Call something measly when it is so small, so thin, or so cheap that you feel a bit insulted. A measly wage, a measly portion, a measly two days off.

Call something measly當一件東西可以叫它measly when it is so small, so thin, or so cheap小到、薄到、或廉價到 that you feel a bit insulted讓你覺得有點被侮辱時。A measly wage微薄的薪水，a measly portion少得可憐的份量，a measly two days off只有兩天的可憐假期。

It is informal, and it carries a scowl: you are not only counting, you are complaining. You would not put it in a careful letter to a boss.

It is informal這是口語用詞，and it carries a scowl還帶著皺眉的語氣：you are not only counting你不只是在算數字，you are complaining你是在抱怨。You would not put it in a careful letter to a boss你不會把它寫進給老闆的正式信件裡。

Though actually, the word is a cousin of measles. It comes from measle — once a word for one of those spots, or the illness — plus -y, so it first painted things as spotty and sick-looking (measly meat had nasty spots in it). From 'spotty and poor' it slid into 'pathetically small'.

Though actually不過其實，the word is a cousin of measles這個字是measles（麻疹）的親戚。It comes from measle它來自measle——once a word for one of those spots, or the illness曾經是指那些疹子中的一顆、或指這個病本身——plus -y加上-y，so it first painted things as spotty and sick-looking所以它一開始描述的是長滿疹子、病懨懨的樣子 (measly meat had nasty spots in it)（measly meat指長滿噁心斑點的肉）。From 'spotty and poor' it slid into 'pathetically small'從「長疹子、可憐」慢慢滑向「小得可悲」。

Most speakers today never think of the illness when they say it.

Most speakers today現在大多數人 never think of the illness根本不會想到那個病 when they say it講這個字的時候。