喜樂美語

核心畫面

Picture someone pouring: the cup is already full, and they keep pouring a little more. Generous can be thought of as that hand that does not stop at the expected line — it gives past what anyone asked for. Once you hold that picture, the other uses follow easily. If it is money or time being poured, the person is generous. If it is food on a plate or space in a room, the portion is generous. And if what is being poured out is patience and good opinion towards other people, that is a generous heart. Same hand, different things in it.

可以想成一隻正在倒的手：杯子其實已經滿了，他還是再多倒一點。generous 就像是那隻不會停在「該給的那條線」上的…更多收起可以想成一隻正在倒的手：杯子其實已經滿了，他還是再多倒一點。generous 就像是那隻不會停在「該給的那條線」上的手——給的比人家開口要的還多。抓住這個畫面，其他用法就順下來了。倒出去的如果是錢和時間，形容的是這個人慷慨；倒出去的如果是盤子裡的飯菜、房間裡的空間，形容的就是份量豐盛；而如果倒出去的是耐性和對別人的善意眼光，那就是一顆寬厚的心。同一隻手，只是手上裝的東西不一樣。

Three branches

給得比預期多（人的性格）

核心畫面直接落在一個人身上：他倒出去的是實實在在的東西，錢、時間、力氣。

willing to give · adjective · B1

Happy to give money, time, or help to other people, more than is usual or expected.

慷慨 / 大方

份量給得很足（東西的量）

把眼光從倒的人移到倒出來的量：既然那隻手給得多，落在盤子裡、量在尺上的那一份自然就大。這時候 generous 形容的不是人品，而是尺寸。

larger than usual · adjective · B1

Larger or more than the usual amount or size.

豐盛 / 大份

對人寬厚、往好處想

倒出去的東西換成看不見的：耐性、體諒、對別人的好評價。給得多的不是錢，而是願意留給對方的餘地。

kind, forgiving · adjective · B1

Kind in the way you treat people, and ready to see the good in them instead of their faults.

寬厚 / 寬容

原始詞典資料5 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

generousadj/ˈd͡ʒɛn(ə)ɹəs/

  • 1

    Noble in behaviour or actions; principled, not petty; kind, magnanimous.

    • Thank you for your generous words.
    • Although the extension to Crewe carried the line much nearer to the town, it was decided to retain this station, and a large enclosure there was roofed over to accommodate third class passengers (the M.B.R. was more generous than most railways in its treatment of what were then known as the "lower orders").
  • 2

    Willing to give and share unsparingly; showing a readiness to give more (especially money) than is expected or needed.

    • She's been extremely generous with her winnings.
  • 3

    Large; more than ample; copious.

    • Add a generous helping of mayonnaise.
    • his generous buttocks
  • 4

    Invigorating in its nature.

    • a generous wine
  • 5

    obsoleteOf noble birth.

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。