If a man is called effeminate, the speaker means his looks or behaviour seem, to them, like a woman's: a soft voice, careful movement, pretty clothes, a face or manner that is not “rough.” In older English this was a common, often sharp, judgement. It told a man he had failed a test of being “manly.” It is an adjective, and it is aimed at men and boys, not at women.

If a man is called effeminate如果一個男人被說成effeminate， the speaker means his looks or behaviour seem, to them, like a woman's說話的人的意思是，在他們看來，這個男人的外表或舉止像女人： a soft voice, careful movement, pretty clothes, a face or manner that is not "rough."像是柔軟的聲音、小心翼翼的動作、漂亮的衣服、不「粗獷」的臉或舉止。 In older English this was a common, often sharp, judgement在比較舊式的英文裡，這是常見、而且常常很尖銳的評論 It told a man he had failed a test of being "manly."這等於是告訴一個男人，他沒通過「夠不夠man」的考驗。 It is an adjective這是個形容詞， and it is aimed at men and boys, not at women而且是用在男人和男孩身上，不是用在女人身上

A woman can be feminine; that is a normal word. Calling a man effeminate has very often been a way to put him down, including as a way to insult gay men.

A woman can be feminine女人可以用feminine（有女性特質）來形容； that is a normal word這是個很普通、正常的字 Calling a man effeminate has very often been a way to put him down把一個男人說成effeminate，常常是一種貶低他的方式， including as a way to insult gay men也包括用來侮辱同性戀男性

Though actually, the old idea — that there is one right way for a man to walk, talk, and feel — is much neater than how people really live. The word is now dated in careful speech, and many teachers would tell you to avoid it about a real person.

Though actually不過其實， the old idea — that there is one right way for a man to walk, talk, and feel —這種舊觀念——認為男人走路、說話、感受的方式只有一種「正確」——， is much neater than how people really live比真實生活中人們的樣子整齊、簡化太多了 The word is now dated in careful speech在講究措辭的場合，這個字現在已經過時了， and many teachers would tell you to avoid it about a real person很多老師會建議你不要拿它形容一個真實存在的人

You will still find it in older writing, and in discussions of those old attitudes. There is also a rare, old verb to effeminate, “to make someone less manly,” which you are unlikely to need. Formal; often unkind.

You will still find it in older writing, and in discussions of those old attitudes你還是會在舊文獻裡、或討論那些舊觀念的文章裡看到這個字 There is also a rare, old verb to effeminate還有一個罕見的舊動詞to effeminate， "to make someone less manly,"意思是「讓某人變得比較不man」， which you are unlikely to need你應該用不太到 Formal; often unkind這個字正式，而且常常帶有惡意