soft
soft — 名詞
1. the part of something that is not hard, often the inner or fleshy area surrounde
柔軟部位
物體或身體中柔軟、不堅硬的內側部分
the part of something that is not hard, often the inner or fleshy area surrounded by tougher material — for example, the cushioned middle of a bread roll or the fleshy area of the palm.
Diya pressed her thumb into the soft of the avocado to check if it was ripe.
Diya 用拇指按了按酪梨柔軟的部位，看看熟了沒。
the soft of + [object] for inner fleshy part
Kian felt a small lump in the soft of his upper arm and went to see a doctor.
Kian 在上手臂柔軟的部位摸到一個小腫塊，便去看醫生。
The kitten dug its tiny claws into the soft of the old woollen blanket.
小貓把細小的爪子伸進那條舊羊毛毯柔軟的地方。
Andrés tore off the crust and gave Iris the soft of the bread roll.
Andrés 撕掉麵包外皮，把麵包中間柔軟的部分給了 Iris。
The nurse gently pinched the soft of Eitan's earlobe before inserting the small earring.
護理師輕輕捏住 Eitan 耳垂柔軟的部位，再幫他戴上小耳環。
- fleshy part
more common everyday wording for body areas
- pad
used for thicker cushioned areas like the pad of a finger
- hard part
the firmer surrounding region, e.g. bone or crust
文法句型
the soft of [body part / object]
用法筆記
Rare in modern English; usually appears in the fixed pattern 'the soft of [a body part or object]'. Distinct from the adjective uses, which describe the whole thing as soft rather than naming a region.
常見錯誤
soft — 形容詞
- softpositive
- softercomparative
- softestsuperlative
1. able to be pushed in, bent, or shaped without much force, rather than feeling fi
柔軟的
受壓會凹陷或變形，不堅硬
able to be pushed in, bent, or shaped without much force, rather than feeling firm or rigid.
Ilan sank into the soft armchair and closed his eyes.
Ilan 陷進柔軟的扶手椅裡，閉上了眼睛。
soft + furniture noun: typical collocation
The bread is still warm and soft in the middle.
麵包還是溫熱的，中間很柔軟。
Salma pressed her thumb into the soft clay to test it.
Salma 用拇指壓進柔軟的黏土裡，試試硬度。
Wear shoes with soft soles for the long hike up Mount Hua.
去爬華山這種長途行程，要穿鞋底柔軟的鞋子。
The peaches at the market were too soft to carry home in a bag.
市場上的桃子太軟了，沒辦法用袋子提回家。
用法筆記
Often paired with foods, materials, and furniture. With fruit it can imply overripe rather than simply not hard.
常見錯誤
2. smooth and gentle on the skin, with no rough or scratchy feeling.
柔滑的
摸起來細緻平滑，不粗糙
smooth and gentle on the skin, with no rough or scratchy feeling.
The kitten had soft white fur that tickled Christopher's chin.
那隻小貓有著柔滑的白毛，搔得 Christopher 下巴癢癢的。
soft + body covering / texture noun
Nia wrapped the baby in a soft cotton blanket.
Nia 用一條柔軟的純棉毯子把寶寶包起來。
Her grandmother's hands were warm and soft against her cheek.
她奶奶的手溫暖又柔細，貼在她的臉頰上。
The hotel's towels felt unusually soft after years of cheap motels.
在住過好幾年廉價汽車旅館之後，這家飯店的毛巾摸起來特別柔軟。
Renata loves walking barefoot on the soft grass behind her house.
Renata 喜歡光著腳走在她家後院柔軟的草地上。
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about the skin's reaction (smooth, gentle) rather than how easily the thing bends under pressure.
3. physically weak and not used to hard exercise or tough conditions, often because
鬆垮；體能差
因缺乏鍛鍊而體能變差、不耐操
physically weak and not used to hard exercise or tough conditions, often because of an easy lifestyle.
Tara had grown soft after two years working from her sofa.
Tara 在家裡沙發上工作了兩年，整個人都鬆垮了。
go / grow / get soft: change of state
The new recruits were soft and could barely finish the morning run.
新兵體能太差，連早晨的跑步都幾乎跑不完。
Three winters in a heated office had made Élise soft.
在有暖氣的辦公室裡待了三個冬天，把 Élise 養得不耐操了。
Don't let city life make you soft, the climbing instructor warned Ada.
登山教練提醒 Ada：「別讓城市生活把妳的體力磨光了。」
- out of shape
neutral phrase; lacking fitness from inactivity
- unfit
British English; not in good physical condition
- flabby
informal and disapproving; soft and lacking firm muscle
用法筆記
Predicative use is normal ('he's gone soft'); attributive use ('a soft person') usually means sense 5 instead. Often slightly disapproving.
常見錯誤
4. low in volume, brightness, or strength so that it does not disturb the senses —
柔和的
聲音、光線或動作不刺激人
low in volume, brightness, or strength so that it does not disturb the senses — used of sounds, lights, colours, weather, and movements.
Heather spoke in a soft voice so the baby would not wake up.
Heather 用輕柔的聲音說話，免得吵醒寶寶。
soft + voice / tone: quiet but pleasant
A soft yellow light glowed from the lamp on Manuela's desk.
Manuela 桌上的檯燈散發出柔和的黃色光線。
soft + colour / light: gentle on the eyes
There was a soft knock at the door just after midnight.
午夜剛過，門上傳來一陣輕輕的敲門聲。
A soft breeze blew across the lake as Diya rowed slowly back to shore.
Diya 慢慢划船回岸邊時，湖面吹來一陣輕柔的微風。
The painting uses soft greens and blues to give the room a calm feeling.
這幅畫用柔和的綠色和藍色，讓房間有種平靜的感覺。
用法筆記
Often carries a positive feeling of comfort or calm; the contrast with this sense is 'loud, bright, harsh' depending on the noun, not 'hard'.
5. willing to forgive, negotiate, or accept too much, instead of being firm when de
寬鬆的；手軟
處理犯錯或違規時不夠嚴厲、不夠強硬
willing to forgive, negotiate, or accept too much, instead of being firm when dealing with people who behave badly or with serious problems.
Critics say the new mayor is too soft on petty crime in Bilal's neighbourhood.
批評者說新市長對 Bilal 住的社區裡的輕微犯罪手太軟、執法太寬鬆。
soft on + problem / wrongdoer
Don't be soft on the kids just because they cried, Cyrus told his husband.
Cyrus 對丈夫說：「別只因為孩子哭了，就對他們心軟。」
soft on + person
The judge took a soft line with first-time offenders under twenty.
法官對二十歲以下的初犯採取了寬容的態度。
Linh thought her boss was far too soft and let lazy staff get away with everything.
Linh 覺得她老闆心太軟，讓懶散的員工什麼事都能矇混過去。
- lenient
more formal; merciful in punishment, often neutral or positive
- easy-going
positive; relaxed about rules in a friendly way
- permissive
allowing too much freedom, especially to children
文法句型
soft on + noun
用法筆記
Almost always disapproving. The pattern 'soft on X' marks who or what the leniency is directed at; without 'on', the whole approach or person is being judged.
常見錯誤
6. needing very little effort or hard work, especially compared with what other peo
輕鬆的
不需要花太多力氣或苦工
needing very little effort or hard work, especially compared with what other people have to do.
Nikos landed a soft job answering emails three hours a day.
Nikos 找到一份輕鬆的工作，每天只要回三小時的電子郵件。
soft job / soft option: easy compared with peers
Compared to nursing nights, the front desk role was a soft option for Mira.
和值大夜班的護理工作比起來，櫃台的職位對 Mira 來說真的太輕鬆了。
a soft option: a noticeably easier choice
Dario was tired of his cousins teasing him about his soft life in Madrid.
Dario 受夠了表兄弟們笑他在馬德里過著太輕鬆的日子。
A two-hour exam with open notes is pretty soft, the students agreed.
學生們都同意：考兩小時、還可以翻書的考試，算很輕鬆了。
- easy
the most general word; not difficult to do
- cushy
informal; comfortable and not demanding
- undemanding
more formal; requiring little effort or skill
用法筆記
Frequent set phrases: 'a soft job', 'a soft option', 'a soft life'. Often used with mild envy or disapproval, suggesting the person hasn't earned it.
7. describing tap water that has very few mineral salts in it, so soap lathers up q
軟水的
礦物質含量低、易起肥皂泡的水
describing tap water that has very few mineral salts in it, so soap lathers up quickly and washing leaves no white marks.
Elena prefers washing her hair in soft water because shampoo rinses out cleanly.
Elena 喜歡用軟水洗頭，因為洗髮精很容易沖乾淨。
attributive: soft water as noun phrase
Most homes in western Scotland have soft water flowing straight from the hills.
蘇格蘭西部大多數家庭的自來水都是直接從山上流下來的軟水。
The plumber installed a filter to turn the hard tap supply into soft water.
水電師傅裝了一個過濾器，把硬的自來水變成軟水。
Soft water lets a small amount of detergent produce plenty of foam in the sink.
在水槽裡只用一點點清潔劑，軟水就能搓出滿滿的泡沫。
- hard
the standard opposite — 'hard water' contains many calcium and magnesium salts.
文法句型
soft + water
用法筆記
Almost always attributive in the fixed phrase 'soft water'. Contrasts directly with 'hard water'; the two terms are usually taught as a pair.
常見錯誤
8. describing illegal recreational drugs, like cannabis, that many people regard as
軟性的
被認為危害較低的非法毒品
describing illegal recreational drugs, like cannabis, that many people regard as carrying a lower risk of harm or addiction than substances such as heroin or cocaine.
The Netherlands has long taken a relaxed approach to soft drugs sold in coffee shops.
荷蘭長期以來對咖啡店販售的軟性毒品採取較寬鬆的態度。
attributive: soft drugs as a category label
Christopher argued that the law should treat soft drugs differently from heroin and crack.
Christopher 認為法律應該把軟性毒品和海洛因、快克區別對待。
Critics warn that soft drugs can still be a gateway to more harmful substances.
批評者警告，軟性毒品仍可能成為通往更危險物質的入口。
Police in the city now focus on dealers of hard drugs rather than users of soft drugs.
市裡的警察現在把重點放在硬性毒品的毒販，而非軟性毒品的使用者身上。
- hard
'hard drugs' refers to substances seen as highly addictive or dangerous, such as heroin or cocaine.
文法句型
soft + drug(s)
用法筆記
Attributive only, almost always in the plural 'soft drugs'. Implies a contrast with 'hard drugs'; the label reflects public perception, not a medical or legal classification.
常見錯誤
9. describing a market, economy, currency, or sales figure that is sluggish — there
疲軟的
市場、經濟或貨幣走弱、價格下滑
describing a market, economy, currency, or sales figure that is sluggish — there are too few buyers, demand is dropping, and prices or values tend to slide downward.
Holiday sales were unusually soft this December, so Heloísa cut prices on every bag in the store.
今年十二月的假期銷售異常疲軟，所以 Heloísa 把店裡每個包包都降價了。
collocation: soft sales / soft demand
Demand for new flats in Hong Kong has been soft since interest rates climbed.
自從利率攀升以來，香港新建公寓的需求一直很疲軟。
The Turkish lira went soft against the dollar after the central bank's surprise announcement.
央行突如其來的宣布之後，土耳其里拉對美元走軟。
Analysts at the bank expect a soft housing market through the rest of the year.
銀行的分析師預期今年剩下的時間房市都會疲軟。
文法句型
soft + market/economy/demand/sales/currency
go soft
用法筆記
Business-page register. Subjects are usually market, economy, demand, sales, prices, or a named currency — not concrete goods. Often paired with verbs like 'remain', 'go', or 'turn' soft.
常見錯誤
10. of a person or their feelings: warm, easily moved by other people's troubles, an
心軟的
心地仁慈、易受他人感情影響的
of a person or their feelings: warm, easily moved by other people's troubles, and sometimes a little too willing to give in or be persuaded.
Tariq is so soft about animals that he stops the car for every stray dog.
Tariq 看到動物就特別心軟，每隻流浪狗他都會停車。
pattern: soft + about + [topic]
Yael has always been soft on her youngest grandson and lets him stay up late.
Yael 對她最小的孫子一向心軟，總讓他熬夜不睡。
pattern: soft + on + somebody
Behind his stern face, the headmaster has a surprisingly soft heart.
在嚴肅的外表下，這位校長其實有一顆出奇柔軟的心。
Don't ask Amani to turn down a beggar — she's far too soft for that.
別叫 Amani 去拒絕乞丐，她實在太心軟了，做不到。
- tender-hearted
near-identical and unambiguously positive.
- compassionate
more formal; emphasises active concern rather than easy emotion.
- sentimental
stresses being moved by emotion; can imply over-the-top feelings.
- hard-hearted
unfeeling toward others' pain — the natural opposite of soft-hearted.
- tough
emotionally resilient; not easily swayed by pity.
文法句型
soft + on/about + somebody
have a soft spot for somebody
用法筆記
Carries a mild double edge: the tender-hearted reading is positive, but in some contexts the same wording suggests a person is a pushover. Distinguish from sense 5 ('not strict, severe, or forceful enough'), which describes a policy or response rather than a person's nature.
常見錯誤
soft — 副詞
1. in a quiet, gentle, or tender way; this is an older or poetic form of 'softly' t
輕柔地
以安靜溫柔的方式；多見於詩歌或慣用語
in a quiet, gentle, or tender way; this is an older or poetic form of 'softly' that now mostly survives in fixed expressions, song lyrics, and folk speech.
The grandfather always trod soft when the baby was sleeping in the next room.
嬰兒在隔壁房間睡覺時，爺爺走路總是輕手輕腳的。
verb of motion + soft (= softly)
Arjun told the children to speak soft so they would not wake their father.
Arjun 叫孩子們說話輕聲一點，免得吵醒爸爸。
speak + soft, informal imperative pattern
Mayumi played soft on the piano while the guests finished their dessert.
客人在用甜點時，Mayumi 在鋼琴上輕輕地彈著。
Walk soft through the temple courtyard and keep your voice low.
穿過寺廟的庭院時要放輕腳步，並壓低聲音。
Imani sang soft to the puppy until it stopped trembling in her arms.
Imani 對著小狗輕聲哼唱，直到牠在她懷裡不再發抖。
文法句型
verb + soft
用法筆記
Modern standard English strongly prefers 'softly' for this meaning; the bare adverb 'soft' now survives mainly in poetry, song lyrics, dialect, and a few set verb pairings (tread soft, speak soft, play soft, sing soft). In formal writing, choose 'softly' instead.