superficial

/ˌsuːpəˈfɪʃl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌsuːpərˈfɪʃl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌsü-pər-ˈfi-shəl/ (ame, mw)

superficial — 形容詞

  • superficialpositive
  • more superficialcomparative
  • most superficialsuperlative

1. used to describe someone who cares only about obvious or unimportant things — su

1.形容詞B2
釋義

膚淺的

形容人只關心表面事物、缺乏深度

used to describe someone who cares only about obvious or unimportant things — such as appearance, status, or money — and does not think deeply about emotions, ideas, or what truly matters in life.

例句

Gita found the dating scene frustrating because many people seemed superficial and only cared about looks.

Gita 覺得約會場合令她沮喪，因為很多人似乎很膚淺，只在乎外表。

superficial describing a person's character

The film critic called the movie superficial, saying it had no real message or emotional depth.

影評人說那部電影很膚淺，沒有真正的訊息或情感深度。

同義詞
  • shallow

    more common in everyday speech; slightly stronger negative tone

  • frivolous

    focuses on not being serious rather than lacking depth

  • empty-headed

    informal; suggests lack of intelligence rather than lack of depth

反義詞
  • deep

    describes someone who thinks seriously about important matters

  • profound

    formal; suggests very great depth of understanding or feeling

文法句型

superficial + noun (person)

用法筆記

Frequently carries a negative judgment about someone's character. Often interchangeable with 'shallow,' though 'superficial' can sound slightly more formal or analytical.

常見錯誤

❌She is a superficial thinker about the river depth.
✅She is a shallow thinker.
💡'superficial' describes character or analysis, not literal physical depth of water; for water depth use 'shallow.'

2. done or understood with attention only to what is simple to notice, while skippi

2.形容詞B2
釋義

粗略的

不仔細、只涉及明顯部分

done or understood with attention only to what is simple to notice, while skipping the more complex or hidden parts of a subject or task.

例句

The mechanic gave the car only a superficial check and missed the engine problem entirely.

技師只粗略檢查了一下車子，完全沒發現引擎有問題。

superficial + check / examination

Rania admitted that her knowledge of Korean history was still superficial after just one semester.

Rania 承認自己只修了一學期，對韓國歷史的認識仍很粗略。

同義詞
  • cursory

    more formal; focuses on speed and lack of detail

  • brief

    neutral; does not carry the same negative judgment about quality

反義詞
  • thorough

    done with great attention to every detail

  • detailed

    including many specific facts or items

  • in-depth

    covering all aspects in a comprehensive way

文法句型

superficial + noun (analysis, knowledge, examination)

用法筆記

Commonly modifies nouns related to study, inspection, or reporting: 'analysis,' 'examination,' 'knowledge,' 'reading,' 'understanding,' 'summary.' The implication is always that more depth was needed.

常見錯誤

❌I took a superficial nap.
✅I took a short nap.
💡'superficial' does not describe short duration; it describes lack of depth or thoroughness.

3. appearing to be genuine, significant, or important at first glance, but lacking

3.形容詞B2
釋義

表象的

看似真實重要但實際不然

appearing to be genuine, significant, or important at first glance, but lacking real substance or truth when examined more closely.

例句

The company's concern for the environment turned out to be superficial — they made no real changes to their operations.

那家公司對環境的關心原來只是表象的，他們並未真正改變營運方式。

superficial describing a claim or concern that lacks substance

Henrik and Inês had only a superficial friendship based on office chats, not on real trust or shared values.

Henrik 和 Inês 的交情僅是表象的，只建立在辦公室閒聊上，缺乏真正的信任與共同價值。

同義詞
  • apparent

    more neutral; simply means 'seeming' without the same negative judgment

  • cosmetic

    suggests changes that affect only appearance without addressing underlying problems

反義詞
  • genuine

    truly real or authentic

  • substantial

    significant in amount or degree; having real weight or importance

  • real

    actually existing or true, not just appearing to be

文法句型

superficial + noun (similarity, change, friendship)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 4 (literal surface): sense 3 applies to abstract things such as differences, relationships, changes, or agreements that appear real but are not. Sense 4 applies to physical surfaces only.

常見錯誤

❌The scratch on my phone is superficial' (meaning just cosmetic, not serious)
✅The scratch on my phone is only cosmetic.
💡When meaning 'not serious' in a physical context, use 'cosmetic' or 'minor'; 'superficial' in this sense implies lack of genuineness.

4. found on or limited to the outermost side of a physical object, body part, or ma

4.形容詞B1
釋義

表層的

僅在物體表面、不深入內部

found on or limited to the outermost side of a physical object, body part, or material, without reaching the interior or deeper layers beneath.

例句

The wound was only superficial and healed within a few days without any special treatment.

傷口只是表層的，幾天內就癒合了，無需特別處理。

superficial + wound / injury / cut

Otis applied a superficial layer of varnish to the wooden table, just enough to make it shine.

Otis 在木桌上塗了一層表層的亮光漆，剛好讓桌子發亮而已。

同義詞
  • surface-level

    less formal; used for both physical and metaphorical surfaces

  • outer

    simply describes position on the outside without implying lack of depth

反義詞
  • deep

    extending far below the surface

  • internal

    located on the inside

文法句型

superficial + noun (wound, damage, layer)

用法筆記

This is the only sense with a literal, physical meaning. In medical contexts, 'superficial' describes injuries that affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis), such as superficial cuts, burns, or abrasions.

常見錯誤

❌The river is very superficial here; we can walk across.
✅The river is very shallow here; we can walk across.
💡'superficial' is not used for physical shallowness of water; use 'shallow.'