soft spot

IPA/ˈsɒft ˌspɒt/
IPA/ˈsɑːft ˌspɑːt/

soft spot — 名詞

1. a feeling of strong liking or sentimental affection for a particular person, ani

1.名詞B1
釋義

偏愛；鍾愛

對某人或某物的特別喜愛

a feeling of strong liking or sentimental affection for a particular person, animal, or thing — often one that others find surprising or that you yourself cannot fully explain.

例句

Shanti has a soft spot for stray cats and feeds the ones in her garden.

Shanti 特別偏愛流浪貓，會餵那些到她花園來的貓。

have a soft spot for [someone/something]

The teacher had a soft spot for students who tried hard even when they struggled.

那位老師對即使學得很吃力仍努力嘗試的學生情有獨鍾。

have a soft spot for

常見搭配
  • have a soft spot for
  • real soft spot
  • obvious soft spot
  • soft spot for animals
同義詞
  • weakness

    stronger emphasis on being unable to resist; 'chocolate is my weakness'

  • fondness

    less idiomatic; 'have a fondness for' is more formal and less emotional

  • affection

    broader — can refer to general love, not necessarily a surprising or guilty liking

反義詞
  • aversion

    a strong dislike or opposition to something

  • dislike

    a milder opposite; a general lack of fondness

文法句型

have a soft spot for [someone/something]

用法筆記

Almost always used in the pattern 'have a soft spot for [someone/something]'. The subject is often a person, and the object can be a person, an animal, a type of food, a hobby, or anything that triggers a gentle affection.

常見錯誤

I have a soft spot to chocolate.
I have a soft spot for chocolate.
The preposition must be 'for', not 'to'.
She has soft spots for her grandchildren.
She has a soft spot for her grandchildren.
'Soft spot' is almost always singular in this sense.

2. a physical or figurative place that is especially weak, sensitive, or easy to at

2.名詞B2
釋義

弱點；要害

容易受攻擊或損壞的地方

a physical or figurative place that is especially weak, sensitive, or easy to attack or damage.

例句

The armour had a soft spot under the arm where the plates did not meet.

騎士的盔甲在手臂下方有個弱點，那裡的金屬板沒有完全接合。

physical weak point

The company's reliance on one supplier became its soft spot during the shipping crisis.

這家公司過度依賴單一供應商，在航運危機期間成了它的要害。

figurative: organisational vulnerability

常見搭配
  • find a soft spot
  • exploit a soft spot
  • soft spot in the defence
  • a soft spot for attack
同義詞
  • weak point

    the most direct synonym; less idiomatic but clearer

  • weakness

    can apply to both senses; context determines which

  • vulnerability

    more formal, often used in strategic or technical contexts

反義詞

文法句型

[possessive] + soft spot

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 describes a weakness or vulnerability (physical or strategic), not an emotional attachment. The possessive often indicates whose or what's weak point it is.

常見錯誤

I have a soft spot under my ribs.' (when meaning 'I feel tender/sore').
There is a soft spot under my ribs.
'Have a soft spot' in sense 1 means affection; for a physical weakness, use 'there is / has a soft spot' instead.

常見搭配

名詞搭配

常用片語

  • have a soft spot for
  • develop a soft spot for

介系詞搭配