Cynicism is not a person. It is the attitude of someone who is not willing to believe that people have good, honest, or sincere reasons for doing something. A person with this view thinks other people are mostly looking after themselves, and that kind words, public promises, or “we care about you” talk often hide a private gain.

Cynicismcynicismis not a person不是指一個人。It is the attitude它是一種態度of someone who is not willing to believe屬於不願意相信that people have good, honest, or sincere reasons for doing something別人做事有良善、誠實或真心理由的人。A person with this view有這種想法的人thinks other people are mostly looking after themselves認為別人大多只是在顧自己，and that kind words, public promises, or "we care about you" talk而那些好聽話、公開的承諾、或「我們關心你」這類說法often hide a private gain常常暗藏著私人的好處。

We use it a lot about politics, advertising, charity campaigns, and office life — anywhere a smile might be a tool. It is a fairly common word in news and everyday talk, and it sounds negative: you are saying the speaker has little trust left.

We use it a lot about politics, advertising, charity campaigns, and office life我們常常用它來講政治、廣告、慈善活動和辦公室生活——anywhere a smile might be a tool任何一個微笑可能只是工具的場合。It is a fairly common word它是個相當常見的字in news and everyday talk用在新聞和日常對話裡，and it sounds negative而且聽起來是負面的：you are saying the speaker has little trust left意思是你在說這個人已經沒剩多少信任。

People do stretch it. Someone may call their own cynicism “healthy,” meaning they will not be fooled easily; that use is looser and a bit proud.

People do stretch it人們也確實會延伸這個字的用法。Someone may call their own cynicism "healthy"有人會說自己的cynicism是「健康的」，meaning they will not be fooled easily意思是他們不會輕易被騙；that use is looser and a bit proud這種用法比較鬆散、也帶點自豪。

Though actually, the old Greek Cynics were a school of thinkers who lived very simply and laughed at empty show. English kept the sharp distrust and dropped most of that philosophy.

Though actually不過其實，the old Greek Cynics古希臘的犬儒學派were a school of thinkers who lived very simply and laughed at empty show是一群過著非常簡樸生活、嘲笑虛華排場的思想家。English kept the sharp distrust英文保留了那種強烈的不信任and dropped most of that philosophy卻丟掉了大部分的哲學思想。

The person is a cynic; the adjective is cynical. Cynicism is the name of the stance.

The person is a cynic這個人叫做cynic；the adjective is cynical形容詞是cynical。Cynicismcynicismis the name of the stance就是這種立場的名稱。