nippy

/ˈnɪpi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnɪpi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈni-pē/ (ame, mw)

nippy — 形容詞

  • nippypositive
  • nippiercomparative
  • nippiestsuperlative

1. describes weather or air that feels uncomfortably cold, especially in a sharp wa

1.形容詞B2
釋義

凜冽的；寒冷

形容空氣或天氣刺骨地冷

describes weather or air that feels uncomfortably cold, especially in a sharp way that bites at exposed skin

例句

Noa pulled on her scarf before stepping out into the nippy October morning.

Noa 在踏出門進入凜冽的十月清晨前，先把圍巾圍好。

attributive: nippy + weather noun (morning, air, breeze)

The air on top of the mountain turned nippy as soon as the sun went down.

太陽一下山，山頂上的空氣立刻變得寒冷刺骨。

predicative: [weather noun] + turned/got + nippy

同義詞
  • chilly

    near-synonym; chilly is more neutral, nippy adds a slight bite

  • crisp

    more positive — crisp air feels fresh, nippy feels uncomfortable

  • biting

    stronger; biting cold actually hurts, nippy just stings briefly

反義詞
  • mild

    describes pleasantly warm weather

  • balmy

    soft and warm air, the opposite of nippy

用法筆記

Subject is almost always weather, air, wind, or a time of day; nippy is not used of people or rooms with broken heating — use 'cold' or 'freezing' for those.

常見錯誤

❌The classroom was nippy because the heater broke.
✅The classroom was freezing because the heater broke.
💡nippy is for outdoor weather, not indoor temperature.

2. describes a small car, animal, or person that moves fast and can change directio

2.形容詞C1
釋義

靈活敏捷

形容車輛或動物小巧靈活

describes a small car, animal, or person that moves fast and can change direction without effort

例句

Dario bought a nippy little hatchback that handled the narrow streets of Naples beautifully.

Dario 買了一台靈活的小掀背車，在拿坡里狹窄的街道上開起來非常順手。

attributive: nippy + small vehicle (hatchback, car, scooter)

The nippy terrier darted between the legs of the children at the picnic.

那隻敏捷的㹴犬在野餐時穿梭於孩子們的雙腿之間。

attributive: nippy + agile animal

同義詞
  • agile

    broader; agile applies to athletes and minds, nippy is mostly cars and small animals

  • zippy

    very close synonym, slightly more about acceleration than turning

  • nimble

    more formal; works for people, dancers, fingers as well as cars

反義詞

用法筆記

Subject is typically a small car, a small agile animal, or a sports player; not used of large vehicles or slow steady runners. Common in British English motoring reviews.

常見錯誤

❌The lorry is very nippy on the motorway.
✅The hatchback is very nippy in town.
💡nippy implies small and easy to handle, not powerful or fast on highways.

3. describes food or drink that has a sharp, slightly hot flavour that catches at t

3.形容詞C1
釋義

嗆辣；嗆口

形容食物或飲料味道嗆辣刺激

describes food or drink that has a sharp, slightly hot flavour that catches at the back of the throat

例句

Salma served a nippy ginger soup that warmed everyone after the long walk home.

Salma 端出一碗嗆辣的薑湯，走了很長一段路後讓大家都暖了起來。

attributive: nippy + food noun with sharp flavour (soup, sauce, cheese)

This farmhouse cheddar is far too nippy for the children — give them the mild block instead.

這款農家切達乳酪對孩子來說太嗆口了——給他們吃那塊溫和的就好。

predicative: be + (too) nippy + for + person

同義詞
  • pungent

    more formal; pungent covers strong smells too, nippy is about taste

  • sharp

    general purpose; sharp cheese is a fixed phrase, nippy is more colloquial

  • tangy

    tangy leans sour, nippy leans hot-mustard sharpness

反義詞
  • mild

    gentle in flavour

  • bland

    lacking flavour completely

用法筆記

Subject is food or drink with sharp warming flavours — mustard, ginger, mature cheese, chai. Not used for spicy heat from chilli peppers — use 'hot' or 'spicy' for that.

常見錯誤

❌The Sichuan chilli oil was so nippy I started crying.
✅The Sichuan chilli oil was so hot I started crying.
💡nippy is sharp warming flavour like mustard, not chilli heat.