quite
의미: Fairly, to a certain degree; completely
Quite has different meanings in British vs American English. In British English, it often means 'fairly' or 'rather' ('quite good' = reasonably good). With absolute adjectives, it means 'completely' ('quite certain'). 'Quite' can also express agreement ('quite so', 'quite right').
예문
- The film was quite good, but not brilliant. 这部电影相当不错,但不是太棒。La película fue bastante buena, pero no brillante.その映画はまあまあ良かったけど、素晴らしくはなかった。그 영화는 꽤 괜찮았지만, 훌륭하지는 않았습니다.
- I'm quite sure I locked the door. 我很确定我锁了门。Estoy bastante seguro de que cerré la puerta.ドアに鍵をかけたのは確かです。문을 잠갔다는 것을 확신합니다.
- It's quite a long way from here to the station. 从这里到车站有相当长的路。Es un camino bastante largo desde aquí hasta la estación.ここから駅までかなり遠いです。여기서 역까지 꽤 멀어요.
발음
사용 가이드
맥락: general
어조: neutral
기원과 역사
From Middle English 'quite' meaning 'completely, entirely', from Old French 'quite' (free, clear), from Latin 'quietus' (at rest, free from). Originally it meant 'totally' or 'completely'. The weaker British sense of 'fairly' or 'rather' developed later, creating a word that can mean both 'completely' and 'somewhat'.
문화적 배경
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
이야기와 상식
British understatement often uses 'quite' to dampen praise. When a Brit says something is 'quite good', they might mean it's merely acceptable, whereas an American using 'quite' typically means 'very'. This difference causes frequent misunderstandings!
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