touchy

IPA/ˈtʌtʃi/
KK[tˈʌtʃi]IPA/ˈtʌtʃi/

touchy — adjective

  • touchypositive
  • touchiercomparative
  • touchiestsuperlative

1. describing a person who becomes upset, annoyed, or angry very easily over things

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a person who becomes upset, annoyed, or angry very easily over things that most people would not react to strongly

例句

Beatrix gets touchy whenever anyone comments on her cooking.

get touchy + when/if/whenever clause

Luca is so touchy that even a harmless joke can ruin his mood for the rest of the day.

so touchy that + result clause

同義詞
  • sensitive

    broader term; can describe both emotional and physical sensitivity

  • irritable

    focuses on bad mood and grumpiness rather than emotional vulnerability

  • thin-skinned

    informal; same core meaning but more vivid and colloquial

反義詞
  • easygoing

    relaxed and not easily bothered by others' comments

  • thick-skinned

    informal; opposite of thin-skinned; not affected by criticism

文法句型

touchy + about + noun/gerund

be/get/become touchy

用法筆記

Often used with 'about' to specify the trigger: 'touchy about [topic/behavior]'. Most common in informal and spoken English rather than formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌He is touchy to criticism.
✅He is touchy about criticism.
💡the correct preposition after 'touchy' is 'about', not 'to'.
❌She is a touchy person who cries easily.
✅She is a touchy person who gets upset easily.
💡'touchy' describes quick annoyance or anger, not sadness or tears.

2. describing a subject, issue, or situation that could easily cause offense, embar

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a subject, issue, or situation that could easily cause offense, embarrassment, or disagreement, and therefore needs very careful handling

例句

Money is a touchy subject in the Nakamura family after the loan dispute last year.

touchy + subject / issue / topic — typical noun partners

The manager handled the touchy layoff announcement with patience and honesty.

同義詞
  • delicate

    very similar in meaning; suggests something easily broken figuratively

  • sensitive

    broader; can apply to both topics and people; less specific than 'touchy'

  • tricky

    focuses on difficulty and risk rather than potential for offense

反義詞
  • safe

    a safe topic causes no risk of disagreement or offense

  • uncontroversial

    formal; not causing any argument or strong feelings

文法句型

touchy + subject/issue/topic/matter/situation

用法筆記

Always describes the topic or situation itself, not a person's reaction. Unlike sense 1, this sense is never used with 'about'. Frequently found in workplace, news, and social discussion contexts.

常見錯誤

❌He is a touchy subject.' (meaning the person is difficult/delicate)
✅He is touchy about the subject.
💡use sense 1 for personal sensitivity; sense 2 only for the topic itself.
❌This is a touchy lesson.
✅This is a touchy subject for the class.
💡used with discussion-oriented nouns (subject, issue), not with lessons, tasks, or objects.