softer
softer — 名詞
1. a thing, material, or body part that is yielding and gentle rather than hard or
軟的東西
指柔軟的物體、布料或身體部位
a thing, material, or body part that is yielding and gentle rather than hard or firm to the touch
Of the two blankets on the shelf, Sora picked the softer.
架上有兩條毯子，Sora 選了較軟的那一條。
the softer as a noun: picking between two items
The puppy always dragged the softer onto its bed instead of the rubber toy.
小狗總是把較軟的那個拖到床上，而不是橡膠玩具。
When sewing, Piotr reaches for the softer — rough fabric hurts his fingers.
縫紉時，Piotr 會拿較軟的那塊布料——粗糙的布料會傷他的手指。
Vivek tested both cushions and bought the softer for his mother's chair.
Vivek 試了兩個坐墊，買了較軟的那個給媽媽的椅子用。
Ife ran her hand over the cloth samples and pointed to the softer.
Ife 用手摸過布料樣本，指向較軟的那塊。
用法筆記
Always used with 'the' and implies a choice between two or more items. Functions as a noun through ellipsis — the full form would be 'the softer one'.
softer — 形容詞
- softerpositive
- softerercomparative
- softerestsuperlative
1. Something that gives way or changes shape when you press it, rather than staying
柔軟
受壓時會改變形狀，不堅硬
Something that gives way or changes shape when you press it, rather than staying firm or rigid.
Adina pressed her thumb into the soft clay and left a deep dent.
Adina 用拇指按進黏土，留下了一個深深的凹痕。
collocation: soft clay — material that yields to touch
The ground near the river was so soft that Paul's boots sank in.
河邊的地面非常柔軟，Paul 的靴子陷了進去。
Sora chose the softest pillow on the shelf for the long flight home.
Sora 從架上選了最柔軟的枕頭，準備搭長途飛機。
After two days of rain, the soil became soft enough for planting seeds.
下了兩天雨後，土壤變得夠柔軟，可以播種了。
Ife cut into the soft cheese and spread it across the warm bread.
Ife 切開軟起司，抹在溫熱的麵包上。
2. Having a surface that feels smooth and gentle when you run your hand over it — u
柔滑
觸感平滑柔順，不粗糙
Having a surface that feels smooth and gentle when you run your hand over it — used especially of skin, hair, fabric, and leather.
Cyrus ran his fingers across the soft leather of the new armchair.
Cyrus 用手指滑過新扶手椅上柔滑的皮革。
collocation: soft leather — leather with a smooth, pleasant feel
The baby's skin was as soft as the finest silk Vivek had ever touched.
寶寶的皮膚如 Vivek 摸過最細緻的絲綢般柔滑。
Hoa brushed her daughter's soft hair before tying it back with a ribbon.
Hoa 梳理女兒柔滑的頭髮，然後用緞帶綁起來。
Constanza wrapped herself in the soft cotton blanket and closed her eyes.
Constanza 裹著柔滑的棉毯，閉上了眼睛。
Kemi smoothed lotion onto her hands to keep them soft through the dry winter.
Kemi 在手上抹勻乳液，以保持雙手在乾燥冬天依然柔滑。
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (NOT HARD), which is about how easily something yields to pressure, this sense describes the smooth, pleasant texture of a surface against the skin.
3. Lacking physical strength or fitness, often because someone has been living comf
體弱
缺乏體力或耐力，身體虛弱
Lacking physical strength or fitness, often because someone has been living comfortably without enough exercise or activity.
After years at a desk, Matthew grew soft and could barely lift the suitcase.
坐了多年辦公室，Matthew 變得體弱，幾乎提不起行李箱。
pattern: grow soft — become physically weaker over time
The coach told Cyrus he had gone soft over the summer holidays.
教練說 Cyrus 暑假過後身體變弱了。
Months without hiking left Wren soft and easily out of breath.
幾個月沒爬山，Wren 變得體弱又容易喘。
Paul spent the winter resting indoors and came out soft, unable to chop logs.
Paul 整個冬天都待在室內休息，結果變得體弱，劈不了柴。
Constanza laughed, admitting the long holiday had made her soft and slow.
Constanza 笑著承認長假讓她變得體弱又遲鈍。
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a person. Frequently follows 'get', 'go', or 'grow' to describe a decline in physical condition.
常見錯誤
4. Not strong or intense — describes sounds that are quiet, lights that are gentle
輕柔
聲音、光線或動作溫和不強烈
Not strong or intense — describes sounds that are quiet, lights that are gentle on the eyes, or movements that are light rather than forceful.
Sora spoke in a soft voice so the sleeping children would not wake.
Sora 用輕柔的聲音說話，以免吵醒睡著的孩子。
collocation: soft voice — a quiet, gentle tone
The restaurant had soft lighting that made every table feel calm and private.
餐廳的柔和燈光讓每張桌子都顯得安靜又有隱私。
Ife turned on soft music while the guests settled into their chairs for dinner.
Ife 在客人就座準備用晚餐時，播放了輕柔的音樂。
A soft rain fell on the garden, barely making a sound on the leaves.
輕柔的雨落在花園裡，打在葉子上幾乎聽不見聲音。
Adina preferred the soft glow of candles to the harsh ceiling light.
Adina 偏愛蠟燭的柔和光芒，不喜歡刺眼的天花板燈。
5. Treating people in a way that is kind and forgiving rather than strict or harsh,
寬容
待人溫和，不嚴厲苛刻
Treating people in a way that is kind and forgiving rather than strict or harsh, especially when rules are broken or standards are not met.
The new head teacher was too soft, and older students took advantage of it.
新校長太過寬容，高年級學生便趁機佔了便宜。
collocation: too soft — excessively lenient in a negative sense
Hoa worried her husband was too soft with their son about broken rules.
Hoa 擔心丈夫對兒子犯規的態度太過寬鬆。
Cyrus received a soft punishment for the fight because it was his first offence.
Cyrus 因為是初犯，打架後只受到寬容的處罰。
The judge was known for being soft on young offenders who showed real regret.
這位法官以對真心悔過的年輕罪犯從輕發落而聞名。
Critics said the government had gone soft on companies that polluted the river.
批評者說政府對污染河流的企業太過手軟。
用法筆記
Often followed by 'on' plus the person receiving lenient treatment. Can carry a negative meaning when suggesting someone should be stricter.
常見錯誤
6. Needing only a small amount of work; easy to do or complete without much effort.
輕鬆
不需要太多力氣或努力
Needing only a small amount of work; easy to do or complete without much effort.
Piotr landed a soft job watching security cameras in an empty building at night.
Piotr 找到一份輕鬆的工作，晚上在空無一人的大樓看監視器。
collocation: soft job — easy work requiring little effort
Kemi joked her brother led a soft life, never lifting a finger at home.
Kemi 開玩笑說她哥哥過得很輕鬆，在家從不幫忙。
Guard duty at the quiet border post felt soft after months of heavy fighting.
在經歷數月激戰後，平靜邊境哨站的看守任務顯得輕鬆。
After years of hard labour, Ife found a soft position in the main office.
多年勞力工作後，Ife 終於在主辦公室找到一份輕鬆的職位。
Matthew admitted his university course was soft compared to what his sister studied.
Matthew 承認他的大學課程比起他姊姊讀的要輕鬆得多。
- cushy
very informal; suggests unusually comfortable or easy conditions
- undemanding
neutral term; simply means not requiring much effort or skill
- easy
the most general term; lacks the informal, slightly envious tone of 'soft'
用法筆記
Informal register. Often implies the task is easier than expected or easier than what others have to do.
7. describes water that has few dissolved minerals, so soap foams up and cleans wel
軟水
礦物質含量低、容易起泡的水質
describes water that has few dissolved minerals, so soap foams up and cleans well
Adina noticed her shampoo lathered better in the softer water at her cousin's house.
Adina 發現在表親家較軟的水質中，她的洗髮精更容易起泡。
collocation: softer water — lathers easily with soap
The softer rainwater left no white marks on the clean dishes.
較軟的雨水在乾淨的碗盤上沒有留下白色水痕。
Vivek installed a softener and the softer water no longer left chalky stains.
Vivek 安裝了軟水器之後，軟化的水不再留下白堊污漬。
Hoa filled the fish tank with softer water from the garden barrel.
Hoa 用花園水桶中的軟水裝滿了魚缸。
用法筆記
Technical term describing water quality. Always used in contrast with 'hard water.' Subject is always water.
常見錯誤
8. describes illegal drugs that are generally seen as less harmful and less likely
軟性毒品
被認為危害較小的非法藥物
describes illegal drugs that are generally seen as less harmful and less likely to cause serious addiction than hard drugs
Paul argued cannabis is a softer drug, not needing the same penalty as heroin.
Paul 認為大麻是軟性毒品，不應受到與海洛因相同的刑罰。
collocation: softer drug (contrasted with hard drugs like heroin)
Some governments now treat softer drugs as a health issue rather than a criminal one.
有些政府如今將軟性毒品視為健康問題，而非刑事犯罪。
noun phrase: softer drugs — used attributively before 'drugs'
Ife warned her son that even softer drugs can damage a developing brain.
Ife 警告兒子，即使是軟性毒品也會傷害發育中的大腦。
The report compared softer drug use across five different European countries.
該報告比較了五個歐洲國家的軟性毒品使用情況。
- hard
standard opposite in 'hard drugs' — substances considered highly addictive and dangerous
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively in the fixed phrase 'soft drugs,' in direct contrast with 'hard drugs.' Does not describe legal status — many soft drugs remain illegal in most countries.
常見錯誤
9. describes a market or economy where demand is low, so prices tend to stay flat o
疲軟
市場需求低落、價格停滯或下跌
describes a market or economy where demand is low, so prices tend to stay flat or drop
Cyrus held off selling the flat because the softer market had pushed prices down.
Cyrus 暫緩出售公寓，因為市場疲軟導致房價下跌。
A softer economy forced the furniture maker to delay hiring five new workers.
經濟疲軟迫使家具製造商延後招聘五名新員工。
collocation: softer economy
Constanza watched the softer currency make her imported goods far more costly.
Constanza 眼看著貨幣疲軟使她的進口商品成本大幅上升。
The CEO told investors that softer demand for smartphones had cut profits by twelve percent.
執行長告訴投資人，智慧型手機需求疲軟使利潤下降了百分之十二。
用法筆記
Restricted to economic and financial contexts. Applies to markets, economies, demand, currencies, commodities, and prices. Not used for physical qualities of objects.
常見錯誤
10. easily shaped by what others say or do; not strong-willed enough to stand firm
意志薄弱
容易受人影響、缺乏堅定立場
easily shaped by what others say or do; not strong-willed enough to stand firm
Wren's softer nature made it hard to refuse when pushy friends asked for money.
Wren 生性意志薄弱，當強勢的朋友開口借錢時很難拒絕。
collocation: softer nature (describes an impressionable character)
Matthew's soft nature meant he always gave in when his brother begged for sweets.
Matthew 意志薄弱，弟弟一哀求要糖果他就讓步。
Kemi's softer heart made her cry at films that left her friends untouched.
Kemi 心腸太軟，看到朋友無動於衷的電影也會落淚。
The manager's softer approach let the loudest team member dominate every meeting.
經理意志薄弱的態度讓團隊中最強勢的成員主導了每次會議。
- impressionable
more about being open to outside influence, especially in young people
- suggestible
more clinical; emphasises how easily someone accepts ideas from others
- pliable
suggests being easily manipulated or shaped, often used of people in power dynamics
- weak-willed
directly emphasises the lack of inner resolve; more openly critical
- strong-willed
direct opposite — having firm resolve and not easily influenced
- resolute
more formal; emphasises determined steadfastness
用法筆記
Describes a person's innate character or disposition — how easily they are influenced by others. Distinguish from sense 5 (GENTLE TREATMENT): that sense describes how someone treats other people, while this sense describes how easily someone is shaped by them.
常見錯誤
softer — 副詞
1. In a way that is more gentle, quiet, or relaxed than before or than something el
更輕柔地
以更溫和、更放鬆的方式進行
In a way that is more gentle, quiet, or relaxed than before or than something else.
Adina asked Paul to speak softer so the baby wouldn't wake up.
Adina 請 Paul 更輕柔地說話，以免吵醒嬰兒。
verb + softer: speak softer
The young dancer landed softer than her partner and earned a higher score.
那位年輕舞者落地比搭檔更輕柔，並得到更高分。
If you press the keys softer, the piano makes a gentler sound.
如果你按琴鍵輕一點，鋼琴發出的聲音會更柔和。
Cyrus closed the door softer this time, remembering his mother's complaint.
Cyrus 這次更輕柔地關上門，想起母親之前的抱怨。
The rain fell softer after midnight, tapping lightly on the roof.
午夜過後，雨更輕柔地落下，輕輕敲打著屋頂。
- more gently
emphasises careful, tender handling rather than just reduced force
- more quietly
specifically about lower volume, while 'softer' can also refer to touch or manner
- more lightly
focuses on weight or pressure rather than sound or overall manner
文法句型
verb + softer
softer + than
用法筆記
Comparative form of the adverb 'soft' or 'softly.' Compares how an action is performed — more gently or quietly than another time, person, or thing. Do not add 'more' before 'softer'; it is already the comparative form.