atrophy
atrophy — 名詞
1. The medical condition in which a body part grows smaller and weaker, usually fro
萎縮
身體組織因病或不用而縮小變弱
The medical condition in which a body part grows smaller and weaker, usually from lack of use, injury, or poor blood supply.
After months in a cast, Mei's leg muscle showed clear signs of atrophy.
Mei 的腿打了幾個月石膏後，肌肉出現明顯的萎縮跡象。
signs of atrophy
The doctor explained that the atrophy in Amir's arm was caused by the damaged nerve.
醫生解釋說，Amir 手臂的萎縮是神經受損造成的。
Spinal muscle atrophy is a serious condition that affects movement in young children.
脊髓性肌肉萎縮症是一種影響幼兒活動能力的嚴重疾病。
Ricardo's physiotherapist designed exercises to reverse the atrophy in his shoulder.
Ricardo 的物理治療師設計了運動來逆轉他肩膀的萎縮。
Extended bed rest can lead to atrophy of large muscles in the thighs and back.
長時間臥床可能導致大腿和背部大肌肉群萎縮。
- wasting
more general; can describe any loss of body mass from various causes
- shrinkage
focuses only on size reduction, not necessarily loss of function
- degeneration
broader term; often implies structural breakdown, not just disuse
- hypertrophy
the medical opposite: abnormal enlargement of a body part or organ
- growth
increase in size and strength of tissue
2. A slow weakening or loss of quality and effectiveness in something that is not u
衰退；退化
因長期不用而逐漸失去力量或效能
A slow weakening or loss of quality and effectiveness in something that is not used, practised, or maintained.
Years without public funding led to a slow atrophy of the town's library services.
多年缺乏公共經費，導致鎮上圖書館服務逐漸衰退。
slow atrophy
The gardener worried about the atrophy of traditional plant knowledge among the younger generation.
那位園丁擔心傳統植物知識在年輕一代中日漸衰退。
Kavya noticed an atrophy in her French skills after not speaking it for a decade.
Kavya 發現自己十年沒說法語後，法語能力已經退化了。
Aiko saw the atrophy of her Japanese writing skills after ten years speaking only English at her London office.
Aiko 發現自己在倫敦辦公室十年只說英語後，日文寫作能力已然衰退。
Isabella's weekly piano practice kept her musical ability from falling into atrophy.
Isabella 每週練琴讓她的音樂能力不致荒廢。
- decline
more common and general; can be temporary or reversible
- deterioration
emphasises worsening quality or condition, not specifically from disuse
- decay
implies rot or moral collapse; stronger and more negative than atrophy
- growth
increase in strength, quality, or effectiveness
- flourishing
thriving and developing well, the opposite of decline from neglect
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (MUSCLE WASTING): this sense describes decline in non-physical things such as skills, institutions, or relationships.
atrophy — 動詞
- atrophypresent simple I / you / we / they
- atrophies3rd person singular
- atrophying-ing form
- atrophiedpast simple
1. To become smaller and weaker from lack of use, disease, or injury — said of a bo
萎縮；衰退
身體組織變小變弱或能力逐漸衰退
To become smaller and weaker from lack of use, disease, or injury — said of a body part; more broadly, to grow less effective through neglect — said of a skill, system, or ability.
Without regular exercise, Mandla's injured leg muscle began to atrophy over several months.
由於缺乏規律運動，Mandla 受傷的腿部肌肉在幾個月內開始萎縮。
began to atrophy
Dr. Ayanda pointed to the brain scan and showed her patient where the motor cortex had atrophied.
Ayanda 醫師指著腦部掃描，向病患說明運動皮質萎縮的部位。
had atrophied
Arjun's language skills atrophied after he stopped using them during his years abroad.
Arjun 在國外多年不再使用後，語言能力逐漸衰退。
Mateo's forearm muscles atrophied during the six weeks his wrist was in a cast.
Mateo 的手腕打石膏六週期間，前臂肌肉萎縮了。
Noah worried that his social confidence had atrophied after working from home for three years.
Noah 擔心在家工作三年後，自己的社交信心已經衰退了。
- waste away
more vivid; often implies visible loss of body mass over time
- shrink
focuses only on size reduction, not loss of strength or function
- deteriorate
broader; covers any worsening, not specifically from disuse
- strengthen
to become stronger, the direct opposite of weakening
- develop
to grow in size, ability, or complexity through use
文法句型
[body part or skill] + atrophy
用法筆記
Subject can be a body part (literal) or a skill, ability, or system (figurative). Only used intransitively; you cannot say 'atrophy something.'