smaller
smaller — 形容詞
1. having less width, height, weight, or amount than something else being compared,
較小的
尺寸、重量或數量比另一物少
having less width, height, weight, or amount than something else being compared, or than what was true before.
The new flat is smaller than the one Lara rented near the river.
新公寓比 Lara 之前在河邊租的那間還要小。
smaller than + noun for direct comparison
Pack the books in the smaller box and put the toys in the big one.
把書裝進較小的箱子，玩具就裝大的那箱。
attributive: the smaller [noun] picks the lesser of two options
After the move, Hugo got a smaller desk but he liked the view from his window.
搬家後 Hugo 換了更小的書桌，但他很喜歡窗外的視野。
Yuna's monthly food bill grew smaller once she stopped buying coffee at cafés.
Yuna 不再到咖啡店買咖啡之後，每月的伙食費就變得比較少。
Cut the carrots into smaller pieces so the soup cooks faster.
把紅蘿蔔切成更小的塊狀，湯就會煮得比較快。
- tinier
stronger than smaller; suggests very small absolute size
- more compact
stresses efficient use of space rather than just less size
- narrower
comparison limited to width, not all dimensions
文法句型
smaller than [noun]
[noun] is smaller
用法筆記
Frequently appears with 'than' to name the standard of comparison, or attributively before a noun ('the smaller box') when picking the lesser of two known options.
常見錯誤
2. describing a child who is younger and physically not as tall or developed as the
年紀較小
指相對其他孩子年紀較小的小朋友
describing a child who is younger and physically not as tall or developed as the other children being compared.
The teacher asked the smaller children to sit at the front so they could see the board.
老師請年紀較小的孩子坐到前面，這樣他們才看得到黑板。
attributive use with 'children' meaning the younger ones in the group
Christopher always shares his snacks with the smaller kids at the playground.
Christopher 在遊樂場總是和年紀較小的孩子分享他的點心。
Quan helps his smaller cousins put on their shoes before they leave for school.
Quan 上學前會幫年紀較小的表弟妹穿好鞋子。
Parents of the smaller pupils were asked to send a packed lunch on the trip.
校外教學時，年紀較小的學童家長被請準備自備午餐。
文法句型
smaller children
the smaller ones
用法筆記
Refers to children younger than the others in view, not to size in isolation. Distinguish from sense 1: 'a smaller child' in the size sense would need an explicit comparison ('smaller than her brother').
常見錯誤
3. covering a narrower range or fewer cases of an activity than another effort bein
規模較小的
活動或計畫範圍較窄、規模較小
covering a narrower range or fewer cases of an activity than another effort being compared.
After the budget cut, the charity ran a smaller campaign in three towns instead of ten.
預算被砍之後，慈善機構改在三個城鎮辦了較小的活動，不再做十個城鎮的版本。
smaller [activity/operation] meaning narrower scope
Noor and her co-workers launched a smaller pilot before rolling the app out to every region.
Noor 和同事在把這個 App 推到所有地區之前，先做了一個較小規模的試行。
Élise prefers smaller classes because the teacher can answer everyone's question.
Élise 偏愛規模較小的班級，因為老師有時間回答每個人的問題。
The factory shifted to a smaller production run while supply of parts was tight.
零件供應吃緊時，工廠改採較小的生產規模。
- more limited
stresses the cap or boundary on scope
- reduced
implies an active cut from a larger plan
文法句型
a smaller [activity/operation]
on a smaller scale
用法筆記
Object is typically an activity word: campaign, run, operation, programme, study, class, pilot. Distinguish from sense 1: it is the activity's reach, not the physical object's size.
4. less important or less likely to cause real trouble when set against something m
次要的
比起其他狀況不太重要、不太麻煩
less important or less likely to cause real trouble when set against something more serious.
Tara wanted to fix the leaking tap before tackling the smaller issues in the kitchen.
Tara 想先修好漏水的水龍頭，再處理廚房裡次要的問題。
smaller [issue/problem] with implicit comparison to a bigger one
Compared with the missed deadline, the typo in the email was a smaller mistake.
和錯過截止日相比，那封信裡的錯字只算是次要的失誤。
'Compared with X, Y was a smaller …' frame
Beatriz brushed off the smaller complaints and focused on what the customers really needed.
Beatriz 把次要的客訴擱在一邊，先處理客人真正在意的事。
Gabriel said losing the keys was a smaller worry than missing the last train home.
Gabriel 說鑰匙不見了比錯過末班火車回家還算是次要的煩惱。
- minor
more formal; common in written reports
- less serious
direct, neutral phrasing
- bigger
everyday opposite for problem size
- more serious
neutral and precise
文法句型
smaller problem
smaller issue
a smaller matter
用法筆記
Object is typically a problem word: issue, matter, mistake, worry, complaint, setback. Distinguish from sense 3: here the noun names a problem or concern, not an activity or operation.
5. feeling less important, less proud, or weakened, often after being criticised or
覺得渺小
因被批評或羞辱而感到自卑
feeling less important, less proud, or weakened, often after being criticised or embarrassed in front of other people.
Min felt smaller every time the manager raised his voice in front of the team.
經理只要在團隊面前提高音量，Min 就覺得渺小無比。
feel smaller after being criticised
Sirin said the cruel joke about her accent had made her feel smaller all evening.
Sirin 說那個拿她口音開的玩笑很傷人，讓她一整晚都覺得自慚。
make [someone] feel smaller pattern
Jabari shrank back in his chair, looking smaller after the boss read out his report.
老闆當眾念出他的報告後，Jabari 縮回椅子上，整個人看起來變小了。
Cyrus walked out of the meeting feeling smaller than when he had walked in.
Cyrus 走出會議室時，比走進去那一刻更覺得自己微不足道。
- humbled
stronger; suggests the person accepted being lowered
- diminished
more formal; common in writing
- belittled
stresses the harm done by someone else's words
文法句型
feel smaller
look smaller
make [someone] feel smaller
用法筆記
Only used predicatively with feel, look, seem, or in a 'make someone feel smaller' frame. Always paired with a cause that lowered the person's confidence or status; rarely used about size in this sense.
常見錯誤
6. describing the lowercase forms of letters, the ones written without capitals suc
小寫的
字母小寫的形式，相對於大寫
describing the lowercase forms of letters, the ones written without capitals such as a, b, c rather than A, B, C.
Vivek told the class to write the title in capitals and the rest in smaller letters.
Vivek 告訴全班，標題寫大寫，其餘的部分用小寫。
contrasted with capitals to mark lowercase form
On the form, please print the surname in capitals and the first name in smaller letters.
在表格上，姓請寫大寫，名字請用小寫的字母。
Dahlia draws the smaller letters first and adds the capitals at the start of each sentence.
Dahlia 先寫小寫的字母，再在每句開頭加上大寫。
Anna learned the capital A and the smaller a on the same page of her notebook.
Anna 在筆記本的同一頁學會了大寫 A 和小寫的 a。
文法句型
smaller letters
the smaller a/b/c
用法筆記
Almost always contrasted with capital/capital letters within the same sentence; rarely used alone. Distinguish from sense 1 by the explicit capital/lowercase contrast.
常見錯誤
smaller — 副詞
1. in a way that produces a less wide, less tall, or less filled-up result than bef
小一點
動作做出來的成品更小或更窄
in a way that produces a less wide, less tall, or less filled-up result than before.
Please write smaller so your whole answer fits inside the box on the form.
請寫小一點，這樣你的整個答案才放得進表格的空格裡。
after a verb like write to mean 'in less size'
Erik drew the second map smaller because he ran out of room on the page.
Erik 因為紙不夠用，把第二張地圖畫得更小。
If you cut the cake smaller, more people at the party can have a piece.
如果你把蛋糕切得更小，派對上就有更多人能分到一塊。
Tariq folded the cloth smaller and tucked it under his arm before stepping outside.
Tariq 把布折得更小，夾在腋下後才走出門外。
- in less space
fuller paraphrase used in writing
- more tightly
when the action is folding or packing
- bigger
everyday opposite in the same casual register
文法句型
write smaller
draw smaller
cut smaller
用法筆記
Used after action verbs like write, draw, cut, fold, type. Often a teacher or parent's instruction; in formal writing, prefer 'in a smaller size'.
常見錯誤
smaller — 名詞
1. the narrow, dipped part of a person's back, just above where the hips begin.
下背部
腰部上方、背部凹陷的細窄處
the narrow, dipped part of a person's back, just above where the hips begin.
Hiro felt a sharp pain in the smaller of his back after lifting the heavy box.
Hiro 搬完那箱重物後，下背部一陣劇痛。
the smaller of [possessive] back, a fixed noun phrase
The therapist pressed gently on the smaller of Amani's back to help the muscles relax.
治療師輕輕按壓 Amani 的下背部，幫助肌肉放鬆。
Noa rested her hand on the smaller of her son's back as he walked beside her.
Noa 走在兒子旁邊時，把手輕輕放在他的下背部。
Old hikers often complain about a stiff feeling in the smaller of the back after a long day.
上了年紀的登山客常抱怨走一整天後，下背部會僵硬。
- lower back
everyday term, far more common
- lumbar region
medical register
文法句型
the smaller of [someone's] back
用法筆記
Always appears as 'the smaller of [possessive/the] back'. The more common everyday term is 'lower back'; 'smaller' in this anatomical sense is formal or literary.
常見錯誤
2. a person's underclothes, treated as one bundle of clothes ready for the laundry
內衣褲
要洗或剛洗好的貼身衣物，英式口語
a person's underclothes, treated as one bundle of clothes ready for the laundry basket.
Christopher put his smallers in the wash before heading down for breakfast.
Christopher 下樓吃早餐前，先把他的內衣褲丟進洗衣機。
plural-only noun used with possessives
Don't forget to hang your smallers on the line before the rain starts again.
別忘了在雨又下起來之前，把你的內衣褲收回曬衣繩。
Lara folded the towels and put the children's smallers in the top drawer.
Lara 把毛巾摺好，再把孩子們的內衣褲放進最上層的抽屜。
Hugo bought new smallers because the old ones had gone thin at the seams.
Hugo 因為舊的那幾件在縫線處變薄了，買了新的內衣褲。
文法句型
wash one's smallers
a pair of smallers
用法筆記
Always plural ('my smallers'), no singular form. Marked British and informal; rare outside laundry-talk contexts. In other varieties, 'underwear' or 'undies' is normal.