gimcrack
gimcrack — 形容詞
- gimcrackpositive
- more gimcrackcomparative
- most gimcracksuperlative
1. describing something that looks expensive or attractive at first glance but is a
華而不實的
外表好看但品質低劣
describing something that looks expensive or attractive at first glance but is actually poorly made and has no lasting quality or real value
Jiwoo bought a gimcrack watch from a street vendor, and it stopped within a day.
Jiwoo 在路邊攤買了一支華而不實的手錶，一天內就壞了。
gimcrack + watch — typical attributive use
The hotel lobby had gimcrack furniture that looked expensive but fell apart in months.
飯店大廳擺著華而不實的傢俱，看起來昂貴，但幾個月內就壞了。
gimcrack + furniture — pejorative description of decor
Anthony's gimcrack necklace broke after one wear, leaving beads scattered across the kitchen floor.
Anthony 那條華而不實的項鍊戴一次就斷了，珠子散落在廚房地板上。
The gimcrack shop decorations looked flashy, but up close the gold paint was peeling.
店裡那些華而不實的裝飾品看起來很耀眼，但近看金漆都在剝落。
Rohan regretted buying the gimcrack lamp when its plastic base melted from the bulb's heat.
Rohan 後悔買了那盞華而不實的檯燈，因為燈泡的熱度把塑膠底座融化了。
- tawdry
emphasises cheap flashiness, especially in clothing or ornament; more common than gimcrack
- showy
neutral or mildly negative; simply means attracting attention, not necessarily poorly made
- meretricious
formal register; suggests false attractiveness used to deceive, stronger moral judgement
文法句型
gimcrack + noun
用法筆記
Informal and almost always pejorative. Typically used before a noun to criticise decorative items, furniture, jewellery, souvenirs, or building materials that look impressive but are poorly constructed. Not used to describe people or abstract concepts.
常見錯誤
gimcrack — 名詞
1. a cheap, showy object intended to look attractive but having little real value o
俗艷飾品
外表花俏但品質差的裝飾品
a cheap, showy object intended to look attractive but having little real value or practical use, often sold as a souvenir or decoration
The tourist shop sold gimcracks — gold statues and plastic flowers with zero real value.
那間紀念品店賣的是俗艷飾品——鍍金雕像和塑膠花，毫無真正價值。
countable plural: gimcracks
Sari's desk had gimcracks from the night market, including a fake lamp that never worked.
Sari 的書桌上有在夜市買的俗艷飾品，包括一盞不會亮的假燈。
Eli bought a gimcrack at the fair — a painted box that broke when opened.
Eli 在博覽會上買了一個俗艷擺設——一個一打開就壞了的彩繪木盒。
Anna called the porcelain cat a gimcrack and tossed it in the box.
Anna 說那個瓷貓只不過是俗艷擺設，順手扔進了箱子裡。
The market vendor sold gimcracks to tourists who wanted shiny but cheap souvenirs.
市集攤販把俗艷飾品賣給想買閃亮又便宜紀念品的遊客。
- heirloom
a valuable item passed through generations
文法句型
a gimcrack
gimcracks
用法筆記
Countable noun. More common in the plural (gimcracks) since these objects typically occur in collections. Somewhat old-fashioned or literary; more frequent in British English than American English. Often interchangeable with bauble or trinket, though gimcrack carries a stronger judgement of poor quality.