grown-up
grown-up — adjective
1. Having finished growing physically and being able to show the sensible, steady b
Having finished growing physically and being able to show the sensible, steady behavior that people expect from an older person — for example, making careful decisions, accepting responsibility, and controlling emotions instead of acting childishly.
Sofia is only fourteen, but she acts grown-up for her age and helps her younger siblings.
be grown-up for one's age
The counselor told Javier that skipping class was not a grown-up way to solve problems.
a grown-up way to + infinitive
Fatima's parents treat her like a grown-up now that she pays her own phone bill.
Kenji stayed calm when the car broke down and made a grown-up decision to call for help.
- mature
Focuses on emotional and behavioral development rather than physical age, and sounds more formal.
- responsible
Emphasises reliability and good judgment but does not imply physical adulthood.
- adult
Neutral and factual; used for legal or biological adulthood without the behavioral nuance.
文法句型
be grown-up
act grown-up
grown-up for [age/group]
用法筆記
Frequently used in comparisons: 'grown-up for [someone's] age.' Distinguish from sense 2 (FOR ADULTS), which describes content designed for adults — this sense describes a person's development or behavior.
常見錯誤
2. Designed, written, or intended for people who are no longer children, often beca
Designed, written, or intended for people who are no longer children, often because the subject matter is complex, serious, or not suitable for young viewers.
The bookshop has a section of grown-up novels about complex relationships.
grown-up + noun (novels / films / books)
Amina's mother said the horror film was too grown-up for a ten-year-old child.
too grown-up for [someone]
Sven bought his niece a simple art set instead of the grown-up kit with sharp tools.
The cartoon has jokes about taxes that only grown-up viewers would understand.
- children's
Directly describes content made for kids.
- childish
Describes content that is too simple or silly for adults.
文法句型
grown-up + noun
too grown-up for [someone]
用法筆記
Only used before a noun (e.g. 'grown-up film,' 'grown-up conversation'). Cannot be used after a linking verb like 'be' — 'This film is grown-up' would be interpreted as sense 1 (the film itself is mature, not that it is intended for adults).
常見錯誤
grown-up — noun
1. A person who has reached full physical development and is no longer a child, com
A person who has reached full physical development and is no longer a child, commonly used in conversations with young children to refer to an older person they can trust or ask for help.
The teacher asked the children if a grown-up at home could help them bake cookies.
a grown-up at home (common in school/parent contexts)
Little Olu told the librarian he wanted a book that his grown-up could read aloud.
A young girl asked Deepa, 'Are you a grown-up?' and Deepa smiled and said yes.
The firefighter told the children to find a grown-up they trusted if they smelled smoke.
Halima's daughter pointed at the pilot and whispered, 'Is that the grown-up who flies the plane?'
- adult
The formal equivalent; used in official, legal, or academic contexts.
- grown-up person
Slightly more explicit but carries the same informal tone.
文法句型
a grown-up
someone's grown-up
ask a grown-up
用法筆記
Commonly used by or when speaking to children. The possessive form ('my grown-up,' 'his grown-up') is frequent in child-directed speech. More informal than 'adult' — in formal writing, use 'adult' instead.