savage
savage — 形容詞
1. A savage animal, attack, or natural event is extremely violent and out of contro
兇猛；狂暴
形容動物或攻擊極度暴力且不受控制
A savage animal, attack, or natural event is extremely violent and out of control, causing harm or damage without any restraint.
The hikers heard savage howls coming from the forest after dark.
登山者在入夜後聽到從森林傳來兇猛的嚎叫聲。
savage howls — describing wild animal sounds
A savage storm destroyed dozens of homes along the coast last winter.
去年冬天，一場猛烈的暴風雨摧毀了沿海數十間房屋。
savage storm — extreme weather event
The film contains scenes of savage fighting that are unsuitable for young children.
這部電影包含殘暴的打鬥場面，不適合年幼兒童觀看。
Two rival groups fought a savage battle in the abandoned factory yard.
兩個敵對團體在廢棄工廠的空地上進行了一場兇殘的鬥毆。
The documentary showed the savage treatment of prisoners in the war camp.
那部紀錄片展示了戰俘營中囚犯所受的殘暴待遇。
常見錯誤
2. A savage remark, review, criticism, or punishment is extremely harsh and meant t
尖刻；嚴厲
形容評論或批評極度刻薄、意在傷人
A savage remark, review, criticism, or punishment is extremely harsh and meant to hurt someone's feelings or reputation.
The critic wrote a savage review, calling the new play a complete waste of time.
那位評論家對這部新劇寫了一篇尖刻的評論，稱其為「完全浪費時間」。
savage review — harsh public criticism of creative work
Indra received savage comments from her boss about the report she wrote overnight.
Indra 從上司那裡得到關於她熬夜寫的報告的嚴厲批評。
The magazine published a savage attack on the government's new education policy.
那家雜誌刊登了一篇對政府新教育政策的猛烈抨擊。
Baraka's savage criticism of his teammate's performance made the atmosphere in the changing room unbearable.
Baraka 對隊友表現的嚴厲批評讓更衣室的氣氛變得令人難以忍受。
The head teacher imposed a savage punishment on students who cheated in the final exam.
校長對期末考試作弊的學生處以嚴厲的懲罰。
用法筆記
Typically describes written or spoken criticism, reviews, punishments, or remarks. Less common for physical actions in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. Used to describe something that is much larger or more severe than usual — for e
大幅；劇烈
形容價格上漲或經費削減程度極大
Used to describe something that is much larger or more severe than usual — for example, a sudden sharp rise in prices, a deep cut in spending, or a steep tax increase.
The company announced savage cuts to its workforce, laying off more than two thousand employees.
該公司宣布大幅裁員，解僱了兩千多名員工。
savage cuts — extreme reductions in staff or budget
Households are facing savage increases in energy bills this winter, with some prices doubling.
今年冬天家庭面臨能源帳單的暴漲，有些價格甚至翻了一倍。
savage increases — extreme price rises
The government imposed savage tax rises on luxury goods to reduce the national debt.
政府為了減少國債，對奢侈品實施了大幅加稅。
The hospital faced savage budget reductions that forced it to close two of its wards.
那家醫院面臨大幅預算削減，被迫關閉了兩個病房。
用法筆記
Almost always used before nouns like cuts, increase, reductions, or rises — describing extreme financial or policy measures whose scale shocks people.
常見錯誤
4. An old-fashioned and offensive word used to describe people, communities, or cus
原始[冒犯]
舊式且具冒犯性，形容被認為不文明的社群
An old-fashioned and offensive word used to describe people, communities, or customs that the speaker considers to be at a simple, undeveloped stage of civilisation. Greatly offensive today and no longer used in respectable writing.
The explorer's diary called the Indigenous people 'savages' — a deeply offensive term today.
那位探險家的日記稱原住民為「savages」——一個在今日極具冒犯性的詞。
offensive term — historical usage note
Historians now reject the idea that any culture can be called savage compared to another.
歷史學家如今拒絕接受任何文化可以被稱為未開化的說法。
now rejected by modern scholarship
An old textbook chapter called 'Savage Customs' shocks and offends modern readers.
一本舊教科書裡名為「原始風俗」的章節，令現代讀者感到震驚與反感。
Anthropologists no longer call any human society savage in their academic work.
人類學家不再在學術著作中將任何人類社會稱為「savage」。
用法筆記
This sense is labelled old-fashioned and offensive. Modern alternatives include 'indigenous', 'traditional', 'non-industrial', or 'pre-literate'. Never use this sense in contemporary writing or speech.
常見錯誤
savage — 動詞
1. When a dangerous animal savages a person or another creature, it launches a sudd
猛烈攻擊
指動物以極大力量攻擊人造成重傷
When a dangerous animal savages a person or another creature, it launches a sudden, ferocious assault that causes severe wounds or death.
The stray dog savaged a child who came too close to its hiding place.
那隻流浪狗猛烈攻擊了一個靠牠躲藏處太近的孩子。
active voice: animal savages person
A wild boar savaged two hikers before park rangers managed to drive it away.
一隻野豬在公園管理員趕走牠之前，猛烈襲擊了兩名健行者。
The farmer's sheep were savaged by a pack of wolves overnight.
農夫的羊在夜裡遭到一群野狼的猛烈攻擊。
The zookeeper was savaged by a lion after she accidentally left the enclosure gate unlocked.
動物園管理員因意外未鎖上圍欄門而被一頭獅子猛烈攻擊。
In the documentary, a crocodile savages a wildebeest that came too close to the river.
在那部紀錄片中，一隻鱷魚猛烈攻擊一頭靠河太近的牛羚。
文法句型
savage + person/animal
be savaged by + animal
用法筆記
The subject of this verb is almost always a wild or dangerous animal. Though informal slang uses 'savage' to mean 'criticise harshly', this is non-standard and not appropriate for formal writing.
常見錯誤
savage — 名詞
1. An old-fashioned, offensive word for a person from a culture that the speaker vi
野蠻[冒犯]
舊式冒犯詞，指被認為文化不發達的人
An old-fashioned, offensive word for a person from a culture that the speaker views as less developed or less advanced. Widely considered racist and not used in modern, respectful writing.
The 1920s novel calls the islanders 'savages' — a term now considered deeply offensive.
這本1920年代的小說稱島上居民為「savages」——這個詞在今日被視為極具冒犯性。
historical literary usage — now considered offensive
Colonial writers described local people as savages, revealing more about their own prejudice.
殖民時期的作家把當地人描述為「savages」，這更多是反映了他們自身的偏見。
A 1950s children's book used the phrase 'friendly savage', a stereotype later removed from print.
一本1950年代的童書使用了「友善的野人」一詞，這個刻板印象後來已從書中刪除。
Early European travel journals called every non-European society 'savage'.
早期的歐洲旅遊日誌把每一個非歐洲社會都稱為「savage」。
用法筆記
This sense is considered offensive and racist. Use neutral terms such as 'indigenous community', 'traditional society', or 'native people' instead. Never use this word to describe a living culture.
常見錯誤
2. A person who behaves in an extremely cruel, violent way, without any human feeli
殘暴之徒
行為極度殘忍暴力、毫無憐憫心的人
A person who behaves in an extremely cruel, violent way, without any human feeling or mercy.
The dictator was a savage who ordered the execution of thousands of innocent people.
那位獨裁者是名殘暴之徒，下令處決了數千名無辜百姓。
savage — a ruler who acts without mercy
The film shows the pirate captain as a savage with no mercy for his victims.
這部電影將海盜船長描繪成一個對受害者毫不留情的殘暴之徒。
The official report described the prison guards as savages who enjoyed beating inmates.
官方報告指出那些監獄守衛是一群以毆打囚犯為樂的殘暴之輩。
Owen called the gang members savages in his statement to the police after the attack.
Owen 在遇襲後向警方陳述時，稱那些幫派分子為殘暴之徒。
- gentle soul
a kind, caring person
- humanitarian
someone who actively works to help others
用法筆記
This sense does NOT carry the same racial connotation as noun/sense 1 — it focuses on a person's cruel character or behaviour rather than their cultural background.