grouch
/ɡraʊtʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡraʊtʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrau̇ch/ (ame, mw)
grouch — 動詞
- grouchpresent simple I / you / we / they
- grouches3rd person singular
- grouching-ing form
- grouchedpast simple
1. to complain in an angry, irritable way, especially about small, unimportant thin
發牢騷
暴躁地抱怨小事
to complain in an angry, irritable way, especially about small, unimportant things such as the weather, other people's habits, or daily inconveniences
Dad grouched about the slow traffic all the way to the airport.
去機場的路上，爸爸一直在抱怨交通太慢，發了一路的牢騷。
grouch + about + noun phrase
Old Mrs. Kim grouched that the heating was never turned up high enough.
金老太太發牢騷說暖氣永遠開得不夠暖。
grouch + that-clause
The children ignored their uncle, who was grouching about the price of train tickets again.
孩子們不理會他們的叔叔，他正又在抱怨火車票太貴了。
"Stop grouching and eat your breakfast," his wife said with a sigh.
「別再發牢騷了，趕快吃早餐，」他的妻子嘆了口氣說。
- praise
express approval rather than irritation
- appreciate
focus on what is good instead of small faults
文法句型
grouch + about + noun / -ing form
grouch + that-clause
用法筆記
Frequently used in progressive tenses or imperatives. Subject is almost always a person expressing irritation about routine annoyances rather than serious problems. Common in everyday spoken English.
常見錯誤
grouch — 名詞
- grouchsingular
- grouchesplural
1. a person who is habitually in a bad mood or complains often, especially about mi
愛抱怨的人
總是心情不好的人
a person who is habitually in a bad mood or complains often, especially about minor things that others would not mind
Uncle Boris is such a grouch that nobody invites him to family dinners anymore.
鮑里斯叔叔是個超級愛抱怨的人，以至於沒有人再邀請他參加家庭聚餐了。
such a grouch + result clause
Don't be such a grouch — the park looks beautiful in the sunshine!
別這麼愛抱怨嘛——陽光下的公園多美啊！
imperative: don't be such a grouch
The office grouch sat alone in the canteen, scowling at everyone who walked past.
辦公室裡那個愛抱怨的人獨自坐在餐廳裡，對每個走過去的人皺眉頭。
Even the biggest grouch in our team smiled when the project won an award.
連我們團隊裡最愛抱怨的人也因為專案得獎而笑了。
- grumbler
slightly more formal; emphasises the act of grumbling rather than the bad mood
- complainer
neutral and common; less colourful than grouch
- sourpuss
informal, milder, often used playfully
- optimist
someone who looks on the bright side
- jolly person
someone always in a good mood
文法句型
a grouch
such a grouch
an old grouch
用法筆記
Often preceded by an adjective (old grouch, biggest grouch) or used in a negative imperative (Don't be such a grouch). The noun describes a personality trait, not a temporary mood — calling someone a grouch suggests they are frequently unpleasant.
常見錯誤
2. a complaint or reason for dissatisfaction, typically about something small or no
小牢騷；不滿
對小事的埋怨
a complaint or reason for dissatisfaction, typically about something small or not very serious
His only grouch about the hotel was that the pillows were too soft.
他對這家旅館唯一不滿的地方是枕頭太軟了。
someone's only / main grouch about
I have one small grouch with this plan — the meeting starts far too early.
我對這個計畫有一點小抱怨——會議開始的時間太早了。
have a grouch with [something]
The Watanabe family listed their grouches calmly until the manager agreed to listen.
渡邊一家人一條條列出他們的不滿，直到經理同意聆聽為止。
Despite his many grouches about the city, Diego admitted he loved living there.
雖然對這座城市有諸多抱怨，Diego 承認他很喜歡住在那裡。
- praise
expression of approval
- compliment
positive feedback
文法句型
have a grouch about / with
someone's main / only grouch
用法筆記
Less common than the 'person' sense. Used in both singular and plural, but usually preceded by a modifier (only grouch, main grouch, one small grouch). The complaint is presented as something the speaker acknowledges is minor.