sensitivity
/ˌsensəˈtɪvəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌsensəˈtɪvəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌsen(t)-sə-ˈti-və-tē/ (ame, mw)
sensitivity — 名詞
- sensitivitysingular
- sensitivitiesplural
1. a quality that lets a person notice and respond kindly to someone else's feeling
體諒；同理心
理解並體貼他人需求的素質
a quality that lets a person notice and respond kindly to someone else's feelings or needs
As a nurse, Ife's sensitivity to patients' worries made everyone feel calmer.
身為護理師，Ife 對病人憂慮的體諒讓每個人都感到更安心。
sensitivity to + noun phrase (patients' worries)
The manager showed great sensitivity when she asked the team about their workload.
那位經理在詢問團隊工作量時展現了極佳的體貼。
Good leaders need sensitivity to notice when a colleague is struggling at work.
優秀的領導者需要具備體諒的能力，才能察覺同事在工作中遇到困難。
Diya always treated new staff with sensitivity, helping them settle into the team.
Diya 總是以體諒的態度對待新進員工，幫助他們融入團隊。
- empathy
focuses more on sharing the feeling itself rather than responding helpfully
- understanding
broader term; less emotional nuance
- compassion
implies a stronger wish to relieve suffering
- insensitivity
lack of awareness or concern for others' needs
文法句型
sensitivity to [someone/something]
show sensitivity towards [someone]
用法筆記
Often used in professional contexts such as healthcare, management, or social work to describe the quality of being attentive to others' emotional states.
常見錯誤
2. a tendency to feel hurt or offended quickly by what others say or do
易受傷；在意
容易被他人言語或行為觸怒的特質
a tendency to feel hurt or offended quickly by what others say or do
Roya's sensitivity to criticism made it hard for her team to give honest feedback.
Roya 對批評的敏感使她的團隊難以給予誠實的回饋。
sensitivity to + criticism
His sensitivity about his accent caused him to avoid speaking in meetings.
他對自己口音的在意導致他避免在會議中發言。
The child's sensitivity meant she cried easily when other kids teased her on the playground.
那個孩子的敏感特質使她在遊樂場上被其他小孩嘲笑時很容易哭。
His sensitivity about his age made him avoid mentioning his birthday at the office.
他對自己年齡的在意使他在辦公室裡避免提到自己的生日。
- touchiness
more informal; emphasises quick anger or annoyance
- defensiveness
focuses on self-protective reactions rather than hurt feelings
- vulnerability
broader term; not always negative
- resilience
ability to recover quickly from criticism or setbacks
- toughness
informal; not easily affected by others' words
文法句型
sensitivity to [criticism/rejection]
sensitivity about [appearance/accent/age]
用法筆記
This sense carries a slightly negative tone, implying vulnerability or thin-skinnedness. It contrasts with sense 1 (UNDERSTAND OTHERS), where sensitivity is a positive trait.
常見錯誤
3. the characteristic of a topic or situation that calls for careful handling so it
敏感性
話題或情況需謹慎處理以免冒犯他人
the characteristic of a topic or situation that calls for careful handling so it does not offend anyone or cause trouble
The political sensitivity of the land dispute meant no one wanted to discuss it openly.
這起土地糾紛的政治敏感性使得沒有人願意公開討論。
the + adjective + sensitivity of + noun phrase
Journalists must understand the cultural sensitivity of reporting on religious ceremonies abroad.
記者必須理解報導國外宗教儀式所涉及的文化敏感性。
Due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, only senior staff attended the meeting.
由於談判內容的敏感性，只有資深人員參加了會議。
The teacher handled the classroom discussion with sensitivity after the local tragedy.
當地發生悲劇後，老師以高度敏感性來引導課堂討論。
- delicacy
more formal; often used for social or diplomatic situations
- confidentiality
focuses on secrecy, not emotional impact
- controversial nature
implies public disagreement rather than careful handling
文法句型
the sensitivity of [an issue/a subject/the matter]
due to the sensitivity of
用法筆記
Frequently modifies nouns like 'issue', 'subject', 'matter', 'topic', or 'information'. Common in news reporting, corporate communications, and diplomatic contexts.
常見錯誤
4. the tendency of a body or body part to react strongly to a particular substance,
過敏
身體對特定物質或刺激產生強烈反應
the tendency of a body or body part to react strongly to a particular substance, light, temperature, or other physical stimulus
Piotr's skin sensitivity to sunlight meant he always wore sunscreen when going outside.
Piotr 的皮膚對陽光過敏，所以他出門時總是擦防曬霜。
skin sensitivity to + noun
Some factory workers develop a strong sensitivity to loud noises after years on the job.
有些工廠工人在職場工作多年後，會對巨大噪音產生強烈的過敏反應。
Dental sensitivity to cold drinks can mean the tooth enamel has worn thin.
牙齒對冷飲過敏可能代表琺瑯質已經磨損。
The patient's sensitivity to penicillin was noted clearly in her medical records.
那位病人對盤尼西林的過敏反應已被清楚記錄在病歷中。
- allergy
more specific; involves an immune system response
- intolerance
commonly used for food reactions (e.g., lactose intolerance)
- susceptibility
formal; implies being easily affected or harmed
- resistance
ability to withstand a substance without reaction
- immunity
medical term for complete protection from a substance
文法句型
sensitivity to [light/sound/food/pollen]
skin sensitivity
food sensitivity
用法筆記
In medical contexts, sensitivity is different from an allergy: an allergy involves the immune system, while sensitivity may involve a broader range of physical responses. However, in everyday language, the two terms are often used interchangeably.
常見錯誤
5. the capacity of a device or test to pick up on or register tiny variations in wh
靈敏度
儀器檢測或記錄微小變化的能力
the capacity of a device or test to pick up on or register tiny variations in what it measures
The laboratory scale's sensitivity let the chemist measure a single grain of salt.
實驗室天平的靈敏度讓化學家能夠測量單一粒鹽的重量。
the sensitivity of [instrument]
High sensitivity in a microphone helps capture quiet sounds during a professional recording session.
麥克風的高靈敏度有助於在專業錄音過程中捕捉微弱的聲音。
high sensitivity in [device]
Modern motion sensors have enough sensitivity to detect a person walking ten metres away.
現代運動感測器的靈敏度足以偵測十公尺外有人走動。
The earthquake detector has enough sensitivity to notice the smallest ground movements.
地震感測器的靈敏度足以察覺最微小的地面晃動。
- precision
focuses on consistency of measurement, not minimal detectable change
- accuracy
broader term; how close a measurement is to the true value
- responsiveness
how quickly a device reacts to input
- insensitivity
inability to detect or register small changes
- tolerance
the range within which a device does not react
文法句型
the sensitivity of [an instrument/a device/a sensor]
high/low sensitivity
用法筆記
This sense is almost exclusively used in technical, scientific, or engineering writing. In product specifications, sensitivity is often expressed as a numerical value (e.g., 'the scale has a sensitivity of 0.001 grams').