be part of the evolution of the metaverse.

◐ What is the metaverse?

It's a combination of multiple elements of technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality and video where users "live" within a digital universe. Supporters of the metaverse envision its users working, playing and staying connected with friends through everything from concerts and conferences to virtual trips around to the world.

"Right now, we are on the cusp of the next internet," said Matthew Ball, managing partner of venture capital firm Epyllion Industries, in a February 2021 essay on his website.

◐ When can we expect to see it?

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of the newly named Meta (formerly Facebook), estimates it could take five to 10 years before the key features of the metaverse become mainstream. But aspects of the metaverse currently exist. Ultra-fast broadband speeds, virtual reality headsets and persistent always-on online worlds are already up and running, even though they may not be accessible to all.

◐ What are some examples of it?

Here's a look at what's happening today that could lead to the metaverse of tomorrow:

♦ Meta. The tech giant formerly known as Facebook has already made significant investments in virtual reality, including the 2014 acquisition of Oculus. Meta envisions a virtual world where digital avatars connect through work, travel or entertainment using VR headsets. Zuckerberg has been bullish on the metaverse, believing it could replace the internet as we know it. "The next platform and medium will be even more immersive and embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it, and we call this the metaverse," said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg last month after revealing the company's rebranding. 

♦ Microsoft. The software giant already uses holograms and is developing mixed and extended reality (XR) applications with its Microsoft Mesh platform, which combine the real world with augmented reality and virtual reality. Earlier this month, Microsoft showed off its plans for bringing mixed-reality including holograms and virtual avatars to Microsoft Teams in 2022. Also in the works for next year: explorable 3D virtual connected spaces for retail and workplaces. The U.S. Army is currently working with Microsoft on an augmented reality Hololens 2 headset for soldiers to train, rehearse and fight in. Beyond that, Xbox Live already connects millions of video game players across the globe, too.

♦ Epic Games. Tim Sweeney, CEO of the company that developed Fortnite, has said, "It’s no secret that Epic is invested in building the metaverse." It's held concerts by the likes of Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, movie trailers and music debuts and even an "immersive" re-imagining of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 historic "I Have A Dream" speech. And it's developing photorealistic digital humans with its MetaHuman Creator, which could be how you customize your digital doppelganger in future open-world games.

♦ Minecraft. Another virtual universe beloved by kids, the Microsoft-owned Minecraft is essentially the digital equivalent of Legos, where players can create their own digital character and build whatever they desire. As of August, Minecraft boasts more than 140 million monthly active users. During the pandemic, it has exploded in popularity among kids who had to rely more heavily on virtual connections.

- ◆ -

注：中文文本为机器翻译仅供参考，并非一一对应

含注释全文：

Everyone wants to own the metaverse including Facebook and Microsoft. But what exactly is it?

USA TODAY

The metaverse has been a hot topic of conversation recently, with Facebook and Microsoft both staking claims. But what is the metaverse? And when will it get here?

最近，元宇宙（metaverse）一直是一个热门话题，Facebook和微软都提出了自己的主张。但什么是元宇宙？何时又会到来？

metaverse

据维基百科，元宇宙，或称为后设宇宙、形上宇宙、元界、超感空间、虚空间，被用来描述一个未来持久化和去中心化的在线三维虚拟环境。此虚拟环境将可以通过虚拟现实眼镜、增强现实眼镜、手机、个人电脑和电子游戏机进入人造的虚拟世界。

The word metaverse is a portmanteau of the prefix "meta" (meaning "beyond") and "universe" and is typically used to describe the concept of a future iteration of the internet, made up of persistent, shared, 3D virtual spaces linked into a perceived virtual universe.

stake a claim

表示“宣布所有权，提出拥有权”，英文解释为“If you stake a claim to something, you say or show that you have a right to it and that it should belong to you.”举个🌰：

He marked the spot on his map where he had seen the gold and returned later that month to stake his claim.

他在地图上标出了见到金子的地方，然后在当月晚些时候回来宣布对此地拥有所有权。

📍stake作动词，本身有“用桩支撑；把…系于桩上”的意思（to hold up and support something by fastening it to stakes），如：to stake newly planted trees 用木桩支撑新植的树。

Author Neal Stephenson is credited with coining the term "metaverse" in his 1992 science fiction novel "Snow Crash," in which he envisioned lifelike avatars who met in realistic 3D buildings and other virtual reality environments.

作家尼尔·斯蒂芬森（Neal Stephenson）在他1992年的科幻小说《雪崩》（Snow Crash）中创造了“元宇宙”一词，他在小说中设想了人们以虚拟形象在逼真的三维建筑和其他虚拟现实环境中相遇。

credit

credit A with B 或者 credit B to A，表示“认为是…的功劳；把…归于”，英文解释为“to believe or say that sb is responsible for doing sth, especially sth good”举个🌰：

The company is credited with inventing the industrial robot.

发明工业机器人是那家公司的功劳。

coin

在凡尔赛文学是什么梗？文中，提到了网友构造了凡尔赛文学这个说法 Chinese netizens coined the term “Versailles literature”，其中coin作动词，熟词僻义，表示“创造（新词语）”，英文解释为“to invent a new word or phrase that other people then begin to use”举个🌰：

He coined the term "LearnAndRecord".

他创造了LearnAndRecord这一说法。

📍coinage作名词，表示“新造的词（语）；新词语的创造”，英文解释为“(the inventing of) a new word or phrase in a language”。

envision

表示“想象；展望（尤指美好的事）”，英文解释为“to imagine something that you think might happen in the future, especially something that you think will be good”举个🌰：

I envisioned a future of educational excellence.

我展望了一个有着优质教育的未来。

lifelike

表示“逼真的，惟妙惟肖的”，英文解释为“used to describe something that appears real or very similar to what is real”举个🌰：

A lifelike portrait of his two daughters hung on the wall.

一幅他两个女儿非常逼真的画像挂在墙上。

avatar

avatar /ˈævəˌtɑː/ 表示“（某些网上聊天室或网上游戏中代表个人的）头像，虚拟替身，图标；虚拟化身”，英文解释为“a picture of a person or animal that represents you on a computer screen, for example in some chat room s or when you are playing games over the Internet”，还可以指“神的化身”，英文解释：a person or animal who is really a god in human or animal form literary.

📍那部非常著名的电影《阿凡达》的英文名即为：Avatar.

那么，微信头像就叫WeChat Avatar吗？我们看看微信官方怎么说的吧，把你的微信语言设置成英文，你就可以看到，微信英文版中把头像处理成：Profile Photo，上面的“My Profile”对应的中文则是“个人信息”。

realistic

本身表示“现实的；实事求是的；务实的”，也可以表示“逼真的；栩栩如生的”，英文解释为“seeming to exist or be happening in fact”举个🌰：

The special effects were so realistic.

那些特技镜头太逼真了。

Since then, various developments have made mileposts on the way toward a real metaverse, an online virtual world which incorporates augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D holographic avatars, video and other means of communication. As the metaverse expands, it will offer a hyper-real alternative world for you to coexist in.

从那时起，这一概念不断演进，在迈向真正的元宇宙（一个融合了增强现实[Augmented Reality]、虚拟现实[Virtual Reality]、3D全息形象、视频和其他通信方式的在线虚拟世界）的道路上取得了里程碑式的进展。随着元宇宙的扩展，它将为你提供另一个超真实的世界，让你在其中共存。

milepost

相当于milestone，表示“里程碑，里程标；重大事件；转折点”，英文解释为“a stone or post at the side of the road that shows the distance to various places, especially to the nearest large town；an important event in the development or history of something or in someone's life”

incorporate

1）表示“包含”，英文解释为“If one thing incorporates another thing, it includes the other thing.”举个🌰：

The new cars will incorporate a number of major improvements. 

这种新型汽车将包含许多重大的改进。

2）表示“使并入”，英文解释为“If someone or something is incorporated into a large group, system, or area, they become a part of it.”

🎬电影《草叶》（Leaves of Grass）中的台词提到：We've been wanting to incorporate more philosophy into the curriculum. 我们一直很想在课程中增加更多的哲学课程。

holographic

表示“全息图的；三维的”，英文解释为“of, relating to, or produced using holograms; three-dimensional”如：a holographic picture 全息图片。

📍下文出现名词 hologram 表示“全息图，全息影像”。

Inklings of the metaverse already exist in online game universes such as Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox. And the companies behind those games have ambitions to be part of the evolution of the metaverse.

元宇宙的雏形已经存在于《堡垒之夜》（Fortnite）、《我的世界》（Minecraft）和《罗布乐思》（Roblox）等在线游戏宇宙中。而这些游戏背后的公司雄心勃勃，希望成为元宇宙发展的一部分。

inkling

表示“略知；模糊的印象”，英文解释为“a feeling that something is true or likely to happen, although you are not certain”举个🌰：

I didn't have the slightest inkling that she was unhappy.

我根本不知道她不高兴。

◐ What is the metaverse? 什么是元宇宙？

It's a combination of multiple elements of technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality and video where users "live" within a digital universe. Supporters of the metaverse envision its users working, playing and staying connected with friends through everything from concerts and conferences to virtual trips around to the world.

它是多种技术元素的结合，包括虚拟现实（Virtual Reality）、增强现实（Augmented Reality）和视频，用户“生活”在一个数字宇宙中。从参加音乐会和会议到世界各地的虚拟旅行等一切活动，元宇宙的支持者们设想其用户能够进行工作、娱乐并与朋友保持联系。（LearnAndRecord）

"Right now, we are on the cusp of the next internet," said Matthew Ball, managing partner of venture capital firm Epyllion Industries, in a February 2021 essay on his website.

风险投资（venture capital）公司Epyllion Industries的管理合伙人马修·鲍尔（Matthew Ball）在其网站上2021年2月的一篇文章中说：“现在，我们正处于下一个互联网的风口浪尖上。”

on the cusp

表示“介于两个状态之间；将要进入特定状态”，英文解释为“If you say that someone or something is on the cusp, you mean they are between two states, or are about to be in a particular state.”举个🌰：

I am sitting on the cusp of middle age.

我正处于中年。

◐ When can we expect to see it? 我们什么时候能看到它？

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of the newly named Meta (formerly Facebook), estimates it could take five to 10 years before the key features of the metaverse become mainstream. But aspects of the metaverse currently exist. Ultra-fast broadband speeds, virtual reality headsets and persistent always-on online worlds are already up and running, even though they may not be accessible to all.

新更名的Meta公司（前身为Facebook）首席执行官马克·扎克伯格（Mark Zuckerberg）估计，可能需要5到10年的时间，元宇宙的关键功能才能成为主流。但目前元宇宙的各个方面已经存在。尽管可能不是所有人都能使用，但是超快的宽带速度、虚拟现实头盔和持续不断永远在线的网络世界已经开始运行。

up and running

表示“（尤指系统或机器）运行，运转”，英文解释为“If something, especially a system or a machine, is up and running it is operating.”举个🌰：

The engineer soon got the air-conditioning up and running again.

工程师很快就使空调重新运转起来。

◐ What are some examples of it? 有哪些例子呢？

Here's a look at what's happening today that could lead to the metaverse of tomorrow:

下面我们来看看如今正在发生的事情，可能会通往未来的元宇宙。

♦Meta. The tech giant formerly known as Facebook has already made significant investments in virtual reality, including the 2014 acquisition of Oculus. Meta envisions a virtual world where digital avatars connect through work, travel or entertainment using VR headsets. Zuckerberg has been bullish on the metaverse, believing it could replace the internet as we know it. "The next platform and medium will be even more immersive and embodied internet where you're in the experience, not just looking at it, and we call this the metaverse," said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg last month after revealing the company's rebranding.

♦Meta。这个前身为Facebook的科技巨头已经在虚拟现实领域进行了大量投资，包括2014年对Oculus的收购。Meta公司设想了一个虚拟世界，在这个世界里，数字形象通过使用VR头盔来连接工作、旅行或娱乐。扎克伯格一直看好元宇宙，认为它可以取代我们所知的互联网。Meta公司首席执行官马克-扎克伯格上个月在宣布该公司更名后说：“下一个平台和媒介将是更加身临其境和具体化的互联网，你将置身于体验之中，而不仅仅是作为旁观者，我们称之为元宇宙。”

acquisition

acquisition名词，表示“收购”，英文解释为“If a company or business person makes an acquisition, they buy another company or part of a company.”举个🌰：

They have made acquisitions in several EU countries.

他们在几个欧盟国家购买了一些产业。

🎬电影《美国队长2：冬日战士》（Captain America: The Winter Soldier）中的台词提到：The prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence. 大部分人的看法是劫持事件只是在掩盖机密情报的交易。

bullish

bullish /ˈbʊlɪʃ/ 表示“乐观的；充满信心的”，英文解释为“giving your opinions in a powerful and confident way”举个🌰：

She's being very bullish about the firm's future.

她对公司的未来很有信心。

📍有没有发现这个词是bull+ish构成的，bull本身表示“公牛”（A bull is a male animal of the cow family）bullish还有“股票行情看涨的；牛市的”（A bullish financial market is one in which share prices are rising）的含义。

immersive

表示“沉浸式的；沉浸感的；身临其境的”，英文解释为“seeming to surround the audience, player, etc. so that they feel completely involved in something”如：an immersive theatrical experience 身临其境的剧场体验。

embody

1）表示“体现（思想或品质）；具体象征；代表”，英文解释为“To embody an idea or quality means to be a symbol or expression of that idea or quality.”举个🌰：

Jack Kennedy embodied all the hopes of the 1960s. 

杰克•肯尼迪体现了20世纪60年代的全部希望。

2）表示“包含；收录”，英文解释为“If something is embodied in a particular thing, the second thing contains or consists of the first.”举个🌰：

The proposal has been embodied in a draft resolution. 

这项提议已经被包含在一份决议草案中。

♦Microsoft. The software giant already uses hologram and is developing mixed and extended reality (XR) applications with its Microsoft Mesh platform, which combine the real world with augmented reality and virtual reality. Earlier this month, Microsoft showed off its plans for bringing mixed-reality including holograms and virtual avatars to Microsoft Teams in 2022. Also in the works for next year: explorable 3D virtual connected spaces for retail and workplaces. The U.S. Army is currently working with Microsoft on an augmented reality Hololens 2 headset for soldiers to train, rehearse and fight in. Beyond that, Xbox Live already connects millions of video game players across the globe, too.

♦微软。这家软件巨头已经在使用全息图，并正在利用其微软Mesh平台开发混合和扩展现实（XR）应用，这些应用将现实世界与增强现实和虚拟现实结合起来。本月早些时候，微软展示了其在2022年将包括全息图和虚拟形象在内的混合现实技术引入其团队会议协作软件Microsoft Teams的计划。明年的计划还有：用于零售和工作场所的可探索的3D虚拟连接空间。美国陆军目前正在与微软合作开发增强现实Hololens 2头盔，供士兵训练、演练和战斗使用。除此之外，Xbox Live也已经连接了全球数百万的电子游戏玩家。

rehearse

表示“排练，排演，彩排”，英文解释为“to practise a play, a piece of music, etc. in order to prepare it for public performance”举个🌰：

The musicians rehearsed (the symphony) for the concert.

乐师们为音乐会排练（交响曲）。

♦Epic Games. Tim Sweeney, CEO of the company that developed Fortnite, has said, "It's no secret that Epic is invested in building the metaverse." It's held concerts by the likes of Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, movie trailers and music debuts and even an "immersive" re-imagining of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 historic "I Have A Dream" speech. And it's developing photorealistic digital humans with its MetaHuman Creator, which could be how you customize your digital doppelganger in future open-world games.

♦Epic Games。开发《堡垒之夜》的公司首席执行官蒂姆·斯威尼（Tim Sweeney）曾说：“Epic投资于建设元宇宙，这不是什么秘密”。它举办了阿丽亚娜·格兰德（Ariana Grande）和特拉维斯·斯科特（Travis Scott）等人的音乐会、电影预告片和音乐首发，甚至还“身临其境”地重现了马丁·路德·金（Martin Luther King）1963年的历史性演讲“我有一个梦想”。它正在用其Metauman Creator开发逼真的数字人物，这可能是你在未来的开放世界游戏中定制你的数字化身的方式。

the like of sb/sth

表示“…之类”，英文解释为“a person, thing, or group similar in character or quality to the one mentioned”举个🌰：

They're competing with the likes of Microsoft.

他们在跟微软这样的公司竞争。

📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇讲述奢侈品集团思索清空库存方法的文章中提到：Every frock sold by the likes of Gucci or Givenchy is billed as a must-have that season. 古驰或纪梵希之类的品牌把它们的每条裙子都标榜为当季必买。

trailer

trailer /ˈtreɪlə/，表示“（电影或电视节目的）预告片”，英文解释为“a series of short scenes from a film/movie or television programme, shown in advance to advertise it”。

📍常出现的还有一个词叫teaser，词典里的意思是“前导广告，悬念式广告（含蓄而引人好奇）”，英文解释为“an advertisement for a product that does not mention the name of the product or say much about it but is intended to make people interested and likely to pay attention to later advertisements”。也可以用来指“预告”，“预热”片。

debut

表示“（演员、运动员等的）首次登台，初次亮相；新事物的问世”，英文解释为“The debut of a performer or sports player is their first public performance, appearance, or recording.”举个🌰：

She made her debut in a 1937 production of "Hamlet."

她在1937年《哈姆雷特》的演出中首次登台。

doppelganger

doppelganger /ˈdɑːplɡæŋər,ˈdɑːplɡeŋər/ 表示“外表非常相似的人；（与某人外表非常相似的）幽灵；姓名相同的人”，英文解释为“a spirit that looks exactly like a living person, or someone who looks exactly like someone else but who is not related to that person”

♦Minecraft. Another virtual universe beloved by kids, the Microsoft-owned Minecraft is essentially the digital equivalent of Legos, where players can create their own digital character and build whatever they desire. As of August, Minecraft boasts more than 140 million monthly active users. During the pandemic, it has exploded in popularity among kids who had to rely more heavily on virtual connections.

♦《我的世界》（Minecraft）。另一个深受孩子们喜爱的虚拟世界，微软旗下的《我的世界》本质上相当于乐高积木，玩家可以创建自己的数字角色并建造他们想要的东西。截至8月，《我的世界》拥有超过1.4亿的月活跃用户。在新冠疫情期间，它在不得不更多依赖线上连接的孩子们中的受欢迎程度呈现爆炸性增长。

equivalent

1）作形容词，表示“（价值、数量、意义、重要性等）相等的，相同的”，英文解释为“equal in value, amount, meaning, importance, etc.”举个🌰：

Eight kilometres is roughly equivalent to five miles.

八公里约等于五英里。

2）作名词，表示“相等的东西；等量；对应词”，英文解释为“a thing, amount, word, etc. that is equivalent to sth else”。

通常，提到Weibo时候会介绍为中国版的Twitter，常见的有几种说法：

🧣Weibo, China's Twitter-like service (SCMP)

🧣Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter (NPR NEWS)

🧣Twitter-like Weibo (Reuters)

🧣Weibo, a Twitter-like platform (NYT)

as of

表示“自…起；到...时候为止”，英文解释为“used to indicate a time or date at which something begins or ends”举个🌰：

As of next month, all the airline's fares will be going up.

自下月起，所有航空公司的机票价格都将上调。

boast

表示“拥有（值得自豪的东西）”，英文解释为“to have or own something to be proud of”举个🌰：

Hangzhou boasts beautiful lakes, great restaurants, and friendly locals.

杭州拥有美丽的湖、很棒的餐馆和友好的当地人。

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LearnAndRecord

2015年2月8日

2021年11月17日

第2475天

每天持续行动学外语