simple-minded
simple-minded — adjective
1. Describes someone who finds it hard to understand ideas or situations that other
Describes someone who finds it hard to understand ideas or situations that other people consider easy or obvious, often because they do not think deeply or question things.
Amani was simple-minded, often missing the point of conversations with her coworkers.
simple-minded + adjective describing a person's character
The novel's simple-minded hero believed everything the villain told him.
attributive use: simple-minded + noun (hero)
Hugo was called simple-minded by classmates because he struggled with basic math.
People who cheat the elderly often look for simple-minded victims.
Wei's simple-minded cousin could not understand why the door would not open.
- sharp
describes someone who quickly understands things
- perceptive
highlights the ability to notice and understand subtle details
用法筆記
Can be considered offensive when applied to a person with an actual learning disability. In modern professional or medical contexts, more precise terms (e.g., 'has a learning difficulty') are preferred.
常見錯誤
2. Refers to an idea, opinion, plan, or approach that treats a complicated situatio
Refers to an idea, opinion, plan, or approach that treats a complicated situation as though it were very easy and straightforward, ignoring important facts or details.
The mayor's simple-minded plan ignored the real costs of building a new road.
simple-minded + plan (a plan that ignores complexity)
Olivia dismissed the report as simple-minded because it only looked at one side of the issue.
dismiss + as + simple-minded
Calling the conflict 'just a disagreement' is a simple-minded way to describe years of tension.
Constanza's simple-minded view of the economy failed to account for inflation and unemployment.
The company's simple-minded solution was to cut staff without considering how work would get done.
- naive
often implies optimism or inexperience rather than an overly reductive analysis
- superficial
suggests a lack of depth without necessarily being wrong
- unsophisticated
a more neutral term for something that lacks refinement or detail
- nuanced
describes an approach that acknowledges subtle differences and complexities
- sophisticated
implies depth, detail, and careful thought
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 ('NOT INTELLIGENT'), this sense describes actions or ideas, not the person themselves. You may say 'a simple-minded proposal' without implying the person who made it is unintelligent.