cliquish
/ˈkli-kish ˈklē-/ (ame, mw)
cliquish — 形容詞
- cliquishpositive
- more cliquishcomparative
- most cliquishsuperlative
1. describes a group of people who keep tightly to themselves and treat anyone outs
搞小圈圈
形容群體排外、不接納新人的行為
describes a group of people who keep tightly to themselves and treat anyone outside their circle coldly or with suspicion
The sales department grew cliquish, and new hires ate lunch alone at their desks.
業務部門越來越搞小圈圈，新員工都只在自己的座位上吃午餐。
cliquish describing a workplace or team
Fatima left the book club after deciding its members were too cliquish for her taste.
Fatima 覺得讀書會成員太搞小圈圈了，於是就退出了。
too cliquish for someone
Hamza sat down at the canteen table, but the cliquish seniors fell silent and turned their backs.
Hamza 在餐廳餐桌坐下，但那群搞小圈圈的高年級生立刻安靜下來、轉過身去。
The cliquish mothers by the school gates never returned Yelena's greetings in the morning.
校門口那群搞小圈圈的媽媽，早上從來不回 Yelena 的招呼。
Whenever Riko asked a question, the cliquish volunteers exchanged glances and answered in one-word replies.
每次 Riko 問問題，那群搞小圈圈的志工就互相使眼色，只用一兩個字回答。
- clannish
more about family or ethnic loyalty, often across generations
- insular
emphasises lack of contact with the outside world; an insular group may not even realise it is unwelcoming
- exclusionary
more formal, often about policies or active rules that keep people out
用法筆記
Typically describes a group, workplace, or social setting rather than a single person acting alone. Carries a negative judgement about exclusivity.