1
be tender
用于描述食物口感。
The steak is tender and juicy.
这块牛排又嫩又多汁。
（食物）嫩的；软烂的
tenderest — superlative of tender
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
（食物）嫩的；软烂的
(of food) soft and easy to cut or chew
The steak is tender and juicy.
这块牛排又嫩又多汁。
触碰时敏感或疼痛
Sensitive or painful to the touch.
易受伤的；不坚实的；柔嫩的。
Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.
身体虚弱；不能忍受艰苦
Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.
柔软的,易咀嚼的。
Soft and easily chewed.
My sunburned shoulders are too tender to touch.
我晒伤的肩膀太疼了，碰都不能碰。
The bruise on his leg is tender, so he walks carefully to avoid bumping into anything.
他腿上的淤青一碰就疼，所以他走路很小心，避免撞到东西。
After the dental treatment, my gums were so tender that I only drank soup for a day.
牙科治疗之后，我的牙龈非常敏感，一碰就疼，所以一整天只喝了汤。
用于描述食物口感。
The steak is tender and juicy.
这块牛排又嫩又多汁。
用于描述对人的态度。
He is always tender to his little sister.
他对小妹妹总是很温柔。
用于形容词作定语修饰名词。
She has a tender heart.
她有一颗温柔的心。
Not this
She smiled tender at the baby.
Use this
She smiled tenderly at the baby.
中文学习者易混淆形容词与副词：修饰动词smiled应用副词tenderly而非形容词tender。
Not this
I felt very tender after the argument.
Use this
I felt very hurt after the argument.
形容词tender表示身体疼痛而非情感痛苦；表达情感痛苦应用hurt或vulnerable。
Not this
He is very tender about his weight.
Use this
He is very sensitive about his weight.
表示对话题敏感时常用sensitive about而非tender about。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
温柔体贴的照料
The garden needs tender loving care to thrive.
花园需要温柔体贴的照料才能茂盛生长。
嫩肉
This steak is so tender it melts in your mouth.
这块牛排嫩得入口即化。
温柔的心
She has a tender heart and always helps others.
她有一颗温柔的心，总是帮助别人。
痛处；敏感话题
Avoid mentioning his divorce; it's a tender spot.
别提他的离婚，那是他的痛处。
幼年；青涩年纪
He left home at the tender age of fifteen.
他在十五岁的青涩年纪就离开了家。
娇嫩的皮肤
Babies have very tender skin that needs gentle care.
婴儿的皮肤非常娇嫩，需要温柔护理。
心肠软的；仁慈的
She is a tender-hearted person who always helps others.
她是一个心肠软的人，总是帮助别人。
细心呵护；温柔关爱
The plant needs a lot of tender loving care to survive.
这株植物需要很多细心呵护才能存活。
痛处；敏感话题
Don't mention his failure; it's a tender spot for him.
别提他的失败，那是他的痛处。
温柔的夜晚，躺在你身边。
She gave him a tender kiss.
她给了他一个温柔的吻。
早已与你同在！温柔的夜晚，
The mother's voice was tender and soothing.
母亲的声音温柔而抚慰。
Use tenderest naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
谐音“太嫩”，想象一块嫩牛排或温柔的人，记住tender有“嫩”和“温柔”的意思。
语域混合，多用于描述情感温柔、食物嫩滑或身体敏感等日常语境，具体依搭配而定。
常与介词to或towards连用，表示对某人温柔
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.