generous

/ˈdʒenərəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒenərəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈje-nə-rəs ˈjen-rə-/ (ame, mw)

generous — adjective

  • generouspositive
  • more generouscomparative
  • most generoussuperlative

1. A generous person willingly shares their money, time, or other resources with ot

1.形容詞B1
釋義

A generous person willingly shares their money, time, or other resources with others, often giving more than what is typically expected.

例句

Michael is generous with his time, often staying late to help younger students with their homework.

generous with + [time/resources]

It was generous of the Minh family to donate all the proceeds from their garage sale to the animal shelter.

it is generous of + [person] + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • charitable

    More focused on giving to people in need, often through organisations; slightly more formal.

  • open-handed

    Informal and vivid; emphasises freely giving large amounts.

  • liberal

    Formal; can mean giving freely, but also carries a political meaning that can cause confusion.

反義詞
  • stingy

    Informal; describes someone who hates to spend or share.

  • mean

    Informal British English; unwilling to spend money or share things.

文法句型

generous + with + [money/time/help/resources]

it is/was generous of + [person] + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Often followed by 'with' to specify what is shared (money, time, praise, help). The pattern 'it is generous of somebody to do something' is common in both formal and informal settings.

常見錯誤

❌My boss is generous with me.
✅My boss is generous to me.
💡Use 'generous to + person' when referring to how someone treats a person, not 'generous with + person.'
❌She is generous to give money.
✅She is generous with her money.' or 'It was generous of her to give money.
💡The adjective cannot be directly followed by a to-infinitive without the 'it is ... of ...' frame.

2. A generous amount or portion is significantly larger than what is considered nor

2.形容詞B1
釋義

A generous amount or portion is significantly larger than what is considered normal, necessary, or expected in a particular situation.

例句

The cafe serves generous slices of cheesecake that are easily enough for two people to share.

generous + food portion

Vikram received a generous scholarship that covered all his tuition fees and living expenses for four years.

同義詞
  • ample

    More formal; suggests more than enough space or quantity.

  • substantial

    Emphasises size or importance rather than abundance; often used for meals or sums of money.

  • lavish

    Suggests a luxurious or excessive quantity, not just 'more than usual'.

反義詞
  • meagre

    Formal; describes an amount that is too small and insufficient.

  • skimpy

    Informal; describes an amount that is disappointingly small.

文法句型

generous + [portion/helping/amount/serving]

generous + [raise/reward/discount/offer]

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used attributively (before a noun) rather than predictively. It collocates strongly with nouns for food portions, financial amounts, and spatial measurements. No comparative or superlative form is common in this sense.

常見錯誤

❌The cake was generous.
✅The cake was cut into generous slices.
💡Using 'generous' alone to describe a whole object sounds unnatural; specify which aspect is larger than usual.

3. A generous person treats others with kindness and fairness, especially by choosi

3.形容詞B2
釋義

A generous person treats others with kindness and fairness, especially by choosing to believe the best about them, forgive their mistakes, or judge them less harshly than they might deserve.

例句

Jabari was generous in his praise of the opposing team after they narrowly defeated his side in the championship final.

generous in + [gerund/noun]

The principal took a generous view of the prank and gave the student a second chance.

take a generous view of + [something]

同義詞
  • magnanimous

    Very formal; describes someone noble and forgiving, especially after a victory or conflict.

  • lenient

    Focuses on being less strict or harsh in judgment; can sometimes imply weakness.

  • big-hearted

    Informal; warm and kind in a broad sense, covering both material and emotional generosity.

反義詞
  • petty

    Describes someone who focuses on small faults and holds grudges.

  • spiteful

    Stronger; describes someone who deliberately hurts others.

文法句型

generous to/towards + [person]

generous in + [approaching/considering/judging]

take a generous view of + [something]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is about sharing material resources or time, whereas sense 3 is about offering emotional generosity — forgiveness, understanding, and a charitable interpretation of others' actions. Common in formal evaluations ('a generous assessment', 'a generous interpretation').

常見錯誤

❌She was very generous on me.
✅She was very generous towards me.
💡The correct prepositions are 'to' or 'towards', not 'on.'