Infamous means well known, but for something bad. A famous person is known, and that can be for good work or just for being in the news; an infamous person is known because people think they did harm, or because a deed was shockingly wrong. We say infamous for…, or an infamous crime, lie, or remark.

Infamous means well known, but for something badinfamous的意思是「出名」，但是因為壞事而出名。A famous person is known一個famous的人是被人知道的, and that can be for good work or just for being in the news可能是因為做了好事，也可能只是常上新聞; an infamous person is known而一個infamous的人被知道 because people think they did harm是因為人們覺得他做了傷害別人的事, or because a deed was shockingly wrong或是因為某件事錯得令人震驚。We say我們會說 infamous for…infamous for…, or an infamous crime, lie, or remark或是an infamous crime、lie、remark（惡名昭彰的罪行、謊言、言論）。

Though actually, speakers sometimes stretch it, half in joke, for a bad habit everyone already knows: he is infamous for arriving late. That use is lighter than the word's old heart, which is real shame and a bad name.

Though actually不過事實上, speakers sometimes stretch it人們有時候會把這個字用得更寬, half in joke帶點開玩笑的意味, for a bad habit everyone already knows用在大家都已經知道的壞習慣上：he is infamous for arriving late他因為老是遲到而「惡名昭彰」。That use is lighter than the word's old heart這種用法比這個字原本的份量輕, which is real shame and a bad name這個字原本講的是真正的羞恥和壞名聲。

Careful: it does not mean “not famous.” The in- follows Latin infamis, of bad fame, not “without fame.” We say it IN-fuh-mus, with the heavy part at the start, so it does not sound like famous with in- stuck on. It is a strong word; in calm everyday talk people may just say he is known for all the wrong reasons.

Careful請注意: it does not mean “not famous.”它的意思不是「不出名」。The in- follows Latin infamis前面的in-是承接拉丁文infamis, of bad fame意思是「名聲不好」, not “without fame.”而不是「沒有名氣」。We say it IN-fuh-mus我們會唸成IN-fuh-mus, with the heavy part at the start重音在前面, so it does not sound like famous with in- stuck on所以它聽起來不像是famous前面加個in-。It is a strong word這是一個很重的字；in calm everyday talk在平常輕鬆的對話裡 people may just say人們可能只會說 he is known for all the wrong reasons他就是因為一堆不好的原因而出名。