If you are matter-of-fact, you talk about something in a plain, calm way, as if it were nothing special — even when the thing itself is exciting, terrible, or sad. A doctor says 'The leg is broken' in the same tone she would use to say 'It is Tuesday'. That is matter-of-fact.

If you are matter-of-fact如果你很 matter-of-fact， you你 in a plain, calm way會用平淡、冷靜的方式 talk about something談一件事， as if it were nothing special好像它沒什麼特別—— even when即使 the thing itself那件事本身 is exciting, terrible, or sad很刺激、很可怕，或很悲傷。 A doctor醫生 she would use to say用她說 'It is Tuesday'「今天是星期二」 in the same tone時的同一種語氣， says說 'The leg is broken'「腿斷了」。 That那 is matter-of-fact就是 matter-of-fact。

It describes the person, the voice, or the words: a matter-of-fact voice, a matter-of-fact tone, a matter-of-fact way of speaking. It goes in front of a noun most of the time ('in a matter-of-fact voice'), but it can also come after 'be' ('She was very matter-of-fact about it'). Note that we usually say matter-of-fact ABOUT something.

It它 describes形容 the person, the voice, or the words人、聲音，或說出來的話： a matter-of-fact voice平淡的嗓音、 a matter-of-fact tone平淡的語氣、 a matter-of-fact way of speaking平淡的說話方式。 It它 most of the time大多 goes in front of a noun放在名詞前面（ 'in a matter-of-fact voice'用平淡的聲音 ）， but it can also但也可以 come after 'be'放在 be 後面（ 'She was very matter-of-fact about it'她對這件事很平靜 ）。 Note that要注意， we usually say我們通常是說 matter-of-fact ABOUT something「matter-of-fact about 某件事」。

Two things worth knowing, though. First, the feeling is not always missing — often the person feels a lot but keeps it off the surface, and English speakers hear that. Saying 'He was matter-of-fact about his father's death' can quietly mean he was holding himself together. Second, it is usually neutral or even a small compliment (calm, not dramatic, no fuss), but with the right tone it can be a small complaint — cold, uncaring. The context tells you which.

though不過， Two things worth knowing有兩件事值得知道。 First第一， the feeling感覺 is not always missing不一定真的不在—— often常常 the person這個人 feels a lot感受很多， but keeps it off the surface只是不讓它浮上表面， and English speakers而說英文的人 hear that聽得出來。 Saying說 'He was matter-of-fact about his father's death'「他談父親的死時很平靜」， can quietly mean可以悄悄地表示 he was holding himself together他是在撐住自己。 Second第二， it它 is usually neutral通常是中性的， or even a small compliment甚至是小小的稱讚（ calm, not dramatic, no fuss冷靜、不誇張、不小題大作 ）， but with the right tone但配上特定的語氣， it can be a small complaint它也可以是小小的抱怨—— cold, uncaring冷淡、不在乎。 The context上下文 tells you which會告訴你是哪一種。

There is an older, drier use too, meaning 'sticking only to facts, with no imagination', as in 'a matter-of-fact report'; you will meet it in writing more than in speech.

There is也有 an older, drier use too一個更舊、更乾的用法， meaning意思是 'sticking only to facts, with no imagination'「只守著事實、不帶想像力」， as in例如 'a matter-of-fact report'一份只陳述事實的報告； you will meet it你會遇到它的地方， in writing more than in speech書面多於口語。

Careful: the phrase 'as a matter of fact' (no hyphens) is a different thing altogether — it means 'actually' and is used to correct or add something.

Careful小心： the phrase片語 'as a matter of fact'， (no hyphens)（沒有連字號） is a different thing altogether是完全不同的東西—— it means它的意思是 'actually'「其實」， and is used to correct or add something用來更正或補充。