Litmus test意思

"Litmus test" is a term borrowed from chemistry and used metaphorically to describe a situation in which a single factor or action is used to determine or assess someone's or something's nature, character, or quality.

In chemistry, litmus paper is used as a simple pH indicator. It turns blue in basic solutions and red in acidic solutions. The term "litmus test" has come to mean a test that produces clear-cut results that are easy to interpret, often dichotomous (pass/fail, true/false, etc.).

In a broader sense, a litmus test can refer to any situation where a single issue or question is used to define or classify a person or group, often in a political or ideological context. For example, a politician's stance on a particular issue might be considered a litmus test for their overall ideology.

Here's an example of how "litmus test" might be used in a sentence:

"The candidate's support for the new healthcare bill was seen as a litmus test for their commitment to progressive policies."

In this context, the candidate's stance on the healthcare bill is being used to assess their broader political beliefs.