If someone is neglectful, they are not looking after a person, a duty, or a thing properly — they do not give it the care it needs. A neglectful owner might forget to feed a pet. A neglectful government might leave a bridge to rot.

If someone is neglectful如果一個人是 neglectful 的，they are not looking after a person, a duty, or a thing properly代表他們沒有把一個人、一項責任，或一件東西照顧好——they do not give it the care it needs沒有給它需要的照顧。A neglectful owner一個 neglectful 的飼主 might forget to feed a pet可能會忘記餵寵物。A neglectful government一個 neglectful 的政府 might leave a bridge to rot可能會放任一座橋爛掉不管。

The word is about a pattern of not attending, not one small slip. Forgetful is milder: you meant to, but it fell out of your mind. Neglectful says the care was not given, and it often sounds like a judgement.

The word這個字 is about a pattern of not attending講的是一種長期沒在注意、沒在管的狀態，not one small slip而不是一次小小的疏忽。Forgetful健忘（forgetful） is milder比較溫和：you meant to, but it fell out of your mind你本來有心要做，只是忘了。Neglectful而 neglectful says the care was not given講的是根本沒給該有的照顧，and it often sounds like a judgement所以聽起來常常帶著責備的意味。

It can be used of parents, nurses, landlords, and of yourself ('I have been neglectful of my health'). Though actually, in law people more often say negligent, which is the cousin used in courts; neglectful is the everyday adjective, still serious, but you will hear it in ordinary talk and news as well as in official reports.

It它 can be used of parents, nurses, landlords, and of yourself可以用在父母、護理人員、房東身上，也可以用在自己身上 ('I have been neglectful of my health')（像 'I have been neglectful of my health'）。Though actually不過其實，in law在法律上 people more often say negligent大家更常說 negligent，which is the cousin used in courts那是法庭上用的表親詞；neglectful is the everyday adjective而 neglectful 是日常用的形容詞，still serious一樣是很嚴重的意思，but you will hear it in ordinary talk and news as well as in official reports但你在一般對話、新聞，還有正式報告裡都會聽到它。