brittleness
/ˈbrɪtlnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbrɪtlnəs/ (ame, ipa)
brittleness — 名詞
1. the tendency of a stiff or rigid material to snap, crack, or shatter when force
易碎
材料質地堅硬但容易斷裂破碎
the tendency of a stiff or rigid material to snap, crack, or shatter when force is applied, rather than bending or stretching first
Keiko tapped the old ceramic teapot and was startled by its brittleness when the spout broke clean off.
Keiko 輕敲那個舊陶瓷茶壺，壺嘴應聲斷裂，讓她對其易碎性大吃一驚。
The engineer tested the brittleness of the new alloy by striking it hard with a steel hammer.
工程師用鋼錘重擊新合金，以測試其易碎程度。
collocation: test the brittleness of [material]
Amara learned about bone brittleness after her grandmother fell in the kitchen and fractured a hip.
Amara 的祖母在廚房跌倒摔斷髖骨後，她才了解到骨骼的易碎性。
Freezing winter temperatures greatly increase the brittleness of rubber seals in car engines.
寒冷的冬季氣溫會大幅增加汽車引擎中橡膠密封件的易碎性。
The glassblower inspected the rim for brittleness before the vase was packed for shipping.
玻璃工匠在花瓶包裝出貨前，仔細檢查了邊緣的易碎情況。
- fragility
broader term; can apply to anything easily broken or harmed, not only stiff materials
- friability
technical term for the tendency to crumble into powder; used of rock, soil, or tablets
- breakability
more general; does not imply stiffness as brittleness does
用法筆記
Used for materials that are stiff and snap rather than bend — glass, ceramic, bone, some plastics, and certain metals in cold conditions. Not used for soft or flexible materials.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of something — such as an agreement, a system, or a relationship — t
脆弱
看似穩固實則容易受損的狀態
the quality of something — such as an agreement, a system, or a relationship — that seems steady and firm on the surface but can fall apart or be destroyed with little pressure
Dmitri warned the council about the brittleness of the ceasefire after fresh gunfire near the border.
Dmitri 在邊境再次傳出槍聲後，向委員會警告停火協議的脆弱性。
The brittleness of the firm's reputation showed when a single bad review drove away customers.
公司聲譽的脆弱性在一則負面評論就嚇跑顧客後展露無遺。
Fatima saw the brittleness of their friendship when one small argument led to months of silence.
Fatima 在一次小小的爭執導致數月沉默後，看清了他們友誼的脆弱。
Investors grew uneasy about the brittleness of the market after three banks collapsed in one week.
一週內三間銀行倒閉後，投資人對市場的脆弱性感到不安。
The peace talks exposed the brittleness of a deal built on handshakes rather than written law.
和平談判暴露了僅靠握手而非書面法律所建立協議的脆弱本質。
- vulnerability
emphasises being open to attack or harm; does not imply an appearance of strength
- precariousness
suggests instability and risk of collapse; often used for physical positions or financial states
- fragility
close synonym; fragility is more common for systems and agreements
用法筆記
Often paired with abstract nouns: peace, trust, reputation, agreement, market, relationship. The key idea is that the thing looks robust but cracks under light strain. Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense does not involve physical materials.
3. the emotional state of a person who seems cheerful or self-assured to others but
易受傷
表面樂觀自信但內心不安且容易受傷害
the emotional state of a person who seems cheerful or self-assured to others but is inwardly anxious, easily wounded, and quick to fall apart when something goes wrong
Soren masked his brittleness with loud jokes, but his hands shook before every staff meeting.
Soren 用響亮的笑話掩蓋自己的易受傷特質，但每次員工會議前他的手都在發抖。
collocation: mask one's brittleness
Yara's brittleness became obvious when a gentle teasing remark from a friend left her in tears.
Yara 的易受傷性格在朋友一句溫和的玩笑話就讓她落淚後變得明顯。
The counsellor spotted the brittleness behind Joaquin's broad smile during their very first session.
諮商師在第一次會談中就察覺到 Joaquin 燦爛笑容背後的易受傷心理。
Nnenna hid her brittleness so well that nobody at work guessed she cried herself to sleep.
Nnenna 把她的易受傷情緒隱藏得極好，以至於工作中沒人猜到每晚她都哭著入睡。
Months of constant pressure at the office had worn through Tariq's confidence, leaving brittleness behind.
辦公室持續數月的壓力磨掉了 Tariq 的自信，只留下易受傷的狀態。
- sensitivity
less intense; a sensitive person is easily affected but may still cope, while brittleness implies near breaking point
- fragility
close synonym for emotional contexts; fragility is the more common word
- vulnerability
focuses on being open to emotional harm; does not require the outward appearance of confidence
用法筆記
Describes a hidden emotional state — the person appears outwardly strong or happy, so their brittleness is a surprise to others. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about a person's inner feelings, not about systems or relationships.