capricious
/kəˈprɪʃəs/ (bre, ipa) · [kəprˈɪʃəs] /kəˈprɪʃəs/ (ame, ipa) · [kəprˈɪʃəs] /kə-ˈpri-shəs How to pronounce capricious (audio) -ˈprē- How to pronounce capricious (audio)/ (ame, mw)
capricious — 形容詞
- capriciouspositive
- more capriciouscomparative
- most capricioussuperlative
1. Quick to change feelings, decisions, or behaviour for no clear reason.
善變的
人常憑一時心情突然改變態度
Quick to change feelings, decisions, or behaviour for no clear reason.
Ritu can be capricious, praising a plan one day and rejecting it the next.
Ritu 很善變，今天稱讚方案，隔天又把它否決了。
contrast: sudden opinion change
The capricious coach benched Karim after one small mistake in practice.
那位善變的教練因為 Karim 一個小失誤就讓他坐板凳。
At lunch, Mira grew capricious and changed seats three times.
到了午餐時間，Mira 變得很善變，換了三次座位。
Christopher was capricious, moving the team's deadline again and again.
Christopher 很善變，把團隊的期限一改再改。
Just before the guests arrived, Lucas grew capricious and cancelled dinner.
客人快到時，Lucas 又善變起來，把晚餐取消了。
- fickle
Often suggests weak loyalty or affection, while 'capricious' stresses sudden, hard-to-predict changes.
- impulsive
Focuses on acting without thinking first; 'capricious' focuses more on unstable changes of mind.
- temperamental
Often implies emotional ups and downs; 'capricious' can also describe arbitrary decisions.
- steady
Suggests stable behaviour and dependable reactions.
- consistent
Emphasises that behaviour and decisions do not shift unpredictably.
文法句型
capricious + noun
be + capricious
用法筆記
Usually describes a person's attitude, treatment of others, or decisions. Distinguish from sense 2, which is more often used for weather, schedules, signals, and other changing conditions.
2. Likely to shift in an unpredictable way instead of following a steady pattern.
多變的
狀況或事物常忽然變動，沒有定性
Likely to shift in an unpredictable way instead of following a steady pattern.
Spring weather here is capricious, so Anong packs both sandals and a coat.
這裡春天的天氣很多變，所以 Anong 同時帶了涼鞋和外套。
collocation: capricious weather
The mountain wind was capricious, pushing the kite left and then down.
山上的風很多變，把風箏一下往左吹，一下又往下壓。
Iris avoided the capricious ferry schedule and took the early train instead.
Iris 避開了那份多變的渡輪時刻表，改搭早班火車。
Tourist numbers were capricious that month, so the cafe changed its opening hours.
那個月觀光客人數很多變，所以那家咖啡館改了營業時間。
A capricious internet signal kept Manuela's video call freezing and reconnecting.
多變的網路訊號，讓 Manuela 的視訊通話一直卡住又重新連上。
- erratic
Usually suggests irregular movement or performance; 'capricious' adds a sense of arbitrary change.
- unpredictable
Broader and more neutral; 'capricious' often feels sharper and more literary.
- changeable
A simpler word for something that often shifts, but it is weaker than 'capricious'.
文法句型
capricious + noun
be + capricious
用法筆記
Most often used for systems, conditions, or natural forces that change without warning. Distinguish from sense 1, which focuses on a person's shifting attitude or behaviour.