grown-up
grown-up — 形容詞
1. Having finished growing physically and being able to show the sensible, steady b
成熟的
指已成年或行為穩重負責的
Having finished growing physically and being able to show the sensible, steady behavior that people expect from an older person — for example, making careful decisions, accepting responsibility, and controlling emotions instead of acting childishly.
Sofia is only fourteen, but she acts grown-up for her age and helps her younger siblings.
Sofia 才十四歲，但她的行為比同齡人成熟，還會幫忙照顧弟弟妹妹。
be grown-up for one's age
The counselor told Javier that skipping class was not a grown-up way to solve problems.
輔導老師告訴 Javier，翹課並不是解決問題的成熟方式。
a grown-up way to + infinitive
Fatima's parents treat her like a grown-up now that she pays her own phone bill.
Fatima 的父母現在把她當大人看待，因為她自己付手機費。
Kenji stayed calm when the car broke down and made a grown-up decision to call for help.
車子拋錨時 Kenji 保持冷靜，做了成熟的決定打電話求助。
- mature
Focuses on emotional and behavioral development rather than physical age, and sounds more formal.
- responsible
Emphasises reliability and good judgment but does not imply physical adulthood.
- adult
Neutral and factual; used for legal or biological adulthood without the behavioral nuance.
文法句型
be grown-up
act grown-up
grown-up for [age/group]
用法筆記
Frequently used in comparisons: 'grown-up for [someone's] age.' Distinguish from sense 2 (FOR ADULTS), which describes content designed for adults — this sense describes a person's development or behavior.
常見錯誤
2. Designed, written, or intended for people who are no longer children, often beca
成人專屬
適合成年人而非兒童的
Designed, written, or intended for people who are no longer children, often because the subject matter is complex, serious, or not suitable for young viewers.
The bookshop has a section of grown-up novels about complex relationships.
書店裡有一區是探討複雜關係的成人小說。
grown-up + noun (novels / films / books)
Amina's mother said the horror film was too grown-up for a ten-year-old child.
Amina 的媽媽說那部恐怖片對十歲小孩來說太過成人。
too grown-up for [someone]
Sven bought his niece a simple art set instead of the grown-up kit with sharp tools.
Sven 買了一套簡單的美勞組給姪女，而不是那款含有尖銳工具的成人美術組。
The cartoon has jokes about taxes that only grown-up viewers would understand.
那部卡通裡有關於稅務的笑話，只有成年觀眾才聽得懂。
- children's
Directly describes content made for kids.
- childish
Describes content that is too simple or silly for adults.
文法句型
grown-up + noun
too grown-up for [someone]
用法筆記
Only used before a noun (e.g. 'grown-up film,' 'grown-up conversation'). Cannot be used after a linking verb like 'be' — 'This film is grown-up' would be interpreted as sense 1 (the film itself is mature, not that it is intended for adults).
常見錯誤
grown-up — 名詞
1. A person who has reached full physical development and is no longer a child, com
大人
成年人，尤用於對兒童說話時
A person who has reached full physical development and is no longer a child, commonly used in conversations with young children to refer to an older person they can trust or ask for help.
The teacher asked the children if a grown-up at home could help them bake cookies.
老師問小朋友家裡有沒有大人可以幫忙烤餅乾。
a grown-up at home (common in school/parent contexts)
Little Olu told the librarian he wanted a book that his grown-up could read aloud.
小 Olu 跟圖書館員說他想要一本能讓大人朗讀給他聽的書。
A young girl asked Deepa, 'Are you a grown-up?' and Deepa smiled and said yes.
一個小女孩問 Deepa：「你是大人嗎？」Deepa 笑著說對。
The firefighter told the children to find a grown-up they trusted if they smelled smoke.
消防員告訴孩子們，如果聞到煙味就要去找他們信任的大人。
Halima's daughter pointed at the pilot and whispered, 'Is that the grown-up who flies the plane?'
Halima 的女兒指著駕駛小聲說：「那個開飛機的大人是誰？」
- adult
The formal equivalent; used in official, legal, or academic contexts.
- grown-up person
Slightly more explicit but carries the same informal tone.
文法句型
a grown-up
someone's grown-up
ask a grown-up
用法筆記
Commonly used by or when speaking to children. The possessive form ('my grown-up,' 'his grown-up') is frequent in child-directed speech. More informal than 'adult' — in formal writing, use 'adult' instead.