smarts
smarts — 名詞
1. the ability to think, learn quickly, and make good judgments in everyday situati
才智；聰明
快速理解事物並做出判斷的實際能力
the ability to think, learn quickly, and make good judgments in everyday situations; practical cleverness rather than formal education
Farida has the smarts to solve problems that stump the rest of the team.
Farida 很聰明，能解決難倒團隊其他人的問題。
have the smarts to + verb
You need street smarts to stay safe when walking home at night alone.
晚上獨自走路回家時，你需要街頭智慧才能保護自己。
collocation: street smarts
Kwame's business smarts turned a tiny market stall into a chain of shops.
Kwame 的商業頭腦把一個小市場攤位變成連鎖店。
Lin grew her smarts by helping in her uncle's repair shop every Saturday after school.
Lin 每週六放學後在舅舅的修理店幫忙，慢慢磨練出她的才智。
Priya showed real smarts when she read the room and changed her presentation halfway through.
Priya 展現了真正的才智——她讀懂現場氣氛，在簡報講到一半時改變了方向。
- intelligence
more formal; covers both academic and practical ability
- cleverness
emphasises quick thinking and creative solutions
- shrewdness
suggests sharp judgment about people and situations, often in business
用法筆記
Almost always plural ('smarts'). Often used in compounds like 'street smarts' or 'business smarts' to name a specific kind of practical know-how. Distinguish from adjective sense 1: the noun describes applied cleverness, not raw mental ability.
常見錯誤
2. a sharp, sudden feeling of pain on the skin, like the sting from a cut, burn, or
刺痛感
皮膚表面的尖銳、短暫灼痛感
a sharp, sudden feeling of pain on the skin, like the sting from a cut, burn, or hard slap
Dimitri felt the smart of the antiseptic as the nurse cleaned the cut on his knee.
護士清洗 Dimitri 膝蓋上的傷口時，他感到消毒水的刺痛。
the smart of + [cause of pain]
The smart of the cold wind on her cheeks made Sana pull her scarf tighter.
冷風打在臉頰上的刺痛讓 Sana 把圍巾拉得更緊。
Tendai winced at the smart of lemon juice hitting the paper cut on his thumb.
檸檬汁碰到 Tendai 拇指上的紙割傷口時，他痛得縮了一下。
A bee sting leaves a sharp smart that fades into a dull ache after an hour.
蜜蜂螫傷會留下劇烈的刺痛，一個小時後才變成隱隱作痛。
用法筆記
Used in the singular with 'the': 'the smart of something'. This sense is rarer in everyday speech; the verb form (verb sense 1) is more common for describing the same sensation.
smarts — 形容詞
1. quick to learn, understand, and figure things out; having a sharp and capable mi
聰明的
學習和理解能力快、頭腦敏銳
quick to learn, understand, and figure things out; having a sharp and capable mind
Yara is the smart kid in class who always has her hand up with the answer.
Yara 是班上那個聰明的孩子，總是舉手回答問題。
Ravi's smart question about the contract clause saved his team from a costly mistake a week later.
Ravi 針對合約條款提出的聰明問題，在一週後讓他的團隊避免了一個代價高昂的錯誤。
smart + noun: smart question, smart decision
The new receptionist impressed everyone — she was smart, warm, and picked things up fast.
新來的櫃檯人員讓大家印象深刻——她聰明、親切、學得很快。
Oluwaseun's dog is so smart it can open the back door by itself when it wants to go out.
Oluwaseun 的狗非常聰明，想出去時會自己打開後門。
It was a smart decision to bring an umbrella; the sky opened up ten minutes later.
帶傘是個聰明的決定；十分鐘後天空就下起大雨。
- intelligent
more formal; often used for academic or analytical ability
- bright
similar to 'smart' but slightly more informal and warm in tone
- clever
emphasises quick, inventive thinking more than deep knowledge
用法筆記
This is the most common sense. When describing a person, 'smart' can refer to natural intelligence or good judgment. When describing a thing (decision, move, idea), it means sensible and well thought out. Distinguish from noun sense 1: the adjective describes a quality; the noun describes the ability itself.
常見錯誤
2. good at making quick, funny, and clever remarks; sharp with words in an entertai
機智的；風趣
說話反應快、用詞巧妙有趣
good at making quick, funny, and clever remarks; sharp with words in an entertaining way
Hassan's smart comebacks always get a laugh, even when he is not trying to be funny.
Hassan 機智的回嘴總是引人發笑，即使他並非刻意要搞笑。
smart + comeback / remark / retort
The smart dialogue in the courtroom scene had the whole cinema laughing out loud.
法庭場景中機智的對白讓整間電影院的觀眾哄堂大笑。
Ingrid gave a smart reply to the rude customer that left everyone else in the shop smiling.
Ingrid 對那位無理的顧客給了一個機智的回應，讓店裡其他人都在微笑。
João is too smart for his own good sometimes — his jokes sail right over people's heads.
João 有時候機智過頭了——他的笑話別人根本聽不懂。
- witty
the closest synonym; emphasises verbal cleverness and humour
- quick-witted
highlights speed of response rather than the humour itself
- dull
boring or slow in conversation
用法筆記
Usually describes speech or writing (a smart remark, smart dialogue), not a permanent personality trait. Someone can make a smart comment without being 'smart' in sense 1. Distinguish from sense 3: witty remarks entertain; impudent remarks challenge authority.
常見錯誤
3. talking or behaving in a bold and disrespectful manner, especially towards a par
無禮的；放肆
對長輩或權威說話大膽、不尊重
talking or behaving in a bold and disrespectful manner, especially towards a parent, teacher, or boss — as if trying to show you are cleverer than them
When Tomas told his grandmother to mind her own business, she called him a smart boy.
Tomas 叫他外婆少管閒事時，外婆說他真是個沒大沒小的孩子。
smart + person (negative: disrespectful)
Don't get smart with the police officer — just answer the question politely and move on.
別對警察耍嘴皮子——禮貌回答問題然後離開就好。
get smart with + [person]
Mei-Lin sent her father a smart text that she regretted the moment she pressed send.
Mei-Lin 給爸爸傳了一則沒禮貌的簡訊，按下發送後馬上就後悔了。
The waiter gave the manager a smart look and walked off, leaving the table uncleared.
服務生對經理擺出一副不馴的表情就走了，桌子也沒收拾。
- respectful
shows proper regard for someone's position or age
用法筆記
Usually negative and disapproving. Common in the phrases 'don't get smart with me' and 'smart mouth'. Distinguish from sense 2: a witty remark is meant to entertain; an impudent remark challenges or disrespects someone.
常見錯誤
4. looking clean, neat, and well put together; dressed or designed in an attractive
整潔俐落
穿著或外觀乾淨、整齊、有型
looking clean, neat, and well put together; dressed or designed in an attractive and tidy way
Naledi wore a smart navy suit to the interview, and she got the job the same week.
Naledi 穿著一套俐落的深藍色套裝去面試，同一週就拿到了工作。
smart + [clothing item]: suit, dress, jacket
The restaurant had a smart look inside, with soft lighting and white tablecloths on every table.
餐廳內部看起來很雅緻，柔和的燈光和每張桌子上的白色桌巾。
The hotel's new lobby is so smart that guests take photos of it for their travel blog posts.
飯店新的大廳非常時尚，客人紛紛拍照放到旅遊部落格上。
You look very smart in that jacket — is it new, or have you just never worn it before?
你穿那件外套看起來很帥氣——是新的，還是你以前沒穿過？
The café on the corner has had a smart makeover and now draws a crowd every weekend morning.
街角那家咖啡館經過一番漂亮的改造，現在每個週末早上都擠滿了人。
- scruffy
untidy and poorly dressed
用法筆記
Common in British English. In American English, 'sharp' or 'sharp-looking' is more common for this meaning. Often used for clothes, appearance, and interior design. Distinguish from sense 1: 'a smart person' means intelligent; 'a smart suit' means stylish.
常見錯誤
5. fitted with a tiny computer or electronic control system that lets the device op
智慧型的
配備電腦晶片，可自行運作或調整的裝置
fitted with a tiny computer or electronic control system that lets the device operate, adjust, or communicate on its own
Nia bought a smart thermostat that learns her routine and lowers the heat when she leaves.
Nia 買了一個智慧型溫控器，它會學習她的作息，在她出門時降低暖氣。
smart + device: thermostat, phone, watch, speaker
Mia's smart lights dim automatically when she starts a film on her tablet.
Mia 的智慧燈具會在她用平板開始看電影時自動調暗。
smart + device: lights, thermostat, speaker
Their new office building uses smart glass that darkens automatically when the sun gets too bright.
他們的新辦公大樓使用智慧玻璃，陽光太強時會自動變暗。
The smart fridge sent Chidi a message on his phone telling him the milk was about to go sour.
智慧冰箱傳訊息到 Chidi 的手機，告訴他牛奶快變酸了。
City planners are testing smart traffic lights that change timing based on how many cars are waiting.
城市規劃者在測試智慧交通號誌，根據等候車輛數量來調整燈號時間。
- computerised
emphasises the presence of a computer chip
- automated
focuses on the device working without human input
- intelligent
used similarly for technology but less common; 'intelligent oven' vs 'smart oven'
用法筆記
This sense is almost always attributive (before a noun): 'a smart device', not 'the device is smart'. In modern use, 'smart' in this sense most often appears in product names: smartphone, smart TV, smart home.
常見錯誤
6. done with speed and energy; quick, lively, or forceful in movement or action
輕快的
動作或風勢快速、有活力、有力道
done with speed and energy; quick, lively, or forceful in movement or action
The hikers set off at a smart pace and reached the hilltop in under half an hour.
登山客們以輕快的步伐出發，不到半小時就到達山頂。
at a smart pace
A smart breeze blew in from the sea, flapping the café umbrellas and scattering napkins across the sand.
一陣清爽的海風吹來，拍打著咖啡館的遮陽傘，餐巾紙散落在沙灘上。
smart + breeze / wind / gust
The old carpenter gave the stuck drawer a smart tap with his hammer, and it finally slid open.
老木匠用榔頭俐落地敲了一下卡住的抽屜，它終於滑開了。
The porter set off at a smart walk toward platform nine, the luggage cart rattling behind him.
搬運工以輕快的步伐朝第九月台走去，行李推車在身後嘎嘎作響。
- sluggish
slow and lacking in energy
用法筆記
Attributive only (before a noun). Common with nouns of movement (pace, walk, trot), wind (breeze, gust), and force (blow, tap). This sense is somewhat literary; in everyday speech, 'brisk' or 'quick' is more common.
7. causing a quick, sharp, stinging feeling on the skin; harsh and painful in effec
劇痛的
造成尖銳灼痛感的；刺痛的
causing a quick, sharp, stinging feeling on the skin; harsh and painful in effect
A smart slap across the face left Amina's cheek red and burning for a full ten minutes afterwards.
一記火辣辣的耳光打在 Amina 臉上，她的臉頰紅腫灼熱了整整十分鐘。
smart + slap / blow / smack
The smart sting of iodine on the graze made Kofi squeeze his eyes shut and hiss through his teeth.
碘酒在擦傷處引起的刺痛讓 Kofi 緊閉雙眼，從牙縫間嘶嘶吸氣。
Rubbing alcohol on the fresh tattoo gave it a smart burn that passed after a few seconds.
酒精擦在新刺青上帶來一陣灼痛，幾秒鐘後就過去了。
A smart crack from the whip made the horses pick up speed, though it never actually touched them.
鞭子的一聲脆響讓馬加快了速度，雖然鞭子根本沒碰到牠們。
用法筆記
Attributive only. Always describes a physical sensation — a strike, sting, or burn. This sense is distinct from sense 6 (brisk) which describes speed and energy. Compare with verb sense 1: 'the cut smarts' (verb) vs 'a smart pain' (adjective).
smarts — 動詞
1. to feel or produce a sharp, burning hurt on the surface of the skin — the kind y
感到刺痛
皮膚表面感到尖銳灼熱的疼痛
to feel or produce a sharp, burning hurt on the surface of the skin — the kind you get from a fresh cut, a hard slap, or cold wind on exposed skin
The paper cut on Zola's finger smarted every time she dipped her hands into the dishwater.
Zola 手指上的紙割傷口每次伸進洗碗水裡都會刺痛。
[body part] + smarted
His eyes smarted from the smoke pouring out of the kitchen after the toast caught fire.
吐司烤焦後廚房冒出的煙，讓他的眼睛刺痛不已。
[body part] + smarted from + [cause]
The cold rain smarted against Emeka's bare arms as he ran from the car to the front door.
冰冷的雨水打在 Emeka 裸露的手臂上，他從車子跑向大門時陣陣刺痛。
Antiseptic wipes clean the wound well, but they smart like crazy when they first touch raw skin.
消毒濕巾能把傷口清乾淨，但剛碰到破皮時真的刺痛得厲害。
Hana's cheeks smarted for an hour after she came in from the bitter January wind on the walk home.
Hana 在一月凜冽的寒風中走回家後，臉頰刺痛了整整一個小時。
文法句型
[body part] + smart
[cause] + smart + [person]
用法筆記
Nearly always intransitive: the body part does the smarting ('my eyes smarted'). The transitive use is rare and literary ('the blow smarted him'). Often followed by 'from' + cause. Describes surface-level, short-lived pain — not deep or long-lasting ache.
常見錯誤
2. to feel a deep, lingering hurt in your heart or pride — not a quick sting but a
感到難過
因被羞辱或批評而內心持續受傷
to feel a deep, lingering hurt in your heart or pride — not a quick sting but a wound that stays with you after an insult, a loss, or an unfair attack
Pavel smarted from the criticism for weeks; he had poured months of work into that design proposal.
Pavel 為那次批評難過了好幾個星期；他花了幾個月的心血在那份設計提案上。
smart from + [emotional cause]
Ten years later, the singer still smarted over the review that called his first record unlistenable rubbish.
十年後，那位歌手仍然對那篇說他第一張唱片不堪入耳的樂評耿耿於懷。
smart over + [insult / criticism]
Lian smarted under her brother-in-law's constant snide remarks at every single family dinner she attended.
Lian 每次家庭聚餐時都得忍受她小叔不停的冷嘲熱諷，心裡傷痕累累。
The team smarted at being left out of the final round after winning every match in the group stage before it.
球隊在分組賽贏了每一場卻被淘汰出決賽，全隊為此憤憤不平。
文法句型
smart from + [insult/criticism/loss]
smart under + [treatment/attack]
用法筆記
Always intransitive. The pain is emotional — wounded pride, embarrassment, or resentment — not physical. Usually followed by a preposition: 'smart from' (the cause), 'smart under' (ongoing treatment), 'smart over' (a specific event). Often used in literary or formal writing; rare in casual speech.
常見錯誤
3. to pay a heavy price or face painful consequences for something foolish or wrong
付出代價
因犯錯而承受嚴重後果
to pay a heavy price or face painful consequences for something foolish or wrong you did earlier
The café owner smarted for months after the bad review went viral and bookings dried up overnight.
咖啡館老闆在那條負評爆紅、訂位一夜歸零後，付出了好幾個月的代價。
smart for + [duration]
Rafael cheated on the exam and smarted for it when the university expelled him a month before finals.
Rafael 考試作弊，為此付出代價——大學在期末考前一個月把他開除了。
smart for + [action / pronoun]
Councillor Hayes smarted at the local election count when she saw her name at the bottom of the results sheet.
Hayes 議員在地方選舉計票時看到自己的名字排在結果表最下方，當場付出了代價。
Leo smarted for skipping his final exam when the university rescinded his scholarship two days later.
Leo 因為翹掉期末考而付出代價——大學在兩天後取消了他的獎學金。
文法句型
smart for + [mistake / action]
用法筆記
Always intransitive, nearly always followed by 'for' + the mistake or its consequence. The subject is usually a person, company, or group who suffers. This sense appears most often in journalism and narrative prose. In everyday speech, 'pay for' or 'suffer for' is more natural.
常見錯誤
smarts — 副詞
1. in a neat, stylish, or brisk manner — covering the adverbial form of the main ad
俐落地
以整齊、有型或輕快的方式
in a neat, stylish, or brisk manner — covering the adverbial form of the main adjective meanings
The soldiers stood smart to attention the moment the general walked into the parade ground.
將軍一走進閱兵場，士兵們立刻俐落地立正站好。
stand smart / stand smartly
Kaito dressed smart for the wedding, in a three-piece suit that his grandmother had made for him by hand.
Kaito 穿得很帥氣去參加婚禮，身上是他外婆親手為他做的三件式西裝。
dress smart / dress smartly
The old clock on the mantelpiece still ticks along as smart as the day it was made, a hundred and twenty years ago.
壁爐架上那座老時鐘，一百二十年後仍然走得像當初一樣順暢。
- smartly
the standard adverb form; always safe to use instead of adverbial 'smart'
用法筆記
Rare. In nearly all contexts, 'smartly' is preferred: 'dress smartly', 'stand smartly'. 'Smart' as an adverb survives mostly in fixed expressions like 'stand smart' (military) or in regional and dialectal use. Learners should default to 'smartly'.