benign
benign — 形容詞
1. Describing a person who is friendly, gentle, and treats others with warmth, ofte
和藹；慈祥
形容人態度溫和、待人親切
Describing a person who is friendly, gentle, and treats others with warmth, often with a calm or fatherly air.
Mr. Alvarez gave the children a benign smile as they crowded into his bookshop.
孩子們擠進書店時，Alvarez 先生對他們露出和藹的微笑。
attributive: a benign smile / look / expression
The old judge had a benign manner that put nervous witnesses at ease.
那位老法官態度慈祥，總能讓緊張的證人放鬆下來。
collocation: benign manner / presence
Grandma Iris watched her grandchildren play with a benign expression on her face.
Iris 奶奶帶著慈祥的神情，看著孫子們玩耍。
Despite his strict reputation, Professor Lin proved to be a benign teacher who never raised his voice.
雖然以嚴格出名，Lin 教授其實是位和藹的老師，從不大聲說話。
用法筆記
Often attributive before nouns describing facial expression, manner, or presence (smile, look, gaze, expression). Tends to suggest a calm, slightly distant warmth — not the same lively friendliness as 'kind' or 'warm'.
常見錯誤
2. Having no power to cause damage, suffering, or trouble — for example, a mild cli
無害；溫和
不會造成傷害或負面影響的
Having no power to cause damage, suffering, or trouble — for example, a mild climate, a harmless chemical, or a government policy that produces no bad effects.
The island enjoys a benign climate, with warm days and cool sea breezes all year.
這座島氣候溫和，全年白天暖和、海風涼爽。
collocation: benign climate / weather / environment
What seemed like a benign software update wiped half the photos from Xiomara's phone.
看似無害的軟體更新，竟讓 Xiomara 手機裡一半的照片消失了。
contrast pattern: seemingly benign … but harmful
The new tax law had a benign effect on small bakeries and corner shops.
新的稅法對小型麵包店和街角商店產生了無害的影響。
Most of the bacteria living on human skin are completely benign.
人體皮膚上的細菌大多完全無害。
Wren thought the email looked benign until he noticed the strange address.
Wren 本來覺得那封電子郵件看起來無害，直到他注意到奇怪的寄件地址。
用法筆記
Frequently modified by 'seemingly', 'apparently', or 'completely' to set up a contrast with hidden danger. Subjects are typically things that could plausibly cause harm (climate, chemical, policy, software, organism), so 'benign' specifically denies that potential.
常見錯誤
3. Used about a lump or growth in the body to say that it is non-cancerous, will no
良性的
腫瘤等不是癌症、不會擴散
Used about a lump or growth in the body to say that it is non-cancerous, will not spread, and poses no real threat to the patient's life.
After a week of waiting, the doctor told Renata the lump in her breast was benign.
等了一週後，醫生告訴 Renata，她乳房裡的腫塊是良性的。
predicative: the [tumor / lump / growth] is benign
Most moles on the skin are benign and never need to be removed.
皮膚上大多數的痣都是良性的，不必特別切除。
collocation: benign mole / cyst / lesion
The surgeon removed the benign tumor from Mr. Park's thyroid in under an hour.
外科醫師不到一小時就摘除了 Park 先生甲狀腺上的良性腫瘤。
Dr. Wairimu scans Mei's benign cyst every six months to check it is not growing.
Wairimu 醫師每六個月為 Mei 的良性囊腫做掃描，確認它沒有變大。
- non-cancerous
plain medical equivalent; preferred when talking to patients
- non-malignant
technical; emphasises the contrast with malignant tumors
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this is the medical use, restricted to growths, tumors, lesions, cysts, or moles. Speakers often pair it with relief — 'turned out to be benign', 'thankfully benign'. The opposite is 'malignant', not 'harmful'.