If a rule, a law, or a punishment is draconian, it is very strict, and it feels cruel — much heavier than the thing it is trying to stop.

If a rule, a law, or a punishment is draconian如果一項規定、法律或懲罰是嚴苛的 it is very strict就是非常嚴厲 and it feels cruel而且讓人覺得殘忍 much heavier than the thing it is trying to stop比它想遏止的事還要重得多

Newspapers like this word for new fines, school bans, or government controls they think go too far. It is a grown-up, slightly formal adjective. You would not usually call a parent draconian at the dinner table, but a writer might call a new law draconian.

Newspapers報紙 like this word喜歡用這個字 for來形容 they think go too far他們認為太過分的 new fines, school bans, or government controls新罰款、校規禁令或政府管制 It is a grown-up, slightly formal adjective是一個成熟、略正式的形容詞 You would not usually call a parent draconian at the dinner table你通常不會在餐桌上說爸媽是嚴苛的 but但 a writer might call a new law draconian作家可能會說一項新法律是嚴苛的

Though actually, it does not have to mean “evil.” It means harsh in the way people remember the old Athenian lawmaker Draco: his laws were so hard that even a small crime could bring a terrible punishment, and English still borrows his name for that kind of hardness.

Though actually不過其實 it does not have to mean “evil.”它不一定是指「邪惡」 It means harsh而是指嚴厲 in the way people remember the old Athenian lawmaker Draco就像人們記得的古雅典立法者戴克那樣 his laws were so hard他的法律嚴苛到 that even a small crime could bring a terrible punishment連小罪都可能招來重罰 and English still borrows his name for that kind of hardness而英文至今仍借用他的名字來指稱那種嚴苛

Use it about rules and treatment, not about a person’s face, voice, or clothes. A teacher who gives a lot of homework is strict; a rule that ruins you for a small mistake is closer to draconian.

Use it about rules and treatment用這個字形容規定和對待方式 not about a person's face, voice, or clothes不是形容一個人的臉、聲音或穿著 A teacher who gives a lot of homework出很多作業的老師 is strict算是嚴格 a rule that ruins you for a small mistake一個因為小錯就毀了你的規定 is closer to draconian比較接近嚴苛