toughest
toughest — 形容詞
- toughestpositive
- more toughestcomparative
- most toughestsuperlative
1. used about a substance or object that is the most physically strong, difficult t
最堅固的
材質上最不易損壞的
used about a substance or object that is the most physically strong, difficult to break, or able to hold heavy weight without being damaged.
The toughened glass used in the aquarium is the toughest material the engineers could find.
水族館使用的強化玻璃是工程師能找到的最堅固的材料。
toughest + material for describing physical strength
Kevin tested several ropes and chose the toughest one for the climbing trip.
Kevin 測試了幾條繩子，挑了最堅固的那條去攀岩。
Concrete mixed with this new fibre is the toughest on the market.
加了這種新纖維的混凝土是市面上最堅固的。
The car's body panels are made from the toughest plastic available.
這輛車的車身板件是用市面上最堅固的塑膠製成的。
用法筆記
Commonly appears with nouns like material, fabric, steel, plastic, glass. Often used in product comparisons.
常見錯誤
2. describes a person who is the most mentally or emotionally strong, able to get t
最堅韌的
心理或情感上最能承受打擊的
describes a person who is the most mentally or emotionally strong, able to get through bad experiences, pain, or hard work without giving up.
After losing both parents at a young age, Mira grew up to be the toughest person in her family.
Mira 年紀輕輕就失去雙親，長大後成了家裡最堅韌的人。
toughest + person for describing mental strength
The marathon runners who finished were the toughest competitors in the race.
跑完全程的馬拉松選手是比賽中最堅韌的競爭者。
Nia is the toughest kid in the team — she never complains even after a hard loss.
Nia 是隊上最堅韌的孩子——即使慘敗也從不抱怨。
João was easily the toughest soldier in the unit, known for staying calm under fire.
João 無疑是部隊裡最堅韌的士兵，以在砲火下保持冷靜聞名。
- hardiest
suggests physical endurance especially in harsh conditions
- most resilient
emphasises the ability to recover quickly from setbacks
- strongest
broader; tough here focuses on endurance of hardship
- weakest
the most easily defeated or upset by difficulties
- most fragile
emotionally delicate, opposite of resilient
用法筆記
Often used with nouns like person, guy, woman, kid, competitor, soldier, survivor. Can describe emotional resilience, not just physical endurance.
常見錯誤
3. refers to a rule, law, policy, or person that is the most severe or firm, giving
最嚴格的
規定或懲罰上最嚴厲的
refers to a rule, law, policy, or person that is the most severe or firm, giving the least freedom and offering no exceptions.
Singapore has some of the toughest anti-littering laws in the world.
新加坡擁有全世界最嚴格的禁止亂丟垃圾法規。
toughest + laws / regulations
The new headteacher is the toughest the school has ever had — no phones are allowed at all.
新校長是該校有史以來最嚴格的——完全不准帶手機。
Chiara had to pass the toughest driving test in her country before she could get a licence.
Chiara 必須通過該國最嚴格的駕照考試才能拿到駕照。
Critics say these are the toughest immigration rules introduced in the last ten years.
批評者稱這些是過去十年來最嚴格的移民規定。
用法筆記
Common with nouns like law, rule, policy, regulation, test, exam, penalty, sentence, teacher, judge. This sense is distinct from sense 1 (physical strength) and sense 2 (personal resilience).
常見錯誤
4. describes a task, problem, situation, or question that is the hardest to complet
最困難的
最難完成或處理的
describes a task, problem, situation, or question that is the hardest to complete, understand, or deal with.
This is the toughest exam the students have ever taken in this school.
這是該校學生遇過最困難的一次考試。
toughest + exam / problem / task
Saira faced the toughest decision of her life when she had to choose between two jobs.
Saira 在兩份工作之間做選擇時，面臨了人生中最困難的決定。
The toughest part of the hike was the last two kilometres up the steep hill.
這次健行最困難的部分是最後兩公里的陡坡。
For most learners, pronunciation is the toughest skill to master in a new language.
對多數學習者來說，發音是學新語言時最難掌握的技能。
Finding affordable housing in the city centre is the toughest challenge young people face here.
在市中心找到負擔得起的住房是本地年輕人面臨的最困難的挑戰。
- hardest
more common in everyday speech; tough and hard are often interchangeable
- most difficult
slightly more formal than 'toughest'
- most challenging
more positive tone; suggests a rewarding difficulty
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns like task, job, exam, question, problem, decision, challenge, part, time. Can replace 'most difficult' in informal and neutral contexts. More common than 'hardest' in spoken English.
常見錯誤
5. describes food, especially meat, that requires a lot of chewing because the fibr
最硬的
食物最難切開或咀嚼的
describes food, especially meat, that requires a lot of chewing because the fibres are very firm, often from overcooking or poor quality.
The steak was the toughest piece of meat Zayd had ever tried to eat.
Zayd 吃過的那塊牛排是他吃過最硬的肉。
toughest + meat / steak for chewy food
This bread got left out overnight and is now the toughest loaf you can imagine.
這條麵包放了一整夜沒收，現在硬得難以想像。
Beatriz complained that the chicken breast was the toughest she had ever been served.
Beatriz 抱怨說那塊雞胸肉是她吃過最硬的。
The outer edge of the roasted pork was the toughest part and took several minutes to chew.
烤豬肉的外緣是最硬的部分，嚼了好幾分鐘才吞下去。
- chewiest
chewy can be positive (candy) or negative (overcooked meat); tough is always negative for food
- hardest to chew
explicit description; less common in everyday speech
用法筆記
Exclusively used for food texture. Common with meat, steak, chicken, bread, beef. Does not describe food that is hard in a crunchy or crispy way (like a biscuit or toast).
常見錯誤
6. refers to a person, place, or situation that is the most dangerous, rough, or li
最兇悍的
最危險、最可能涉及暴力的
refers to a person, place, or situation that is the most dangerous, rough, or likely to involve violence or criminal behaviour.
The police were called to the toughest neighbourhood in the city late last night.
警方昨晚出動到該市最兇悍的社區。
toughest + neighbourhood / area / guy for describing danger
In prison movies, the toughest inmate usually controls the exercise yard.
在監獄電影裡，最兇悍的囚犯通常控制著放風區。
Sayaka avoided the bar near the station because it attracted the toughest crowd in town.
Sayaka 避開了車站附近的那家酒吧，因為那裡聚集了鎮上最兇悍的人。
The port district was known as the toughest area in the city, with frequent street fights.
港區是該市最兇悍的地區，街頭鬥毆時有所聞。
- roughest
very similar; 'rough' can mean dangerous or unpolished in manner
- most violent
more formal and direct; 'tough' can be slightly less severe
- most dangerous
broader — includes non-violent risks too
用法筆記
Common with nouns like guy, neighbourhood, area, district, crowd, inmate, bar. Can sound old-fashioned or stereotypical. Often used in crime stories, films, or discussions about dangerous places.
常見錯誤
7. used informally to say that someone has the worst luck or is experiencing the mo
最倒楣的
運氣最差的，遭遇最不幸的
used informally to say that someone has the worst luck or is experiencing the most unfair or unfortunate set of circumstances.
Eve missed the bus, lost her phone, and then it rained — she is having the toughest day.
Eve 錯過公車、掉了手機、又碰上大雨——她過得可真倒楣。
informal: having a tough day / time
Pim got the toughest draw in the competition, having to face the top player first.
Pim 抽到了比賽中最倒楣的籤，第一場就得面對頂尖選手。
The Watanabe family had the toughest luck when their flight was cancelled three times in a row.
渡邊一家實在是太倒楣了，他們的航班連續被取消三次。
It was the toughest break of his career — the injury happened just before the finals.
這是他職業生涯中最倒楣的打擊——受傷正好發生在決賽前。
- unluckiest
more direct; tough in this sense is slightly more informal and empathetic
- hardest
can overlap when describing a difficult period ('a hard time')
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases: tough luck, tough break, a tough day, a tough time. Less common in formal writing. Can express sympathy ('tough luck, mate') or genuine commiseration.
常見錯誤
8. used as a short, dismissive response to someone's complaint or problem, showing
活該
對他人抱怨表示不同情的回應
used as a short, dismissive response to someone's complaint or problem, showing no sympathy and suggesting the person should just accept the situation.
"I forgot my lunch at home." "Toughest — there is no food delivery allowed in class."
「我忘記帶午餐了。」「活該——上課不能叫外送。」
dismissive standalone use: 'Toughest'
When Kevin complained about the early meeting, his boss just shrugged and said, "Toughest."
Kevin 抱怨會議太早，老闆只是聳聳肩說：「活該。」
"But I studied all night!" the student cried. The teacher replied, "Toughest. The exam is tomorrow."
「可是我念了一整晚！」學生哭訴。老師回答：「活該。考試是明天。」
"I cannot believe they raised the rent again." "Toughest. That is how the market works."
「我不敢相信房東又漲房租了。」「活該。市場就是這樣運作的。」
- too bad
similar dismissive tone but slightly softer
- that's rough
can be sympathetic or dismissive depending on tone
用法筆記
This sense does NOT describe a quality of a person or thing. It is a standalone interjection-like response, similar in meaning to 'that's your problem' or 'too bad'. Can be considered rude or unsympathetic. Much more common in American English than British English.
常見錯誤
toughest — 名詞
- toughestsingular
- toughestsplural
1. a person who is physically strong, aggressive, and often involved in violence or
惡棍
暴力野蠻的人，常涉及犯罪
a person who is physically strong, aggressive, and often involved in violence or criminal activity, especially in stories about street crime or prison.
In the movie, the toughest of the gang was a huge man nobody dared to cross.
電影裡，幫派中最兇狠的惡棍是個沒人敢惹的彪形大漢。
noun: 'the toughest' meaning the most violent person in a group
The new prisoner wanted to prove he was the toughest in the block.
新來的囚犯想要證明自己是監獄裡最狠的惡棍。
A group of tough guys stood outside the nightclub, checking who came in.
一群彪形大漢站在夜店外面，檢查進場的人。
Local shopkeepers were afraid of the toughest guys who hung around the alley.
當地店家很害怕那些在小巷裡閒晃的彪形大漢。
用法筆記
Used mainly in informal contexts and fiction. The plural form 'toughests' exists but is rare. The countable noun 'a tough' is more common; 'the toughest' as a noun usually refers to the most violent member of a group.