nuance

/ˈnjuːɑːns/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnuːɑːns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnü-ˌän(t)s ˈnyü-, -ˌäⁿs; nü-ˈän(t)s, nyü-, -ˈäⁿs/ (ame, mw)

nuance — noun

  • nuancesingular
  • nuancesplural

1. a small change in colour, sound, meaning, or someone's feelings that is hard to

1.名詞C1
釋義

a small change in colour, sound, meaning, or someone's feelings that is hard to notice but still matters to how people understand or react to something — for example, the small shift in tone that turns a polite reply into a sarcastic one.

例句

Caio caught every nuance in his grandmother's voice when she talked about the war.

nuance in + [noun]: small differences inside something larger

The translator worked hard to keep the nuances of Yasmin's poem in English.

plural 'nuances of [noun]' for translation contexts

同義詞
  • subtlety

    very close synonym; both refer to fine differences, but 'subtlety' can also describe a quality of cleverness.

  • shade

    informal; often used for small differences of meaning or colour.

  • gradation

    more technical; suggests a series of small steps between extremes.

文法句型

nuance of [noun]

subtle/fine nuance

用法筆記

Object is usually something complex (language, music, art, feelings) where small differences matter. Frequently used in the plural 'nuances' when talking about a whole set of fine points.

常見錯誤

❌There is a big nuance between the two words.
✅There is a small nuance between the two words.
💡'nuance' is by definition a small difference; pair it with 'small', 'subtle', or 'fine', not 'big'.
❌I felt a nuance of sadness on her face.
✅I saw a nuance of sadness on her face.
💡nuances are noticed by careful attention (see/hear/catch), not physically felt.