Word · Frequency #18805
cowardice
/ˈkaʊɝːdəs/
noun
怯懦；胆小；懦弱
核心释义
Lack of courage; cowardly behavior.
- 1.
缺乏勇气。
Lack of courage.
- 2.
怯懦
the trait of lacking courage
缺乏勇气。；怯懦；懦弱
用法In use
His refusal to confront the bully was an act of pure cowardice.
用法提示：cowardice作为名词，表示缺乏勇气的特质，此处描述不敢面对欺凌的行为。
Cowardice prevented her from speaking up against the injustice.
用法提示：cowardice作为主语，说明是懦弱这一特质阻碍了行动。
The soldier was decorated for bravery, but his comrade was discharged for cowardice.
用法提示：cowardice与bravery对比，明确表达怯懦的贬义含义。
an act of cowardice
act 常用单数，后接 of + 抽象名词，表示具体表现。
Running away from the battle was an act of cowardice.
临阵脱逃是一种懦弱的行为。
out of cowardice
out of + 抽象名词 表示‘出于……’，说明行为动机。
相关词与表达Connections
搭配Collocations
- moral cowardice
- 道德上的怯懦
- His silence was seen not as discretion but as moral cowardice.他的沉默被看作不是谨慎，而是道德上的怯懦。
- an act of cowardice
- 怯懦的行为
- Leaving your teammates behind was an act of cowardice.把队友抛下不管是一种怯懦的行为。
- show cowardice
- 表现出怯懦
- He showed cowardice by refusing to admit his mistake.他拒绝承认错误，表现出怯懦。
- accuse someone of cowardice
- 指责某人怯懦
- The general accused the deserters of cowardice.将军指责逃兵怯懦。
- cowardice in the face of the enemy
学习提示Learner notes
记忆技巧Memory Tip
想象懦夫(coward)站在冰(ice)上吓得不敢动：cowardice就是怯懦。
语境与语域Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：正式写作、新闻报道、文学描写 cowardice 通常用于书面语或正式语境，比较常见于新闻报道、文学作品等场合；日常口语中较少使用，多会说成 cowardly 或其他更口语化的表达。
语法说明Grammar Note
不可数名词
发音与拼写Pronunciation & Spelling
cowardice /ˈkaʊɝdəs/ 无常见押韵词。coward /ˈkaʊɚd/ 开头相同，但结尾少了 /əs/；practice、justice、service、notice、office 拼写都以 -ice 结尾，但读音为 /ɪs/，与 cowardice 的 /ərdəs/ 不押韵。
一起学习词形Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.