the things that can be seen behind the main things or people in a picture

The artist himself did not paint the backgrounds to his pictures - they were done by his pupils. 画中的背景不是画家亲手画的——都是他的学生画的。

He has photographed her against lots of different backgrounds. 他给她拍了许多不同背景的照片。

They were filmed against a background of dark fir trees. 在一片黑黝黝的冷杉的映托下，他们被摄入了电影镜头。

The book's cover has white lettering on a blue background. 书的封面是蓝底白字。

The little figure that you can just see in the background of the photograph is me. 照片背景中那个很小的人影就是我。

sounds that can be heard behind other sounds that are louder

If you listen carefully to this piece of music, you can hear a flute in the background. 如果你仔细听这首曲子，可以听到伴奏的笛声。

We couldn't hear what they were saying on the tape - there was too much background noise. 我们听不清磁带里他们在说什么——背景噪声太大了。

the conditions that existed before a particular event happened, and that help to explain why it happened

These decisions have had to be made against a background of high unemployment. 因为失业率高企，只好采取这些措施。

Can you give me some background on (= information about the conditions that existed before) the situation? 你能不能告诉我一些关于这一情况的背景资料？

If someone or something is in the background, they are not the main point of attention.

Her worries about her job have faded into the background since she learned about her father's illness. 自从得知父亲生病后，她就顾不上担心自己的工作了。

your family and your experience of education, living conditions, money, etc.

The school has students from many different ethnic/cultural/religious backgrounds. 这所学校的学生有着不同的种族／文化／宗教背景。

They come from a privileged/wealthy background. 他们来自特权／富裕家庭。

a background in publishing 出版方面的经历

used to refer to something that is done before, and in preparation for, something else

Students are expected to do some background reading before the course starts. 学生们应该在课程开始之前进行一些相关阅读。

The book provides background information on the history of the region. 本书提供了有关该地区的历史背景信息。