ingenuous

/ɪnˈdʒenjuəs/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌɪndʒˈɛnjuəs] /ɪnˈdʒenjuəs/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌɪndʒˈɛnjuəs] /in-ˈjen-yə-wəs How to pronounce ingenuous (audio) -yü-əs/ (ame, mw)

ingenuous — adjective

  • ingenuouspositive
  • more ingenuouscomparative
  • most ingenuoussuperlative

1. showing your feelings openly and believing people too easily, so you seem innoce

1.形容詞C1
釋義

showing your feelings openly and believing people too easily, so you seem innocent and not very guarded by experience

例句

Hana gave the stranger her umbrella and believed he would return it.

trusting a stranger despite obvious risk

Imran asked an ingenuous question about why adults tell polite lies.

common collocation: ingenuous question

同義詞
  • naive

    stresses lack of experience more strongly and often sounds more critical

  • candid

    focuses on speaking frankly rather than on trusting people

  • innocent

    broader word that can mean blameless or inexperienced, not specifically open

  • guileless

    more literary and emphasizes the absence of trickery

反義詞
  • worldly

    suggests practical experience and caution about other people's motives

  • calculating

    implies careful self-interest rather than open sincerity

  • cynical

    expects bad motives instead of trusting others easily

文法句型

seem/sound/look + ingenuous

an ingenuous + smile/question/remark

ingenuous enough to trust + person/story

用法筆記

Often used for a person, smile, question, or remark that feels honest because it is not guarded. It usually suggests warmth or openness, but also a lack of practical caution.

常見錯誤

❌The engineer offered an ingenuous answer to the design problem.
✅The engineer offered an ingenious answer to the design problem.
💡'ingenuous' describes honest, naive openness, while 'ingenious' describes clever skill.