dwarf
dwarf — 形容詞
- dwarfpositive
- dwarfercomparative
- dwarfestsuperlative
1. describes a type of plant, animal, or breed that stays much smaller than the usu
矮種；迷你
比同類體型小很多的品種
describes a type of plant, animal, or breed that stays much smaller than the usual kind — for example, a dwarf rabbit bred to remain small, or a dwarf variety of a garden flower.
Mei-Lin planted dwarf sunflowers along the fence because her balcony had limited space.
美琳沿著圍籬種了矮種向日葵，因為她的陽台空間有限。
attributive: dwarf + [noun] for smaller variety
The dwarf lavender bushes in the courtyard bloomed just as well as the full-sized ones.
庭院裡的矮種薰衣草叢開得和一般大小的薰衣草一樣茂盛。
Dr. Okafor keeps a dwarf hamster in a small cage on his office desk.
Okafor 醫生在他辦公桌上的小籠子裡養了一隻矮種倉鼠。
This nursery sells a dwarf maple tree that never grows taller than two metres.
這家苗圃賣一種矮種楓樹，高度從來不會超過兩公尺。
- miniature
less technical; common for breeds, crafts, and models ('miniature poodle')
- compact
focuses on density rather than size difference ('compact shrub')
- dwarf-sized
emphasises the reduced scale specifically
- standard-sized
the normal variety against which the dwarf variety is measured
- full-sized
the typical adult size of the species
文法句型
dwarf + [noun] (always before a noun)
用法筆記
Always comes before a noun. Unlike ordinary adjectives, 'dwarf' is not used with 'more' / 'most' or after a linking verb (❌ 'The rabbit is dwarf').
常見錯誤
dwarf — 名詞
- dwarfsingular
- dwarfsplural
1. a small imaginary creature in fairy tales and fantasy stories, often shown as a
矮人；小矮人
童話或奇幻故事中的小型魔法生物
a small imaginary creature in fairy tales and fantasy stories, often shown as a bearded old man who lives underground and works with metal or guards treasure.
In the story, the dwarves lived in a cave deep beneath the mountain and mined for gold.
故事裡，一群矮人住在大山深處的洞穴裡，挖掘黃金。
plural form: dwarves (common in fantasy)
Fatima dressed up as a dwarf for the school play, wearing a fake beard and a tiny leather apron.
法蒂瑪在學校話劇中扮成小矮人，戴著假鬍子，穿著小皮圍裙。
The old fairy tale tells of seven dwarves who worked in a diamond mine every day.
那則古老的童話描述七個小矮人每天在鑽石礦裡工作。
Hideo painted a picture of a dwarf carrying a hammer twice the size of his body.
秀雄畫了一個小矮人，拿著一把比他身體還大兩倍的鐵鎚。
The children asked the librarian for another book about dwarves and dragons.
孩子們問圖書館員還有沒有其他關於矮人和龍的書。
文法句型
[number] + dwarf / dwarves / dwarfs
用法筆記
The plural form 'dwarves' is very common in fantasy literature (following Tolkien's convention), while 'dwarfs' is the standard plural in general use. Both are acceptable.
常見錯誤
2. a term sometimes used for a person who has a medical condition that results in a
侏儒
（舊·可能冒犯）因疾病身高遠低於平均者
a term sometimes used for a person who has a medical condition that results in a height well below average; note that many people now prefer the terms 'person of short stature' or 'little person', because 'dwarf' can be hurtful.
The article explained that the medical condition called achondroplasia causes a person to grow as a dwarf.
那篇文章解釋說，一種名為軟骨發育不全症的醫學狀況會使人長成侏儒。
medical context; increasingly replaced by 'little person'
Dr. Patel's research focuses on improving quality of life for children born with dwarfism.
Patel 醫生的研究重點在於改善患有侏儒症的兒童的生活品質。
preferred term: dwarfism (the condition), not 'dwarf' (the person)
Many adults of short stature prefer the term 'little person' over the older word 'dwarf'.
許多身材矮小的成年人偏好「little person」這個說法，勝過舊詞「dwarf」。
The charity works to change public attitudes about people with dwarfism through education.
該慈善機構致力於透過教育改變大眾對侏儒症患者的態度。
- little person
the preferred term within the short-stature community
- person of short stature
formal, respectful, used in medical and policy contexts
- LP
abbreviation for 'little person', used within the community
文法句型
(old-fashioned — avoid) a dwarf; (preferred) person with dwarfism, little person
用法筆記
This sense can cause offence. In modern English, refer to the condition as 'dwarfism' and to the person as 'a person of short stature' or 'a little person' (LP). Using 'dwarf' to describe a person may be viewed as disrespectful.
常見錯誤
3. an individual animal or plant that is much smaller than the normal size for its
侏儒個體
比同類正常體型小很多的動植物個體
an individual animal or plant that is much smaller than the normal size for its species due to genetics, environment, or disease.
The aquarium had a dwarf of the common guppy, reaching only half the usual length.
水族館裡有一隻普通孔雀魚的侏儒個體，體長只有一般的一半。
pattern: dwarf of + [species]
Biologists found a dwarf deer on the island that stood just forty centimetres tall.
生物學家在島上發現了一種侏儒鹿，身高只有四十公分。
The botanist described the alpine flower as a true dwarf, stunted by the harsh mountain winds.
植物學家描述那棵高山花卉是真正的侏儒個體，因嚴酷山風而無法長大。
This pine tree is not a dwarf variety — it is just a young specimen that has not reached full height yet.
這棵松樹不是矮種品種——只是一株尚未長到全高的幼樹。
- giant
an individual much larger than typical for its species
文法句型
dwarf of + [species]; dwarf [species]
用法筆記
Distinguish from the adjective sense 'dwarf + noun' (which describes a breed or cultivar). This noun sense refers to a single individual within a species that is unusually small, not a naturally small breed.
dwarf — 動詞
- dwarfpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dwarfs3rd person singular
- dwarfing-ing form
- dwarfedpast simple
1. to be so much bigger, more important, or more impressive that something else loo
相形見絀；使…顯小
因更大更重要而讓別的東西相形見絀
to be so much bigger, more important, or more impressive that something else looks tiny or insignificant by comparison — for example, a skyscraper that dwarfs the buildings around it, or one achievement that dwarfs all others.
The new skyscraper dwarfs every other building in the old town centre.
這棟新建的摩天大樓讓舊城區裡的其他建築都相形見絀。
active: [thing A] dwarfs [thing B]
Lena felt her own accomplishments were dwarfed by her older sister's international awards.
蕾娜覺得自己的成就和姊姊的國際獎項相比，顯得微不足道。
passive: be dwarfed by [something]
The size of the national debt dwarfs the annual budget of most small countries.
國債的規模讓大多數小國的年度預算相形見絀。
Next to the Watanabe family's rice fields, our small vegetable patch was completely dwarfed.
在渡邊家的稻田旁邊，我們的小菜園完全相形見絀。
The success of the charity event last year dwarfs anything we have organised since.
去年慈善活動的成功，讓我們之後所辦的一切活動都相形失色。
- overshadow
can be physical or figurative; less dramatic than 'dwarf'
- tower over
strictly physical height comparison
- outshine
only figurative — about talent or success, not size
- dwarf in comparison
phrasal, more conversational
文法句型
[entity A] dwarfs [entity B]; be dwarfed by [something]
用法筆記
Common in both literal physical comparisons and figurative contexts (achievements, problems, figures). The passive form 'to be dwarfed by' is very frequent in writing.
常見錯誤
2. to prevent a plant, animal, or body part from growing to its natural full size —
抑制生長；發育不良
阻止生物長到正常尺寸
to prevent a plant, animal, or body part from growing to its natural full size — for example, a tree whose roots are dwarfed by poor soil, or a limb dwarfed by a childhood illness.
The shallow soil on the cliff top dwarfed the pines, keeping them under two metres tall.
懸崖頂部貧瘠的土壤抑制了松樹生長，使它保持在兩公尺以下。
active: environment dwarfs organism
The tomato plants in Sora's garden were dwarfed by the rocky soil, never producing full-sized fruit.
Sora 花園裡的番茄植株因土壤多石而矮化，始終結不出正常大小的果實。
passive: be dwarfed by [environmental condition]
The bonsai master deliberately dwarfs the tree by trimming its roots and branches each year.
盆栽師傅每年修剪樹根和枝條，刻意抑制生長。
Without enough sunlight, the seedlings were dwarfed and never produced flowers.
沒有充足的陽光，這些幼苗發育受阻，始終沒有開花。
- nurture
encourage healthy growth
文法句型
be dwarfed by [lack/condition]; [condition] dwarfs [growth]
用法筆記
Unlike sense verb/1 (OVERSHADOW), this sense focuses on stunted physical development rather than relative comparison. The cause is typically a resource shortage or disease.