Incipient means something has only just started to happen or exist — so early that you might miss it if you are not looking.

Incipient means意思是 something has only just started to happen or exist某件事才剛剛開始發生或出現 — so early that you might miss it if you are not looking早到你要是沒特別注意就可能沒發現.

An incipient cold is that first scratchy feeling, not the day you are in bed with a fever. An incipient problem is a small crack, not the wall already falling down. Writers like it for things that are beginning to show: an incipient smile, incipient panic, incipient baldness.

An incipient cold is that first scratchy feelingincipient cold 是指那種喉嚨剛開始有點刺刺的感覺, not the day you are in bed with a fever不是已經發燒躺在床上的那天. An incipient problem is a small crackincipient problem 是一道小裂縫, not the wall already falling down不是牆已經整片垮下來. Writers like it for things that are beginning to show作家喜歡用它來形容剛開始顯露出來的東西: an incipient smile, incipient panic, incipient baldness像 an incipient smile、incipient panic、incipient baldness.

It is a formal, slightly bookish word. Doctors, reports, and careful essays use it; friends in a café would more often say “just starting” or “early.” It is almost always an adjective before a noun.

It is a formal, slightly bookish word這是一個正式、有點書卷氣的字. Doctors, reports, and careful essays use it醫生、報告和講究的文章會用它; friends in a café would more often say “just starting” or “early”咖啡廳裡的朋友比較會說「才剛開始」或「早期」. It is almost always an adjective before a noun它幾乎都是放在名詞前面的形容詞.

You would not usually call a person “incipient.” And it is a poor fit once the thing is clearly underway — then it has already left the “incipient” stage.

You would not usually call a person “incipient.”你通常不會用 incipient 來形容一個人. And it is a poor fit once the thing is clearly underway而且一旦事情已經明顯在進行中，這個字就不太合適 — then it has already left the “incipient” stage那時候它已經離開了「incipient」的階段.