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Minimal means very small in degree or amount — often the smallest amount that still counts, or so little it is almost nothing. “The damage was minimal” means there was hardly any. “Minimal effort” means as little effort as you can get away with. “A minimal risk” means the risk is tiny.
Minimal means表示 very small in degree or amount程度或數量上非常小，often常常是 the smallest amount that still counts還算數的最小量，or so little it is almost nothing或少到幾乎等於零. "The damage was minimal"損害很小 means意思是 there was hardly any幾乎沒有多少. "Minimal effort"力氣很少 means意思是 as little effort as you can get away with能省則省、做到剛好過得去就好. "A minimal risk"風險極小 means意思是 the risk is tiny風險很小.
It is a slightly formal, tidy adjective: news, school essays, reports, instructions. In everyday talk people also say very little, almost none, or hardly any.
It is是 a slightly formal, tidy adjective稍微正式、簡潔的形容詞，用在 news, school essays, reports, instructions新聞、學校作文、報告、說明書裡. In everyday talk在日常對話裡, people also say也會說 very little, almost none, or hardly any很少、幾乎沒有、或幾乎不.
Designers and artists use it in a second, related way: a minimal look keeps only what is needed — clean, spare, not busy. That is close to 極簡. Both uses share the idea “as little as possible”.
Designers and artists設計師和藝術家 use it使用這個詞 in a second, related way用在第二種相關的意思上: a minimal look極簡的風格 keeps只留下 only what is needed必要的東西——clean, spare, not busy乾淨、簡潔、不雜亂. That is close to這很接近 極簡. Both uses兩種用法 share the idea都有同一個概念: "as little as possible"「盡量少」.
Minimal is not a noun. The noun for “the least amount” is minimum. “A minimal of time” is the usual student slip; we say “a minimum of time” or “minimal time”. You can have minimal contact, minimal cost, minimal fuss.
Minimal minimal is不是 a noun名詞. The noun for「the least amount」的名詞是 minimum minimum. "A minimal of time""A minimal of time" is是 the usual student slip學生常犯的錯; we say我們會說 "a minimum of time""a minimum of time" or或 "minimal time""minimal time". You can have你可以說 minimal contact接觸很少、 minimal cost成本很低、 minimal fuss麻煩很少.
It does not mean “small in size” the way mini- does on a . It is about degree: how much, how strong, how far — not how many .
It does not mean它不是指 "small in size""size很小的意思", the way mini- does on a minibus不像 minibus裡的 mini- 那樣. It is about degree它講的是程度: how much, how strong, how far多少、多強、多遠——not not是 how many centimetres幾公分.
組成From minimum + -al (makes an adjective). So: of the least amount, or almost that little.
同家族的字
- minimumminimal is the adjective built from minimum
- minimizeto make something as small as you can
- minimalista person or style that keeps only the least you need
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。
minimaladj/ˈmɪn.ɪ.məl/
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The smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree.
- With minimal effort, you won't be able to achieve all your dreams.
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engineeringmathematicsnatural-sciencesThe smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree.
- With respect to the ordering induced by set-theoretic inclusion, the power set of the set of natural numbers has a unique minimal element: the empty set.
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artartsCharacterised by the use of simple form or structures.
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entertainmentlifestylemusicCharacterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases.
minimalnoun/ˈmɪn.ɪ.məl/
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Something very small; a tiny part or fragment.
- […] we seek in explaining mental phenomena and behavior always the "minimals," the little fragments of association, on which the mind is (passively) supposed to be based.
- […] identifications with birds, fish, trees, and flowers (and occasionally as relief, with the stillness of rocks, clam shells, driftwood, and nature's minimals); […]
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。