adolescent
/ˌædəˈlesnt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌædəˈlesnt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌa-də-ˈle-sᵊnt/ (ame, mw) · /ˌæd.əˈles.ənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌæd.əˈles.ənt/ (ame, ipa)
adolescent — 名詞
1. someone who is no longer a child but has not yet finished growing into an adult,
青少年
已過兒童期、尚未成年的年輕人
someone who is no longer a child but has not yet finished growing into an adult, usually between the ages of about 12 and 18.
Dr. Vesna runs a clinic that helps adolescents with anxiety and sleep problems.
田中醫師開設一間診所，協助有焦慮和睡眠問題的青少年。
plural countable: helps adolescents
Most adolescents need around nine hours of sleep each night.
大多數青少年每晚需要約九小時的睡眠。
general statement: most + adolescents
The library has a quiet room set aside for adolescents to study after school.
圖書館有一間安靜的房間，專門留給青少年放學後讀書。
As an adolescent, Quinn was painfully shy around her classmates.
瑪雅在青少年時期，在同學面前非常害羞。
文法句型
a/an + adolescent
用法筆記
More formal than 'teenager'; common in medical, educational, or psychological writing where a precise life-stage label is needed.
常見錯誤
adolescent — 形容詞
1. connected with the years between childhood and adulthood, or with the people who
青春期的
與青少年階段或這群人相關的
connected with the years between childhood and adulthood, or with the people who are at this stage of their lives.
Dr. Lopez specialises in adolescent mental health at the city hospital.
羅培茲醫師在市立醫院專攻青少年心理健康。
attributive: adolescent + noun (field name)
Skin problems are very common during the adolescent years.
皮膚問題在青春期非常常見。
adolescent years (time-period collocation)
The book describes the adolescent brain and how it changes between ages 12 and 18.
這本書介紹青少年的大腦，以及它在十二到十八歲之間如何變化。
Zara has two adolescent sons who play in the school basketball team.
卡洛斯有兩個正值青春期的兒子，都在校隊打籃球。
- adult
describing a fully grown person or stage
文法句型
adolescent + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun (adolescent boy, adolescent years, adolescent development); sounds odd after a linking verb such as 'be'.
常見錯誤
2. used in a critical way about a grown-up, or the way a grown-up acts, when they b
幼稚的
形容大人行為像青少年般不成熟
used in a critical way about a grown-up, or the way a grown-up acts, when they behave in a silly, immature manner more typical of a young teenager — for example, name-calling at work or refusing to admit a mistake.
His pranks at the office meeting were honestly adolescent.
他在辦公室會議上的惡作劇，老實說很幼稚。
predicative use after linking verb: be adolescent
Tariq rolled his eyes at the senator's adolescent insults.
馬可斯對那位參議員幼稚的人身攻擊翻了個白眼。
adolescent + behaviour-noun (insults / jokes / humour)
Stop being so adolescent, Daniel — apologise to your sister and move on.
丹尼爾，別這麼幼稚——跟你妹妹道歉，然後別放在心上。
Their refusal to share the project files struck Hadiya as adolescent and petty.
他們拒絕分享專案檔案的舉動，讓莉娜覺得幼稚又小家子氣。
文法句型
adolescent + behaviour-noun
be + adolescent
用法筆記
Always disapproving; used about adults whose behaviour fails to match their age. Often paired with words like 'silly', 'petty', or 'immature' to strengthen the criticism.