childless

childless — 形容詞

1. describes someone or a couple who do not have any sons or daughters, whether bec

1.形容詞B2
釋義

無子女的

沒有兒女的人或夫妻

describes someone or a couple who do not have any sons or daughters, whether because they decided not to have them or because circumstances prevent it.

例句

After years of trying, the Watanabes accepted being a childless couple.

努力多年後，渡邊夫婦接受了沒有孩子這個事實。

attributive use before 'couple'

The charity offers financial help to childless families who are pursuing fertility treatments.

這家慈善機構為正在接受不孕治療的無子女家庭提供經濟補助。

attributive use before 'families'

同義詞
  • childfree

    describes someone who has actively chosen not to have children; carries a positive, intentional connotation, unlike childless which is neutral or sorrowful

  • barren

    strongly negative and dated when applied to people; now considered offensive in that context — use only for land or soil

  • without offspring

    clinical, formal tone; mostly used in legal or medical writing

反義詞
  • parent

    a person who has one or more children

用法筆記

Childless often carries a neutral or slightly wistful tone, implying an absence that may not have been chosen. The newer term childfree (see synonyms) deliberately signals a positive choice and should not be used when the person wanted but could not have children.

常見錯誤

❌They are a childfree couple who tried IVF for years.
✅They are a childless couple who tried IVF for years.
💡childfree implies a deliberate choice, so it contradicts the effort to conceive through IVF.