If years, a teacher, a book, a place, or an experience is formative, it has an important influence on the way someone or something develops.

If years, a teacher, a book, a place, or an experience is formative如果說幾年的時間、一位老師、一本書、一個地方，或一段經驗是formative（具塑造作用的）, it has an important influence意思是它有重要的影響 on the way someone or something develops對某人或某事發展的方式。

Your formative years are the ones that leave a deep mark — often childhood and the years around it, though a later chapter of life can be formative too. A formative experience is one that changes how you think or feel from then on.

Your formative years你的formative years（成長關鍵期） are the ones that leave a deep mark是那些留下深刻痕跡的歲月 — often childhood and the years around it通常是童年和前後那幾年, though a later chapter of life can be formative too不過人生後面的某個階段也可能是formative的。A formative experience一段formative experience（具塑造作用的經驗） is one that changes how you think or feel from then on是那種從此改變你想法或感受的經驗。

It is a thoughtful, slightly careful word; people use it in school writing and in talk about growing up.

It is a thoughtful, slightly careful word這是一個帶點思考、用字比較謹慎的詞; people use it in school writing and in talk about growing up人們會用在學校的寫作裡，還有講到成長的談話裡。

Though actually, it does not mean “forming right now” in the everyday sense of making something with your hands. It means “important in the forming of a person or thing.” It also does not mean formal (official, polite).

Though actually不過其實, it does not mean "forming right now"它不是「現在正在成形」的意思 in the everyday sense of making something with your hands也就是日常那種用手做東西的意思。It means "important in the forming of a person or thing."它的意思是「在塑造一個人或一件事上很重要」。 It also does not mean formal (official, polite)它也不是formal（正式、有禮貌）的意思。