1
be coy about sth
She was coy about her age.
她对自己的年龄羞于启齿。
忸怩作态；故作矜持
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
忸怩作态；故作矜持
Affectedly or playfully shy or modest, especially in a flirtatious way.
She was coy about her age.
她对自己的年龄羞于启齿。
不愿透露敏感细节的；尤指过分正经的。
Reluctant to give details about something sensitive; notably prudish.
故作矜持或害羞,尤指带戏谑或挑逗意味
affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
假装害羞或谦虚,尤指以不真诚或卖弄风情的方式。
Pretending shyness or modesty, especially in an insincere or flirtatious way.
明显且常带戏谑或恼人的回避,不愿明确表态
showing marked and often playful or irritating evasiveness or reluctance to make a definite or committing statement
She gave a coy smile when he complimented her.
当他夸她时，她腼腆地笑了笑。
AI contextual example
He was coy about his plans for the weekend.
他对周末的计划含糊其辞。
AI contextual example
The kitten played coy, hiding behind the curtain.
小猫羞怯地玩耍，躲在窗帘后面。
AI contextual example
a politician coy about his intentions
一位对自己的意图讳莫如深的政治家。
WordNet
She was coy about her age.
她对自己的年龄羞于启齿。
常用于调情或回避话题。
He played coy when she asked him out.
她约他出去时他故作害羞。
Don't be coy with me; just tell the truth.
别跟我装模作样，说实话就行。
Not this
She coys when asked about her past.
Use this
She is coy when asked about her past.
coy 是形容词，不能用作动词。应使用系动词 be + coy 构成谓语。
Not this
He felt coy meeting new people.
Use this
He felt shy meeting new people.
coy 指刻意或挑逗性的羞怯，而 shy 指真正的害羞。在描述真实的羞怯时，应用 shy。
Not this
She is coy of her achievements.
Use this
She is coy about her achievements.
coy 后接介词 about 表示对某事羞怯，而非 of。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
故作矜持；假装害羞
Don't play coy with me—you know exactly what happened.
别跟我装害羞了——你明明知道发生了什么。
对…遮遮掩掩（不愿透露）
She was coy about her plans for the weekend.
她对自己周末的计划遮遮掩掩。
故作羞涩的微笑
He gave a coy smile and looked down.
他故作羞涩地笑了笑，低下了头。
忸怩作态的样子
Her coy manner annoyed the interviewer.
她那忸怩作态的样子让面试官很恼火。
含糊其辞的回答
The politician's coy response only raised more questions.
那位政客含糊其辞的回答反而引发了更多问题。
故作矜持（尤指为吸引注意或逃避明确表态）
When I asked her about the surprise party, she played coy and pretended she knew nothing.
当我问起惊喜派对的事时，她故作矜持，假装什么都不知道。
对（某事）讳莫如深；避而不谈
The director was coy about the budget for the new film.
导演对这部新片的预算避而不谈。
别遮遮掩掩；别兜圈子
Let's not be coy; we both know the real reason he left.
咱们别遮遮掩掩了；我们都知道他离开的真正原因。
致他矜持的情人
The poem 'To His Coy Mistress' is a famous example of a speaker trying to persuade a coy lover to seize the day.
诗歌《致他矜持的情人》是说话者试图说服一位矜持的情人及时行乐的著名例子。
Use coy naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
coy 谐音“扣衣”：想象一个女生故作害羞，手指抠着衣角，眼神躲闪，其实在逗你猜——这就是 coy 的忸怩作态。
语域：mixed 常见场景：flirting or playful conversation、questions about private or sensitive information 这个词的正式程度并不固定：coy 常见于较书面或文学性的描述，而“play coy”在日常口语中也很常见，整体语气随搭配和语境变化。它多用于描述调情时的忸怩作态，或回答私人问题时的含糊其辞，因此标为 mixed。使用时要看搭配和场合。
这些词都与 coy 押韵，均含 /ɔɪ/ 音。注意拼写相似的 cow /kaʊ/ 和 copy /ˈkɒpi/ 读音不同；coin /kɔɪn/ 虽以 /kɔɪ/ 开头，但因末尾有 /n/，与 coy 的 /kɔɪ/ 并非完全押韵。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.