mellow
/ˈmeləʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmeləʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈme-(ˌ)lō/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmel.əʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmel.oʊ/ (ame, ipa)
mellow — 形容詞
- mellowpositive
- mellowercomparative
- mellowestsuperlative
1. describes sounds, flavours, colours, or light that are pleasantly smooth and ful
醇厚；柔和
聲音、味道、光線等柔和而豐富
describes sounds, flavours, colours, or light that are pleasantly smooth and full — not harsh, sharp, or too strong. For instance, a mellow voice has a deep rounded quality, and a mellow cheese offers a gentle taste without bitterness or acidity.
The café was filled with the mellow sound of a jazz saxophone.
咖啡廳裡充滿了爵士薩克斯風醇厚的樂聲。
mellow + sound — describes soft pleasant audio quality
As the sun went down, the sky turned a beautiful mellow orange.
太陽下山時，天空變成美麗柔和的橘色。
mellow + colour — soft not bright
This cheese has a mellow, nutty flavour that is not too strong.
這款起司帶有醇厚的堅果風味，不會太濃烈。
The old guitar produces a surprisingly mellow tone for its size.
這把老吉他發出的音色柔和得令人驚豔。
Yuki prefers a mellow coffee that is smooth and never bitter.
Yuki 偏愛口感柔順、毫不苦澀的醇厚咖啡。
- smooth
emphasises even texture or lack of roughness; more physical than 'mellow'
- soft
broader term; can describe volume, texture, or gentleness without the richness that 'mellow' suggests
- rich
focuses on depth and fullness of flavour or sound; can be used alone or with 'mellow'
- gentle
emphasises lack of harshness; 'mellow' adds a quality of pleasant fullness
用法筆記
Applies mainly to sensory experiences — sound, taste, light, colour, or texture. Unlike 'mild' (which simply means 'not strong'), 'mellow' adds the idea of richness and pleasant depth.
常見錯誤
2. describes a person, mood, or atmosphere that is calm, peaceful, and easygoing —
放鬆的；溫和的
個性沉穩、從容不迫
describes a person, mood, or atmosphere that is calm, peaceful, and easygoing — not easily upset, angry, or stressed. A mellow person stays relaxed even in difficult situations, often as a result of growing older, gaining life experience, or having a naturally gentle nature.
Grandpa has become much more mellow since he retired from his job.
爺爺退休以後個性變得溫和多了。
mellow person — change with age/retirement
After the warm bath, Elena felt completely mellow and ready for bed.
洗了個熱水澡後，Elena 感到完全放鬆，準備上床睡覺。
feel mellow — temporary relaxed state
The new manager is quite mellow and never raises her voice at anyone.
新來的主管個性很溫和，從來不對人大聲說話。
The mellow atmosphere of the beach resort helped everyone forget their worries.
海灘度假村輕鬆的氛圍讓大家忘卻煩惱。
Their old dog has a very mellow temperament and loves being around children.
他們的老狗性情非常溫和，很喜歡跟小朋友在一起。
- calm
emphasises emotional control; 'mellow' adds warmth and pleasantness
- relaxed
focuses on freedom from tension; very close to 'mellow', but 'mellow' often suggests a softer, more pleasant quality
- easygoing
describes someone not easily bothered; very similar in meaning to 'mellow' when used for character
- laid-back
informal; describes someone who does not worry or rush; slightly more casual than 'mellow'
用法筆記
Frequently used informally. Can describe a temporary state (feeling mellow after a bath) or a permanent character trait (a mellow person). When describing the effect of alcohol, it implies a pleasant mild sensation — not drunk, just relaxed.
常見錯誤
mellow — 動詞
- mellowpresent simple I / you / we / they
- mellows3rd person singular
- mellowing-ing form
- mellowedpast simple
1. to develop a gently rich and smooth quality over time — for instance, fruit grow
變醇厚；成熟
隨時間變得柔和、豐富
to develop a gently rich and smooth quality over time — for instance, fruit growing sweet as it ripens, or the flavour of wine, the tone of an instrument, or the colour of a surface becoming deeper and less harsh.
Leave the avocado on the counter for a few days to mellow.
把酪梨放在流理臺上幾天，讓它自然熟成。
intransitive — fruit ripening naturally
The violin's tone has mellowed beautifully after years of regular use.
這把小提琴經年累月地使用後，音色變得醇美動人。
intransitive — sound improving with age
Age had mellowed the sharp red of the bricks to a soft terracotta.
歲月把磚牆原本鮮豔的紅色柔和成了溫暖的陶土色。
This red wine will mellow if you let it breathe for half an hour.
這瓶紅酒如果醒酒半小時，口感會變得更加醇厚。
The Italian sun had mellowed the stone walls to a warm golden colour.
義大利的陽光把石牆曬成了溫暖的金黃色。
- ripen
specifically for fruit becoming ready to eat; 'mellow' is broader and covers sound, colour, and flavour
- mature
focuses on reaching full development; 'mellow' emphasises the soft, pleasant result
- soften
general term for becoming less hard or harsh; 'mellow' adds the idea of pleasant richness
- develop
neutral; 'mellow' specifies the direction of that development (toward smoothness and richness)
文法句型
mellow + object (transitive)
mellow (without object)
mellow with + noun phrase
用法筆記
Can be used transitively (something mellows an object) or intransitively (an object mellows). The subject of the transitive form is often a natural process: age, time, sun, weather. Frequently occurs with 'with' — 'mellow with age', 'mellow with time'.
常見錯誤
2. to gradually become calmer, more relaxed, and less strict or extreme in your cha
變得放鬆；沉穩下來
態度變得更輕鬆、隨和
to gradually become calmer, more relaxed, and less strict or extreme in your character or behaviour, often because of getting older or gaining experience.
Nadia mellowed a lot after her children left for college and stopped worrying so much.
Nadia 在孩子們離家上大學之後變得放鬆多了，不再那麼操心。
mellow + life change — less anxious
The strict sergeant had mellowed a lot by the time he became a captain.
那位嚴格的士官長升任上尉時，個性已經沉穩了許多。
Living in a small coastal town has really mellowed Diego over the years.
在沿海小鎮住了幾年，Diego 真的變得隨和多了。
After raising three kids, Wei has mellowed and no longer gets upset by small problems.
養大三個孩子之後，Wei 變得沉穩，不再為小事煩惱。
The angry young singer in the band has mellowed into a friendly family man.
樂團裡那個憤怒的年輕歌手，如今已變成一位親切的愛家男人。
- relax
general term; 'mellow' implies a gradual, lasting change in character
- calm down
describes a short-term change from upset to peaceful; 'mellow' is more about long-term character
- settle down
focuses on becoming more stable and responsible; overlaps with 'mellow' but emphasises lifestyle
- chill out
very informal slang; temporary relaxation rather than lasting character change
- tense up
to become nervous or stressed; the opposite process of mellowing
- become strict
to adopt stricter attitudes; the opposite of becoming more relaxed and easygoing
文法句型
mellow (without object)
mellow out (informal phrasal verb-like)
mellow with + noun phrase
用法筆記
Nearly always intransitive — a person mellows naturally over time. The transitive form is rare for this sense. The phrasal expression 'mellow out' is very informal and common in US English for 'relax completely'.