savvy
savvy — adjective
1. having the practical understanding and good judgment that come from real experie
having the practical understanding and good judgment that come from real experience — for example, a savvy shopper knows when a deal is genuine, and a savvy politician knows how to read a room.
Felipe is a savvy investor who always reads the fine print before signing anything.
savvy investor — common noun collocation
Shanti gave such savvy career advice that Adina landed the job the next week.
savvy + noun (advice) showing practical judgment
The most savvy travelers book their flights on Tuesday mornings to save money.
Nellie is not very tech-savvy, so her son set up the new tablet for her.
The media-savvy team at EcoWatch turned a local river-pollution report into a global campaign.
- astute
slightly more formal, emphasises sharp insight rather than practical know-how
- shrewd
adds a hint of cleverness that may involve self-interest
- knowledgeable
broader; implies theoretical understanding, not necessarily practical experience
- perceptive
focuses on noticing things quickly, not on acting on that understanding
- naive
lacking worldly experience and judgment
- inexperienced
lacks the practical background that savvy implies
文法句型
savvy + noun
noun + -savvy (compound)
用法筆記
Commonly forms compound adjectives with a preceding noun, such as tech-savvy, media-savvy, or business-savvy. The compound always precedes the noun it modifies.
常見錯誤
savvy — noun
1. the understanding of how real-world situations work, built up through hands-on e
the understanding of how real-world situations work, built up through hands-on experience and giving a person good judgment in practical matters.
Minho's business savvy turned a small noodle stall into a chain of twenty restaurants.
business savvy — most common noun collocation
Apinya picked up street savvy after three months selling handmade crafts at the night market.
street savvy — knowledge gained from real street-level experience
Astrid's financial savvy helped the local charity cut costs by a third without cutting any programs.
Political savvy helped Kian survive three rounds of difficult budget negotiations.
Renata has the marketing savvy to sell almost any product to a skeptical audience.
- know-how
more informal, focuses on practical skills and methods rather than judgment
- expertise
more formal, suggests formal training or deep specialised knowledge
- acumen
more formal, often used in business contexts (business acumen)
- shrewdness
emphasises sharp, sometimes self-interested judgment
文法句型
[adjective] + savvy
savvy + about + noun
用法筆記
Always uncountable. Frequently paired with a domain noun before it (business savvy, political savvy, street savvy, marketing savvy). Do not use with an article (*a savvy, *the savvy).
常見錯誤
savvy — verb
1. to comprehend what a person is saying or what a situation is about, especially i
to comprehend what a person is saying or what a situation is about, especially in casual conversation.
"I don't savvy your plan at all," Indra said with a puzzled frown.
negative form: don't savvy + noun phrase
Do you savvy what Élise is trying to tell the design team about the client's new preferences?
question form: savvy + wh-clause
Roya did not savvy the rules of Monopoly until her cousin Ignacio explained them twice.
Kofi did not savvy a word the tour guide was saying about the old temple.
- get
equally informal, much more common across all dialects
- grasp
slightly more formal, emphasises fully understanding something complex
- comprehend
formal; rarely used in everyday speech
- miss
fail to understand (as in 'I missed the joke')
- misunderstand
understand incorrectly
文法句型
savvy + noun phrase
savvy + wh-clause
用法筆記
Considered dated in British English but still heard in American and Caribbean English. More common in negative constructions (don't savvy) or questions. The past form savvied is rare but attested.