childishness

/ˈtʃaɪldɪʃnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃnəs/ (ame, ipa)

childishness — 名詞

1. the silly or immature way an adult sometimes thinks or acts, like a young child

1.名詞C1
釋義

幼稚；耍幼稚

成年人言行像小孩般不成熟

the silly or immature way an adult sometimes thinks or acts, like a young child who has not yet learned to handle a situation calmly.

例句

Dylan rolled his eyes at the childishness of the two senators shouting over each other.

Dylan 對著兩位參議員互相大聲叫嚷的幼稚行為翻了個白眼。

childishness of + noun phrase, attributing immature behavior to adults

After the divorce, Maeve was tired of her ex-husband's constant childishness over money.

離婚之後，Maeve 已經受夠了前夫在金錢上一直耍幼稚。

childishness over + topic, naming what triggers the silly behavior

同義詞
  • immaturity

    broader and more formal; refers to general lack of emotional development, not a single silly act.

  • petulance

    more specific — childish sulking or bad temper when things do not go one's way.

  • puerility

    very formal and bookish; suggests pathetically childish behavior in an adult.

反義詞

用法筆記

Subject is usually an adult or older child whose behavior the speaker disapproves of; using this noun about a young child sounds odd because childlike behavior is expected of them.

常見錯誤

❌The baby's childishness made everyone laugh.
✅The baby's playfulness made everyone laugh.
💡'childishness' carries a negative tone and is rarely used about actual children.
❌He showed childishness to solve the puzzle.
✅He showed childish enthusiasm while solving the puzzle.
💡the noun describes negative immature behavior, not positive childlike energy.

2. the quality of seeming open, curious, or innocent in a way that reminds people o

2.名詞C1
釋義

童真；天真

像小孩般純真、好奇的特質

the quality of seeming open, curious, or innocent in a way that reminds people of a young child, used in a neutral or positive sense.

例句

There was a sweet childishness in the way Sofia greeted every animal at the petting zoo.

Sofia 在動物觸摸園裡跟每隻動物打招呼的模樣，有一種可愛的童真。

childishness in the way + clause, describing an innocent quality

Critics praised the painter for keeping a sense of childishness in her bright, simple landscapes.

評論家稱讚這位畫家在明亮、簡單的風景畫中保留了一份童真。

a sense of childishness, neutral or positive framing

同義詞
  • innocence

    stronger focus on moral or experiential purity rather than a child-like manner.

  • naivety

    more about lack of worldly knowledge, sometimes mildly critical.

  • childlikeness

    rarer; emphasises the positive child-like quality without the negative tone.

反義詞

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 by context: positive adjectives (sweet, charming, wide-eyed) or comparison to art / innocence signal this sense; complaints about adults signal sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌She loved his childishness when he refused to share dessert.
✅She was annoyed by his childishness when he refused to share dessert.
💡refusing to share is the negative sense 1, not the charming sense 2.