crafty
crafty — 形容詞
- craftypositive
- craftiercomparative
- craftiestsuperlative
1. Someone who is crafty uses their intelligence in a secretive or tricky way that
狡猾的
用狡猾手段達到目的，常帶負面含義
Someone who is crafty uses their intelligence in a secretive or tricky way that is not completely honest, often to gain an advantage over other people without them realising it.
Theo played a crafty trick to learn what his sister bought him for his birthday.
Theo 耍了一個狡猾的把戲，套出妹妹為他買了什麼生日禮物。
crafty trick — indirect method to gain information
A crafty old fox had been stealing eggs from the farm every night for weeks.
一隻狡猾的老狐狸好幾個星期每晚都到農場偷雞蛋。
crafty old fox — metaphor for cunning animal behaviour
The saleswoman's crafty smile made Mei wonder if the price was a good deal.
女業務員那狡猾的笑容讓 Mei 懷疑這個價格是否划算。
Kwame made a crafty plan to avoid cleaning his room without telling a lie.
Kwame 想出一個狡猾的辦法，不用說謊就能逃避打掃房間。
The insurance agent was crafty enough to hide the extra fees in the fine print.
那位保險業務員夠狡猾，把額外費用藏在密密麻麻的細字條文中。
- cunning
very similar in meaning, but 'cunning' often suggests longer-term planning and a sharper, more calculated cunning
- sly
more negative than 'crafty' — 'sly' emphasises sneakiness and a lack of trustworthiness
- shrewd
positive or neutral — 'shrewd' means sharp practical judgment without dishonest intentions
- tricky
informal and broader — can describe either a person or a situation, not just character
- honest
someone who is truthful and open, the opposite of hiding intentions
- straightforward
direct and clear in their actions, not using indirect methods
用法筆記
This sense carries a mildly negative or suspicious tone. Describing someone as 'crafty' suggests they hide their real intentions — it is not a straightforward compliment, unlike 'clever' or 'shrewd'.
常見錯誤
2. Connected with activities that involve making objects by hand, such as sewing, w
手工藝的
與手工製作有關的
Connected with activities that involve making objects by hand, such as sewing, wood carving, pottery, or knitting.
The community centre runs crafty workshops where people learn to make pottery and weave baskets.
社區中心開設手工藝工作坊，教人做陶器和編籃子。
crafty workshops — activity-focused use
Omar bought a new sewing machine for his crafty projects at home.
Omar 買了一台新的縫紉機，用來在家做手工。
Amara decorated her kitchen with crafty items like handmade candles and knitted coasters.
Amara 用自製蠟燭和編織杯墊等手工藝品來裝飾廚房。
The store sells crafty supplies including yarn, glue, beads, and thin wooden boards.
這家店販售手工材料，包括毛線、膠水、珠子和薄木片。
- artisanal
more formal and often implies higher quality or traditional methods
用法筆記
This sense is used attributively (before a noun) — you describe the items, workshops, or materials themselves, not a person's character. It does not carry the negative tone of Sense 1.
3. Enjoying or being very keen on making things by hand, such as sewing, knitting,
愛好手工
對手工活動感興趣的
Enjoying or being very keen on making things by hand, such as sewing, knitting, woodwork, or pottery — used to describe a person's hobby or personal interest rather than their character.
Yuki is very crafty — she knits her own scarves and makes her own soap.
Yuki 非常喜歡做手工——她會自己織圍巾、自己做肥皂。
is crafty — describes a person's hobby interest
Diego is not the most crafty person, but he enjoys building birdhouses with his son.
Diego 不算是很愛做手工的人，但他喜歡和兒子一起搭鳥屋。
The crafty group at the library meets every Thursday to share knitting tips.
圖書館的手工同好會每星期四聚會，分享編織技巧。
Siti has always been crafty; her flat is full of hand-painted mugs and hand-sewn cushions.
Siti 一向愛好手工；她家裡擺滿了手繪馬克杯和手縫靠墊。
用法筆記
Unlike Sense 1, this sense is positive or neutral. It describes someone's hobby rather than their character. The person may be a beginner or an expert — 'crafty' here signals enthusiasm, not skill level.