1
the scruff of sb's neck
scruff 指人或动物的后颈，常用于 the scruff of the/one's neck 结构。
She scratched the scruff of her neck.
她挠了挠后颈。
颈背；后颈
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
颈背；后颈
the back side of the neck
She scratched the scruff of her neck.
她挠了挠后颈。
外表不整洁的人；邋遢的人。
Someone with an untidy appearance.
某些动物颈后松弛的皮肤。
The loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals.
短须,男性面部的胡茬。
Stubble, facial hair (on males).
The mother cat carried her kitten by the scruff of its neck.
猫妈妈叼着小猫的后颈把它带走。
He grabbed the dog by the scruff to pull it away from the road.
他抓住狗的后颈，把它从路上拉开。
She gently rubbed the scruff of the old cat while it purred.
她轻轻揉着老猫的后颈，猫舒服地发出呼噜声。
scruff 指人或动物的后颈，常用于 the scruff of the/one's neck 结构。
She scratched the scruff of her neck.
她挠了挠后颈。
这是固定搭配，动词也可用 hold、carry 等，表示抓住或拎起某人/某动物的后颈。
The zookeeper took the lion cub by the scruff of the neck.
动物园管理员抓住小狮子的后颈。
Not this
He looks scruff.
Use this
He looks scruffy.
scruff 是名词，意为“颈背、后颈”，不能作形容词；描述人衣着不整洁要用形容词 scruffy。
Not this
She picked up the dog by scruff of neck.
Use this
She picked up the dog by the scruff of the neck.
固定搭配 by the scruff of the neck 中，scruff 和 neck 前都需要定冠词 the；中文没有冠词，所以容易漏掉，但英语中这些 the 不能省。
Not this
He grabbed the cat on the scruff of the neck.
Use this
He grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck.
表示“抓住某个部位”时要用介词 by，表示“通过、凭借”这一部位；on 表示“在……上面”，不符合这个动作的搭配。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
颈背；后颈
There was a small cut on the scruff of his neck.
他的颈背上有一道小伤口。
（抓住）后颈；拎着颈背
The mother cat carried her kitten by the scruff of the neck.
母猫叼着小猫的后颈。
抓住某人的后颈
She grabbed the puppy by the scruff of the neck.
她抓住小狗的后颈。
拎起某人的后颈
He picked up the rabbit by the scruff of the neck.
他抓住兔子的后颈，把它拎了起来。
抓住（某人或动物的）后颈；牢牢控制（某人或某物）
She grabbed the puppy by the scruff of the neck to stop it from running into the road.
她揪住小狗的后颈，防止它跑到马路上。
Use scruff naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
scruff 是‘颈背’，想象猫妈妈叼住小猫的后颈，小猫就老实了。
语域：mixed 常见场景：日常口语、谈论人或动物的后颈、抓提宠物或小孩时 scruff 通常指人或动物的后颈，尤其常见于 by the scruff of the neck 这一短语中，多用于口语或非正式场合；正式一点可说 the back of the neck。
常用搭配 the scruff of the neck，指后颈/颈背。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.