VOA名师答疑2023--Veggie, Vegetarian, or Vegan?

Veggie, Vegetarian¹, or Vegan?

Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about the difference between three words: "veggie," "vegetarian," and "vegan."

Question

Hi VOA team and happy holidays!

I am wondering if you could help me clarify the difference between "vegan," "vegetarian," and "veggie." When can we use them? Or are they interchangeable?

Thank you,

Noura

Answer

Dear Noura,

As we start the new year, many of us are thinking about ways to be healthier. This is a great question to begin our 2023 series of Ask a Teacher. Some of the answers might surprise you!

Let's start with "veggie."

In American English, the noun "veggie" is a shortened and informal way to say "vegetable." It is used as a countable² noun. To make the noun plural³ we add an "s."

My guinea pigs love to eat a many kinds of veggies, including lettuce⁴, carrots and broccoli⁵.

Veggie can also be used as an adjective meaning "vegetarian." American English speakers often use "veggie" as an adjective to describe vegetarian recipes and dishes rather than describing people as being "veggies."

I love making veggie tortilla chip soup with peppers, corn and tomatoes!

We are grilling⁷ up some veggie burgers made with black beans.

Now let's move onto "vegetarian."

As a noun, a "vegetarian" is a person who does not eat meat or fish. They usually eat foods made from plants. There are different kinds of vegetarians⁸. Some eat eggs, others eat and drink dairy products like cheese and milk. Other people are flexible in their diet. For example, they might eat vegetarian food on some days of the week and eat animal products on other days. They are called "flexitarians."

Adaline became a vegetarian in college.

Mark is an ovo-vegetarian. He does not eat any animal products except for eggs.

"Vegetarian" can also be an adjective describing something that only has fruit or vegetables and no meat or fish.

I love Indian food not just for the bold and spicy⁹ flavors, but there are many vegetarian choices!

Let's move onto "vegan."

If a vegetarian does not eat fish or meat, what is a vegan?

A vegan, as a noun, is someone who does not eat or use any animal products or products made from animals. This can include things like honey from bees, whey protein from milk, and a color made from crushed insects called carmine¹⁰ often used in cosmetics¹².

She prefers agave nectar to honey because she is a vegan.

Veganism is more of a lifestyle and not just what people eat. Vegans are against killing¹³ animals. They do not use any animal products for health and environmental reasons. They are also against cruelty to animals.

Davey Havok, the singer of the band AFI, has been a vegan for 24 years.

Just like "vegetarian," "vegan" can be an adjective, too. It describes something that was not made from animal products and that did not involve harming an animal in any way.

Many bags are now made with vegan leather.

Cosmetic¹¹ brands are becoming vegan and cruelty-free.

Please let us know if these explanations and examples have helped you, Noura!

Words in This Story

guinea pig – n. a small furry¹⁴ animal, or rodent¹⁵, that is often kept as a pet

tortilla chip – n. a thin, hard piece of food (called a chip) that is made from corn and usually salted

grill⁶ – v. to cook food on a metal frame over a fire

flexible – adj. willing to change or to try different things

cosmetic – n. a substance that is put on the face or body to improve appearance

nectar –n. a sweet liquid produced by plants

cruelty – n. actions that cause suffering

leather – n. animal skin used to make shoes, clothing and other things

1 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

2 countable   

adj.可数的，可以计算的

参考例句：

• The word "person" is a countable noun.person这个词是个可数名词。
• Countable nouns have singular and plural forms.可数名词有单数和复数之分。

3 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。

4 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

5 broccoli   

n.绿菜花，花椰菜

参考例句：

• She grew all the broccoli plants from seed.这些花椰菜都是她用种子培育出来的。
• They think broccoli is only green and cauliflower is only white.他们认为西兰花只有绿色的，而菜花都是白色的。

6 grill   

n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问

参考例句：

• Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。
• I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

7 grilling   

v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 )；拷问，盘问

参考例句：

• The minister faced a tough grilling at today's press conference. 部长在今天的记者招待会上受到了严厉的盘问。
• He's grilling out there in the midday sun. 他在外面让中午火辣辣的太阳炙烤着。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 vegetarians   

n.吃素的人( vegetarian的名词复数 )；素食者；素食主义者；食草动物

参考例句：

• Vegetarians are no longer dismissed as cranks. 素食者不再被视为有怪癖的人。
• Vegetarians believe that eating meat is bad karma. 素食者认为吃肉食是造恶业。

9 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

10 carmine   

n.深红色，洋红色

参考例句：

• The wind of the autumn color the maples carmine.秋风给枫林涂抹胭红。
• The dish is fresh,fragrant,salty and sweet with the carmine color.这道菜用材新鲜，香甜入口，颜色殷红。

11 cosmetic   

n.化妆品；adj.化妆用的；装门面的；装饰性的

参考例句：

• These changes are purely cosmetic.这些改变纯粹是装饰门面。
• Laughter is the best cosmetic,so grin and wear it!微笑是最好的化妆品，所以请尽情微笑吧！

12 cosmetics   

n.化妆品

参考例句：

• We sell a wide range of cosmetics at a very reasonable price. 我们以公道的价格出售各种化妆品。
• Cosmetics do not always cover up the deficiencies of nature. 化妆品未能掩饰天生的缺陷。

13 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

14 furry   

adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的

参考例句：

• This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
• Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗，当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。

15 rodent   

n.啮齿动物；adj.啮齿目的

参考例句：

• When there is a full moon,this nocturnal rodent is careful to stay in its burrow.月圆之夜，这种夜间活动的啮齿类动物会小心地呆在地洞里不出来。
• This small rodent can scoop out a long,narrow tunnel in a very short time.这种小啮齿动物能在很短的时间里挖出一条又长又窄的地道来。