A neurosis is a pattern of worry, fear or fixed anxious thinking that goes beyond what the situation calls for, but that does not cut the person off from reality — they still know what is real, still go to work, still hold a conversation. Someone who cannot leave the house without checking the door lock nine times, or who is eaten by anxiety about their health with no illness there, would once have been said to have a neurosis.

A neurosis是指 a pattern of worry, fear or fixed anxious thinking一種擔憂、恐懼或固著焦慮想法的模式，that goes beyond what the situation calls for程度超過情況本身該有的，but that does not cut the person off from reality但不會讓當事人脫離現實——they still know what is real他們還是知道什麼是真實的，still go to work還是照常上班，still hold a conversation還是能正常對話。Someone who cannot leave the house without checking the door lock nine times像是沒檢查門鎖九次就出不了門的人，or who is eaten by anxiety about their health with no illness there或是明明沒病卻被健康焦慮吃得死死的人，would once have been said to have a neurosis以前會被說患有neurosis。

The plural is "neuroses" (say it new-ROH-seez), and the adjective is "neurotic".

The plural複數形是 is "neuroses"「neuroses」，say it new-ROH-seez唸作new-ROH-seez，and the adjective is "neurotic"形容詞則是「neurotic」。

Here is the thing your dictionary may not tell you: doctors have largely stopped using this word. It was a central term in Freud's day and in psychiatry up to about 1980, but the official manuals dropped it and now name the particular problem instead — anxiety disorder, OCD, phobia. So in a modern clinic you will rarely hear it.

Here is the thing your dictionary may not tell you有件事字典可能不會告訴你：doctors have largely stopped using this word醫生已經大多不再使用這個字了。It它曾經是 was a central term in Freud's day在佛洛伊德的年代 and in psychiatry up to about 1980以及一直到1980年左右的精神醫學裡的核心詞彙，but the official manuals dropped it但官方的診斷手冊把它拿掉了 and now name the particular problem instead現在改成直接點出具體的問題——anxiety disorder焦慮症、OCD強迫症、phobia畏懼症。So in a modern clinic所以在現代診間 you will rarely hear it你很少會聽到這個字。

Where it stayed alive is ordinary speech, and there it has softened into something much lighter and often affectionate or self-mocking: "my little neurosis about clean desks", "the whole family shares one big neurosis about money". Used that way it means a quirk, a fussy anxious habit — not an illness at all.

Where it stayed alive這個字還活著的地方是 is ordinary speech日常口語，and there it has softened into something much lighter在那裡它變得輕鬆許多，and often affectionate or self-mocking而且常帶點親暱或自嘲："my little neurosis about clean desks"像「my little neurosis about clean desks」（我對整潔桌面的小小神經質），"the whole family shares one big neurosis about money"或「the whole family shares one big neurosis about money」（全家人都有一個對錢的共同焦慮）。Used that way這樣用的時候 it means a quirk意思是一種怪癖，a fussy anxious habit一種愛操心的焦慮習慣——not an illness at all完全不算是一種病。

Be careful, though: calling another person "neurotic" to their face is still an insult, suggesting they fuss and worry too much. It is much safer said about yourself.

Be careful, though不過要小心：calling another person "neurotic" to their face當面說別人「neurotic」 is still an insult還是帶有侮辱意味，suggesting they fuss and worry too much暗示對方太愛大驚小怪、太愛擔心。It它 is much safer said about yourself用在自己身上安全得多。