ineffable

IPA/ɪnˈefəbl/
KK[ˌɪnˈɛfəbəl]IPA/ɪnˈefəbl/

ineffable — 形容詞

  • ineffablepositive
  • more ineffablecomparative
  • most ineffablesuperlative

1. Something that is ineffable produces such a powerful feeling — often a very posi

1.形容詞B2
釋義

無法言喻

強烈情感美得難以用言語表達

Something that is ineffable produces such a powerful feeling — often a very positive one like joy or beauty — that words cannot properly express it.

例句

As the choir sang, Ravindra felt an ineffable sense of peace wash over the hall.

當合唱團開始唱歌時，Ravindra 感受到一股無法言喻的平靜籠罩大廳。

collocation: ineffable sense of peace

The view from the mountain summit stirred an ineffable joy that left Jisoo completely silent.

山頂的景色帶給 Jisoo 一種無法言喻的喜悅，讓她完全說不出話來。

常見搭配
  • ineffable joy
  • ineffable beauty
  • ineffable peace
  • ineffable sadness
  • ineffable tenderness
同義詞
  • indescribable

    most common everyday synonym; slightly less formal

  • inexpressible

    focuses on inability to put feelings into words

  • unspeakable

    can overlap but more often implies shock or horror rather than awe

反義詞

文法句型

ineffable + noun

be + ineffable

用法筆記

Commonly paired with nouns for emotions (joy, peace, sadness, tenderness) or aesthetic qualities (beauty). Rare in everyday conversation; appears mostly in literary, descriptive, or reflective writing.

常見錯誤

The food was ineffable.
The food was so delicious that the experience felt ineffable.
Ineffable describes an experience beyond words, not simply 'extremely good'.

2. A name, word, or concept that is ineffable is so holy or forbidden that it is co

2.形容詞C2
釋義

不可言說

因神聖或禁忌而不得說出口

A name, word, or concept that is ineffable is so holy or forbidden that it is considered wrong or dangerous to say it aloud.

例句

In many ancient traditions, a deity's true name was ineffable and never spoken aloud.

在許多古老傳統中，神明的真名是不可言說的，從不出口。

collocation: ineffable name

The rabbi explained that the Tetragrammaton is ineffable, so worshippers use Adonai instead during prayer.

拉比解釋說，四字聖名是不可言說的，因此信徒在祈禱時使用 Adonai 代替。

常見搭配
  • ineffable name
  • ineffable word
  • ineffable deity
  • ineffable spirit
同義詞
  • unutterable

    very close; can also mean 'too extreme to say'

  • taboo

    broader — covers actions and topics, not just words

  • forbidden

    wider in meaning; covers all kinds of prohibitions

反義詞

文法句型

ineffable + name / word / concept

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 refers specifically to a prohibition against speaking something sacred or taboo, while sense 1 describes an emotional inability to find words. Sense 2 is most common in religious, mythological, or occult contexts.

常見錯誤

They whispered the ineffable name.' (implying any secret name).
They refused to speak the ineffable name because it was sacred.
Ineffable in this sense implies a religious or taboo prohibition, not just secrecy.

同根字

  • ineffably
    副詞C2
  • ineffability
    名詞C2

常見搭配

副詞搭配

  • almost ineffable
  • nearly ineffable
  • somehow ineffable

常用片語

  • remain ineffable