general

Compared meaning: common or widespread, affecting many (adjective).

比较义项：普遍的，影响广泛的（形容词）。

• universal

  Universal is the strongest term, meaning true for absolutely everyone or everything with no exceptions; it suits abstract values, truths, or rights.

  universal 语气最强，表示对所有人或所有事物都毫无例外地适用；常用于修饰抽象的价值观、真理或权利。

  Access to clean water should be treated as a universal right, not a privilege.

  获得清洁饮用水应被视为一项普遍的权利，而不是特权。

• general 本词

  General is the weakest term, describing what is typical or true for most people or cases while still allowing exceptions; it often modifies plans, ideas, or opinions.

  general 语气最弱，表示对大多数人或大多数情况而言普遍如此，但仍可能存在例外；常用于修饰计划、想法或看法。

  Employees have a general understanding of the new policy, though details still vary.

  员工们对这项新政策已有普遍的了解，尽管具体细节因人而异。

• widespread

  Widespread emphasizes how far something has spread across an area or population, often describing problems, diseases, or beliefs rather than absolute values.

  widespread 强调某种现象在很大范围内或很多人当中广泛存在或发生，常用于描述问题、疾病或普遍看法，而不是绝对适用的价值观。

  Corruption remains widespread in several government departments despite the recent reforms.

  尽管最近进行了改革，腐败现象在多个政府部门依然普遍存在。

Universal, general, and widespread all mean common or broad, but differ in degree. Universal is strongest, with no exceptions. General is weaker, true for most cases, with exceptions. Widespread means common across a large area. It excludes universal ('usable by all') and general ('officer').

这三个词在该义项上都表示“普遍、广泛”，但程度和范围不同：universal 语气最强，指毫无例外地适用于所有人或所有事物；general 语气较弱，指总体上、大多数情况下如此，但仍可能有例外；widespread 强调在很大范围内或很多人当中广泛存在或发生。这里不比较 universal 表示“通用的”（如 universal remote 通用遥控器）的义项，也不比较 general 作名词表示“将军”的义项。