literal-minded
literal-minded — 形容詞
1. A literal-minded person understands words and sentences only in their simplest a
照字面理解
只能按照字面意思解讀，缺乏聯想力
A literal-minded person understands words and sentences only in their simplest and most direct way, and has difficulty recognizing humor, sarcasm, common sayings, or anything that is not stated plainly and exactly.
Priya is so literal-minded that she asked a coworker for the address of a restaurant he called "around the corner."
Priya 非常照字面理解，同事提到某家餐廳「在轉角附近」，她竟追問要確切地址。
subject-complement pattern: so literal-minded that…
Kenji's literal-minded approach made him paint the fence exactly as the instructions said, while everyone else skipped the second coat.
Kenji 照字面理解指示，把圍籬照說明漆了兩層，即使其他人都省略了第二道。
literal-minded + modifier (approach / reading / nature)
Yusuf struggled with the poetry task because his literal-minded reading missed every hidden meaning in the author's lines.
Yusuf 做詩歌作業時很吃力，因為他照字面理解，完全沒讀懂作者藏在字裡行間的深意。
The literal-minded employee did not laugh when his manager said the broken printer had "a mind of its own."
那位照字面理解的員工聽到主管說印表機「有自己的想法」時完全沒笑。
- literal
Describes the meaning of words, not a person — 'the literal meaning' versus 'a literal-minded person'.
- concrete
Similar focus on tangible facts over abstract ideas, but 'concrete' is broader and less about language comprehension.
- pedantic
More negative — a pedantic person insists on trivial correctness or detail; literal-minded suggests simple lack of flexibility, not arrogance.
- unimaginative
Overlaps in meaning but broader — can describe art, ideas, or solutions, not just language interpretation.
- imaginative
Able to think creatively and understand non-literal meanings.
- flexible
Willing to interpret words or situations in more than one way.
用法筆記
Often used as a premodifier (literal-minded person / approach / reading) or after a linking verb (be / seem / remain). Frequently carries a mildly critical or sympathetic tone, depending on context.