incomprehensibly
incomprehensibly — 形容詞
1. Something that is so confusing, unclear, or badly expressed that you cannot make
難以理解的
無法或極難理解的
Something that is so confusing, unclear, or badly expressed that you cannot make any sense of it at all — for example, a piece of writing full of jargon, a mumbled speech, or a very complex explanation.
The physics lecture was full of equations and incomprehensible to most of the class.
那場物理講座充滿了方程式，對班上大多數學生來說難以理解。
'be + incomprehensible + to [person]' for describing something the listener cannot follow
Mei-Ling put the incomprehensible instruction manual aside and searched for a video tutorial instead.
美玲把那份難以理解的說明書放到一旁，改為搜尋影片教學。
'incomprehensible' as an attributive adjective before a noun
The toddler's excited story about dinosaurs was almost incomprehensible through her laughter.
小女孩邊笑邊興奮地說著恐龍的故事，讓大人幾乎聽不懂她在說什麼。
- unintelligible
Stronger emphasis on the sound or signal being impossible to make out, e.g. a garbled phone line
- impenetrable
Suggests a text or subject so dense that no effort can unlock its meaning
- baffling
More about the feeling of confusion it produces in the listener or reader
- comprehensible
Straightforward opposite; easy to grasp
- understandable
More common in everyday speech
- clear
Emphasises freedom from confusion or ambiguity
文法句型
be + incomprehensible
incomprehensible + noun
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'to' to show who finds something impossible to understand: 'The document was incomprehensible to the new staff.' Often collocates with 'completely', 'totally', 'utterly', or 'almost'.
常見錯誤
2. Describing a decision, event, or action that is so unreasonable or shocking that
無法解釋的
無法以理性說明的
Describing a decision, event, or action that is so unreasonable or shocking that it seems to have no logical explanation — for example, an act of cruelty, a baffling choice, or a situation that defies common sense.
It seems incomprehensible that anyone would ignore such clear warning signs before the storm.
有人會在暴風雨前忽略如此明確的警訊，這實在令人無法理解。
'it is incomprehensible that…' pattern for expressing disbelief about a situation
The committee described the official's decision to cut funds as morally incomprehensible.
委員會認為那名官員削減經費的決定在道德上令人無法理解。
'morally incomprehensible' — common collocation with ethical judgement adverbs
To Priyanka, her neighbour's complete lack of curiosity about the world was utterly incomprehensible.
在 Priyanka 看來，鄰居對世界完全缺乏好奇心，這簡直讓她無法理解。
- inexplicable
Very close in meaning; 'inexplicable' is slightly more neutral while 'incomprehensible' carries stronger emotional shock
- unfathomable
More literary; suggests depths of meaning that cannot be plumbed
- baffling
Highlights the puzzle-like quality of the situation rather than moral outrage
- explicable
Straightforward opposite; capable of being explained
- understandable
In this sense means 'reasonable given the circumstances'
文法句型
be + incomprehensible + that-clause
it is incomprehensible that…
用法筆記
Frequently used in the 'it is incomprehensible that…' structure to express strong disbelief or moral condemnation. Unlike sense 1, this sense does not describe unclear language or writing — it refers to actions or situations that defy rational explanation.
常見錯誤
incomprehensibly — 副詞
1. In a manner that makes it very difficult or impossible for someone to understand
費解地
以令人困惑的方式表達
In a manner that makes it very difficult or impossible for someone to understand what is being said, written, or expressed — typically used with verbs of communication such as 'speak', 'mumble', 'write', or 'behave'.
The witness spoke so quietly and incomprehensibly that the judge asked her to repeat everything.
那名證人說話聲音太小又含糊不清，法官只好請她全部重說一遍。
'speak incomprehensibly' — collocation with a verb of communication
Olaf wrote the email incomprehensibly, cramming every detail into one long, rambling paragraph.
Olaf 寫的電子郵件措辭費解，他把所有細節都塞進又臭又長的一段話裡。
The contract was written incomprehensibly, so both parties hired lawyers to clarify it.
那份合約的寫法令人費解，雙方只好各自聘請律師來釐清內容。
- unintelligibly
Nearly identical; 'unintelligibly' emphasises the sound being impossible to decipher, while 'incomprehensibly' can also cover logical confusion
- inscrutably
Suggests deliberate hiding of meaning; more literary
- obscurely
Focuses on lack of clarity rather than total impossibility
- clearly
Direct opposite; in an easy-to-understand way
- intelligibly
Formal opposite; in a way that can be understood
文法句型
[verb] + incomprehensibly
用法筆記
This adverb typically modifies verbs of communication or expression (speak, write, mumble, phrase, explain). It is rarer than the adjective form and belongs mostly to formal or written registers. In everyday speech, people are more likely to say 'in a way that nobody could understand'.