bony

/ˈbəʊni/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbəʊni/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbō-nē/ (ame, mw)

bony — 形容詞

  • bonypositive
  • boniercomparative
  • boniestsuperlative

1. describes a person or animal that is so thin that the bones show clearly under t

1.形容詞B2
釋義

皮包骨；骨瘦如柴

瘦到骨頭清晰可見

describes a person or animal that is so thin that the bones show clearly under the skin, often because of illness, old age, or not having enough food

例句

After weeks in hospital, Chiamaka's arms looked bony and fragile.

住院幾週後，Chiamaka 的手臂變得皮包骨，看起來很脆弱。

bony + fragile describing thin limbs

The stray cat was so bony that the vet could count each rib with her fingers.

那隻流浪貓瘦得皮包骨，獸醫用手指就能摸到牠的每一根肋骨。

so bony that + visible bones

同義詞
  • skinny

    more informal and often critical; less clinical than bony

  • gaunt

    suggests a hollow, tired thinness from hunger or worry

  • emaciated

    much stronger and more formal; used for dangerously thin people or animals

反義詞
  • plump

    pleasantly fat in a healthy way

  • well-fed

    describes someone who has enough to eat and looks healthy

用法筆記

Often carries a slightly negative or pitying tone. Can be softened with adverbs (e.g. 'a little bony', 'somewhat bony'). The opposite of BONY in this sense is 'plump' or 'well-fed'.

常見錯誤

❌My grandmother is bony and healthy.
✅My grandmother is thin but healthy.
💡BONY suggests extreme thinness that looks unhealthy; use 'thin' or 'slim' for a positive or neutral description.

2. made of bone tissue, or having a hard white appearance and texture similar to th

2.形容詞B2
釋義

骨質的；似骨

由骨骼構成或像骨頭

made of bone tissue, or having a hard white appearance and texture similar to that of bone

例句

The surgeon removed a small bony growth from the patient's wrist joint.

外科醫生從患者的手腕關節上切除了一塊小小的骨質增生組織。

bony growth = a hard, bone-like lump in the body

The handle of the old carving knife was made from a smooth, bony material.

那把老雕刻刀的刀柄是用一種光滑、像骨頭一樣的材質製成的。

bony material = a substance like bone

同義詞
  • osseous

    formal medical term; not used in everyday speech

  • skeletal

    focuses on the framework of bones rather than the material itself

用法筆記

Often used in formal, scientific, or medical contexts. When describing objects, 'bony' suggests the item looks or feels like bone rather than being actual bone.

3. describes food, especially fish, that contains many small bones, making it diffi

3.形容詞B2
釋義

多刺的；刺多

魚類含有許多小刺

describes food, especially fish, that contains many small bones, making it difficult to eat

例句

Thandiwe picked carefully at her bony fish to avoid swallowing any tiny bones.

Thandiwe 小心翼翼地吃著那條多刺的魚，以免吞下任何小魚刺。

bony fish = fish with many small bones

This restaurant's trout is too bony for the children to enjoy safely.

這家餐廳的鱒魚刺太多，孩子們吃起來不太安全。

too bony for + person to eat easily

同義詞
  • full of bones

    more literal and less common as a compound adjective

反義詞
  • boneless

    describes fish or meat with no bones

  • filleted

    describes fish that has been prepared with the bones removed

用法筆記

This sense applies almost exclusively to fish and some types of poultry. It is not used for meat that has a single large bone (e.g. a chicken drumstick).

常見錯誤

❌This steak is bony.
✅This fish is bony.
💡'bony' for food is almost always about fish with many tiny bones, not meat with one large bone.