small talk

IPA/ˈsmɔːl tɔːk/
IPA/ˈsmɔːl tɔːk/

small talk — noun

1. polite, informal conversation about ordinary or unimportant topics such as the w

1.名詞B1
釋義

polite, informal conversation about ordinary or unimportant topics such as the weather, weekend plans, or traffic — common at social events, in workplaces, and between acquaintances in everyday life.

例句

At the office party, Mateo made small talk with colleagues from other departments.

collocation: make small talk

The neighbors exchanged small talk over the fence about their weekend plans.

collocation: exchange small talk

同義詞
  • chitchat

    more casual and familiar; often suggests talk about trivial personal matters or gossip

  • casual conversation

    more neutral and slightly more formal; can cover a wider range of light topics

  • banter

    lively, playful, and often teasing; more energetic and requires familiarity

  • polite conversation

    emphasises the courteous, social-obligation aspect, especially with strangers

反義詞
  • deep discussion

    serious, meaningful exchange of ideas on important topics

  • heated debate

    argumentative or passionate disagreement on a substantive issue

文法句型

make small talk (with someone)

small talk + about + topic

exchange small talk

engage in small talk

用法筆記

Uncountable — never use 'a small talk' or 'small talks'. Frequently paired with the verb 'make' ('make small talk') or 'exchange' ('exchange small talk'). Written as two separate words, not hyphenated.

常見錯誤

❌*We had a small talk about the project.
✅We had some small talk before discussing the project.
💡'small talk' is an uncountable noun; do not add 'a' before it.
❌*I enjoy small talks with my coworkers.
✅I enjoy small talk with my coworkers.
💡'small talk' has no plural form.
❌*She is good at small-talk with strangers.
✅She is good at small talk with strangers.
💡Write 'small talk' as two separate words, not hyphenated.