barrenness
/ˈbærənnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbærənnəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈber-ə(n)-nəs ˈba-rə(n)-/ (ame, mw)
barrenness — 名詞
1. The state of land or soil that cannot support the growth of plants or crops, oft
貧瘠
土地無法生長植物的狀態
The state of land or soil that cannot support the growth of plants or crops, often because the ground lacks enough water or nutrients.
After decades of over-farming, the barrenness of the land forced many families to leave their ancestral villages.
經過數十年的過度耕作，土地的貧瘠迫使許多家庭離開了祖輩居住的村莊。
barrenness of the land
The soil's barrenness meant that only a few tough weeds could survive in the dry summer heat.
土壤的貧瘠意味著只有少數耐旱雜草能在乾燥的夏季高溫中存活。
soil's barrenness
Ricardo studied the barrenness of the volcanic slopes where nothing had grown for centuries.
Ricardo 研究了那片火山坡的貧瘠狀況，那裡已有數百年不曾長出任何植物。
The barrenness of the desert farmland pushed the community to build an irrigation system.
沙漠農地的貧瘠促使社區建造了一套灌溉系統。
- infertility
more common in modern usage; 'barrenness' is more literary or formal
- sterility
stronger, suggesting the land is completely unable to support any life
- unfruitfulness
less common, often used in older texts
- fertility
the most direct antonym; describes rich soil that supports plant growth
- fruitfulness
emphasises the ability to produce abundant crops
用法筆記
This sense specifically describes soil or land conditions. It is the most literal meaning of the word.
常見錯誤
2. The condition of being unable to produce children or bear young animals, whether
不育
無法生育的狀況
The condition of being unable to produce children or bear young animals, whether in humans, farm animals, or wild creatures.
After two years of trying to conceive, Ana and her husband consulted a specialist who explained the causes of barrenness and possible treatments.
經過兩年努力仍無法懷孕，Ana 和丈夫諮詢了專科醫師，對方解釋了不育的原因以及可能的治療方式。
causes of barrenness
The veterinarian diagnosed barrenness in three of the ewes and recommended a change in their diet.
獸醫診斷出三頭母羊有無法生育的問題，並建議更換飼料。
barrenness in three of the ewes
Fatima read several books on fertility after learning that barrenness ran in her family.
Fatima 在得知家族中有不育的遺傳史後，閱讀了幾本關於生育力的書。
In seventeenth-century rural England, women like Anne who could not bear children were often wrongly believed to be cursed by their neighbours.
在十七世紀的英格蘭鄉間，像 Anne 這樣無法生育的女性常被鄰居誤認為受到了詛咒。
- infertility
the standard modern medical term; neutral and preferred in clinical contexts
- sterility
implies a permanent inability to reproduce, often used for animals or as a stronger term
用法筆記
When referring to humans, 'barrenness' can sound dated or harsh. Modern clinical contexts strongly prefer 'infertility'. The word is more common in historical, literary, or formal writing.
常見錯誤
3. A state or quality of being empty of useful ideas, creative energy, or valuable
貧乏
缺乏創意或價值的狀態
A state or quality of being empty of useful ideas, creative energy, or valuable content — for example, an artist's imagination, a discussion, or a period of time that yields nothing new or interesting.
Neha stared at the blank canvas, frustrated by the barrenness of her imagination.
Neha 盯著空白的畫布，為自己想像力的貧乏感到沮喪。
barrenness of her imagination
Critics complained about the barrenness of the exhibition, which showed no new artistic ideas at all.
評論家批評這場展覽內容貧乏，完全沒有展現任何新的藝術理念。
barrenness of the exhibition
After the merger the company suffered from a creative barrenness that lasted several years.
合併之後，該公司經歷了長達數年的創意貧乏期。
Gabriel left the lecture disappointed by the barrenness of the professor's arguments.
Gabriel 離開講座時，對教授論點的貧乏感到失望。
- emptiness
more general; lacks the specific sense of wasted potential that 'barrenness' carries
- sterility
stronger, implies a complete absence of anything valuable or interesting
- hollowness
suggests that something appears meaningful but is actually empty
- creativity
the direct opposite — the ability to produce new ideas
- richness
describes content that is full of interesting or valuable material
- fruitfulness
emphasises productive output and positive results
用法筆記
This is a figurative sense. Unlike 'emptiness', 'barrenness' carries a sense of disappointment — something that should be productive or interesting is not. It is most common in literary criticism, reviews, and formal commentary on creative or intellectual work.