tempering
tempering — 名詞
1. the way some people react very quickly with anger when things upset or annoy the
脾氣暴躁
容易生氣的性格傾向
the way some people react very quickly with anger when things upset or annoy them — a person with this trait is described as having a quick or bad temper.
Minh has a quick temper and often shouts at small mistakes.
Minh 脾氣暴躁，常因小錯就大聲吼叫。
quick temper — a tendency to react angrily
Kian's bad temper made it hard for the team to work with him on the group project.
Kian 脾氣很差，團隊很難跟他一起做小組報告。
A good teacher learns to control her temper even when students are difficult.
好老師即使在學生難搞時，也得學會控制脾氣。
Owen's fiery temper got him into trouble more than once at the office.
Owen 脾氣火爆，在公司裡惹了不少麻煩。
The coach warned the young player about letting his temper affect the game.
教練告誡年輕球員，不要讓脾氣影響比賽表現。
- irritability
more formal; describes a general state of being easily annoyed
- short fuse
informal; means someone becomes angry very quickly
- hot-headedness
informal; suggests acting without thinking when angry
文法句型
have a [adjective] temper
a [adjective] temper
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives like 'bad', 'quick', 'fiery', or 'violent' before the word. The phrase 'have a temper' alone usually implies a bad or quick temper.
常見錯誤
2. a moment when someone suddenly shows anger by shouting, breaking things, or losi
發脾氣
突然暴怒的行為
a moment when someone suddenly shows anger by shouting, breaking things, or losing control — often called a fit of temper.
When Joaquín saw the broken vase, he flew into a temper and slammed the door.
Joaquín 看到花瓶碎了，瞬間大發脾氣，用力甩上門。
fly into a temper — suddenly become very angry
In a fit of temper, Rohan threw his notebook across the classroom.
Rohan 一氣之下，把筆記本甩到了教室另一頭。
in a fit of temper — during a sudden angry outburst
The toddler's temper tantrum in the supermarket embarrassed her mother.
那個學步兒在超市裡發脾氣大哭大鬧，讓媽媽很尷尬。
Omar apologised after his temper got the better of him at the meeting.
Omar 在會議上失控發怒後，向大家道了歉。
文法句型
fly into a temper
in a temper
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (QUICK ANGER): sense 1 describes a person's usual nature, while sense 2 describes one specific incident. 'Fly into a temper' and 'in a fit of temper' are common fixed phrases for this sense.
常見錯誤
3. the ability to stay calm and not let anger control what you say or do, especiall
忍住脾氣
保持冷靜不發怒的能力
the ability to stay calm and not let anger control what you say or do, especially during a difficult situation.
Despite the rude comments, Sumin managed to keep her temper and walk away.
儘管對方說話無禮，Sumin 還是忍住脾氣走開了。
keep one's temper — stay calm despite provocation
The referee lost his temper and shouted at the players on the field.
裁判按捺不住脾氣，朝著場上的球員大吼。
lose one's temper — fail to stay calm and become angry
Kemi held her temper during the argument even though she felt very frustrated.
Kemi 在爭論中一直忍住脾氣，即使她心裡很沮喪。
The nurse struggled to keep her temper when the patient kept complaining.
那名護士努力忍住脾氣，儘管病人一直抱怨個不停。
- composure
formal; the state of being calm and in control
- self-restraint
the ability to stop yourself from acting on strong feelings
- cool
informal; as in 'keep your cool'
- loss of temper
the opposite of keeping self-control
文法句型
keep one's temper
lose one's temper
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the fixed phrases 'keep one's temper' and 'lose one's temper'. 'Lose your temper' is much more common than 'keep your temper' in everyday speech. 'Hold your temper' is also possible but less frequent.
常見錯誤
4. the state of feeling angry and upset at a particular moment, often because somet
生氣狀態
正在鬧脾氣的情緒狀態
the state of feeling angry and upset at a particular moment, often because something has just happened.
Talia was in a temper after someone scratched her new car in the parking lot.
Talia 在停車場看到新車被人刮傷後，正在鬧脾氣。
in a temper — feeling very angry right now
Darius left the room in a temper when his suggestion was ignored again.
Darius 的建議再次被忽視後，氣沖沖地離開了房間。
Stefan was in a filthy temper all morning after the argument with his landlord.
Stefan 和房東吵架後，整個早上心情都很差。
The manager was in no temper to listen to any more excuses from the team.
經理沒有心情再聽團隊的任何藉口。
- good mood
a happy or pleasant emotional state
文法句型
in a temper
in a [adjective] temper
用法筆記
Almost always used in 'in a temper' or 'in a [adjective] temper'. The adjective can intensify the anger (e.g. 'filthy', 'terrible', 'foul'). This sense differs from sense 2 (ANGRY OUTBURST) because it describes an ongoing angry mood rather than a single explosive action.
常見錯誤
5. the way a person feels emotionally at a given moment — for example, being cheerf
心情；情緒
當下的心境或情緒狀態
the way a person feels emotionally at a given moment — for example, being cheerful, sad, calm, or irritated — which affects how they behave and react.
Kian was in a cheerful temper when he heard the good news about his sister.
Kian 聽到妹妹的好消息後，心情十分愉快。
The crowd was of an ugly temper after the team lost its fifth match in a row.
球隊連續輸了五場比賽後，群眾的情緒變得十分惡劣。
ugly temper — bad, potentially dangerous mood
Minh's calm temper made him the perfect person to handle the customer complaints.
Minh 沉穩的性情使他成為處理客訴的最佳人選。
The children were in a playful temper and ran through the house laughing.
孩子們玩興大發，笑著在屋子裡跑來跑去。
- mood
more general and more common in everyday speech
- disposition
formal; refers to a person's usual way of feeling
- frame of mind
how someone is feeling at a specific moment
文法句型
in a [adjective] temper
of a [adjective] temper
用法筆記
This is the most general sense of 'temper' as a noun. Unlike senses 1-4, it is not limited to anger — it can describe any emotional frame of mind. The adjective before 'temper' shows what kind of mood it is. Some common collocations: 'of a nervous temper', 'in an ugly temper', 'of a generous temper'.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Temper means only anger.' — This sense of 'temper' can mean any mood, not just anger.
6. the level of hardness, strength, or flexibility in a material such as metal, gla
硬度；韌性
金屬回火後的硬度特性
the level of hardness, strength, or flexibility in a material such as metal, glass, or leather, which has been changed by heating and cooling it in a controlled way.
The blacksmith checked the temper of the steel blade by tapping it with a small hammer.
鐵匠用小鎚輕敲刀身，檢查鋼刀的硬度。
temper of the steel — the hardness of heat-treated metal
Leather of the right temper is firm but still bends easily under the hand.
韌度適當的皮革結實耐用，但用手就能輕鬆彎折。
The quality of a samurai sword depends on the temper of the folded steel.
武士刀的品質好壞，取決於摺疊鋼材的回火硬度。
High-carbon steel can achieve a very hard temper through careful heat treatment.
高碳鋼經過精心熱處理，可以達到很高的硬度。
- hardness
general term for how resistant a material is to being pressed or scratched
- resilience
the ability to return to original shape after bending
用法筆記
Technical term used mainly in metallurgy, glass-making, and leather-working. The simplest explanation: 'temper' here is what you get AFTER the verb 'temper' (heat-treating) is done to a material. A 'hard temper' means very hard but may be brittle; a 'soft temper' means less hard but more flexible.
常見錯誤
tempering — 動詞
- temperingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- temperings3rd person singular
- temperinging-ing form
- temperingedpast simple
1. to make a statement, action, or quality less forceful, extreme, or harsh by addi
緩和；調和
使某事物不過於極端
to make a statement, action, or quality less forceful, extreme, or harsh by adding something that balances or softens it — for example, tempering criticism with kindness, or tempering enthusiasm with caution.
The judge tempered her strict ruling with a note of understanding for the young offender.
法官在嚴格的判決中加入了對年輕犯人的理解，使裁決不那麼嚴厲。
tempered with — softened or balanced by adding something
Stefan tempered his excitement about the job offer with careful thought about the salary.
Stefan 仔細考慮薪資後，原本對錄取的興奮心情冷靜了許多。
Her firm tone was tempered by a warm smile that put everyone at ease.
她嚴肅的語氣因溫暖的笑容而緩和，讓每個人都放鬆下來。
The government's new policy tempers economic growth with stronger environmental rules.
政府的新政策在推動經濟成長的同時，也加強了環保法規的力道。
Omar tempered his disappointment with the knowledge that he had tried his best.
Omar 想到自己已經盡了全力，失落的心情也就平復了。
文法句型
temper something with/by something
用法筆記
Often followed by 'with' to show what provides the softening influence. The subject is typically a person, an institution, or an abstract quality (e.g. 'justice', 'criticism', 'enthusiasm'). The passive form 'be tempered by' is very common in formal writing.
常見錯誤
2. to heat a metal such as steel to a very high temperature and then cool it in a c
回火
加熱後冷卻金屬使其變硬
to heat a metal such as steel to a very high temperature and then cool it in a controlled way, so that it becomes harder, stronger, and less likely to break.
The blacksmith tempered the steel blade by heating it red-hot and then dipping it in oil.
鐵匠將鋼刀燒得通紅，再浸入油中冷卻，以完成回火程序。
tempered the steel blade — heat-treated metal to make it hard
This type of iron must be tempered at exactly 400 degrees to reach the right hardness.
這種鐵必須在攝氏四百度準確回火，才能達到所需的硬度。
The sword was tempered in cold water, which gave it a sharp and lasting edge.
這把劍是在冷水中回火的，因此刀刃鋒利且耐用。
If the metal is not tempered properly, the blade will crack under pressure.
如果金屬沒有正確回火，刀片會在使用時斷裂。
- heat-treat
broader term for any heating/cooling process on metal
- harden
general term; not specific to the tempering process
文法句型
temper [metal]
temper [metal] at [temperature]
用法筆記
In metallurgy, 'tempering' is a specific step done AFTER the metal has already been hardened by quenching. The purpose is to reduce brittleness while keeping the metal hard. This is distinct from 'annealing' (which fully softens metal) and 'quenching' (which rapidly cools it).
常見錯誤
❌ 'Tempering and quenching are the same thing.' — Quenching is the rapid cooling step; tempering is the reheating that follows.
3. to alter the internal structure of a substance such as glass, clay, or rubber by
強化；鍛燒
用熱或化學改變物質特性
to alter the internal structure of a substance such as glass, clay, or rubber by heating it, adding chemicals, or applying a special treatment — for instance, making glass safer for car windows or clay easier to mould.
The glass used for car windows is tempered so it shatters into tiny harmless pieces.
汽車車窗使用的是強化玻璃，破裂時會碎成無害的小塊。
tempered glass — safety glass treated with heat
Tempered glass is much harder to break than ordinary window glass.
強化玻璃比一般窗戶玻璃更難打破。
The pottery clay was tempered with fine sand to keep it from cracking in the kiln.
陶土中掺入了細沙，以防止陶坯在窯爐中開裂。
Special furnaces temper the glass panels used in smartphone screens.
智慧型手機螢幕使用的玻璃面板，是在特製爐中強化的。
文法句型
temper [material]
用法筆記
This sense covers materials OTHER than metal that undergo a heat or chemical process. The most common use in everyday life is 'tempered glass' (safety glass used in cars, phones, and buildings). While the chemical process differs, the core idea is the same as sense 2: controlled heating/cooling to create desired properties.
常見錯誤
4. to heat whole or ground spices briefly in hot oil, butter, or ghee so that they
爆香
將香料放入熱油中釋放香氣
to heat whole or ground spices briefly in hot oil, butter, or ghee so that they release their flavour and aroma into the dish.
Temper the cumin seeds in hot ghee until they pop and turn golden brown.
將小茴香籽放入熱酥油中爆香，直到它們爆開變成金黃色。
temper spices in hot oil — cook briefly to release flavour
Kemi tempered mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil before adding them to the lentils.
Kemi 將芥末籽和咖哩葉在油中爆香，再加入扁豆中。
The recipe says to temper the spices at the beginning to build a rich base flavour.
食譜上說要先爆香香料，為菜餚奠定濃郁的風味基礎。
Rohan tempered red chili flakes in butter and poured the mixture over the roasted vegetables.
Rohan 用奶油爆香辣椒碎，再淋在烤蔬菜上。
文法句型
temper [spices] in [oil/butter/ghee]
用法筆記
This is a specialised cooking term from South Asian cuisine. The Hindi/Urdu term is 'tadka' or 'baghar'. The purpose is to 'bloom' the spices — heating them releases essential oils that dissolve into the cooking fat, which then flavours the whole dish. Common spices for tempering: cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and asafoetida.
常見錯誤
5. to heat and cool chocolate to specific temperatures so that it sets with a smoot
調溫
加熱冷卻巧克力使其表面光滑
to heat and cool chocolate to specific temperatures so that it sets with a smooth, shiny surface and a firm snap when broken, instead of becoming streaky or soft.
The pastry chef tempered the dark chocolate before dipping the strawberries into it.
糕點師傅先將黑巧克力調溫，再把草莓浸入巧克力中。
tempered chocolate — heat-treated for smooth finish
If you do not temper the chocolate properly, it will develop white streaks on the surface.
如果沒有正確調溫巧克力，表面會出現白色條紋。
Talia tempered a large batch of milk chocolate for the Easter egg moulds.
Talia 調溫了一大批牛奶巧克力，準備用來灌製復活節蛋模具。
The chocolate must be tempered to a precise temperature for a perfect glossy finish.
巧克力必須調溫到精確的溫度，才能呈現完美的光澤。
- pre-temper
sometimes used in industrial chocolate-making
- crystallise
the scientific process that happens inside tempered chocolate
文法句型
temper [chocolate]
用法筆記
This is a specific technique in confectionery. Untempered chocolate has a dull surface, feels soft at room temperature, and melts too easily on the fingers. Correct tempering involves heating chocolate to about 45°C, cooling it to about 27°C, then warming it slightly to about 31°C — the exact temperatures depend on whether it is dark, milk, or white chocolate.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Any chocolate can be tempered.' — Only real chocolate with cocoa butter can be tempered; compound chocolate (with vegetable oil) cannot.