If a remark or reply is off-the-cuff, you make it in the moment. You have not written it down. You have not practised it. You have not sat with the question first. The words come out as you think them.

If a remark or reply is off-the-cuff如果一句話或回答是off-the-cuff, you make it in the moment代表你是當下臨場說出來的。You have not written it down你沒有先寫下來。You have not practised it你沒有先練習過。You have not sat with the question first你沒有先坐下來想過這個問題。The words come out as you think them話就是你一邊想一邊說出口。

People use this most about speech: an off-the-cuff joke, an off-the-cuff answer to a reporter, an off-the-cuff toast at a wedding.

People use this most人們最常用它 about speech來說話: an off-the-cuff joke off-the-cuff joke(臨場說出的笑話), an off-the-cuff answer to a reporter對記者off-the-cuff answer(臨場的回答), an off-the-cuff toast at a wedding婚禮上off-the-cuff toast(臨場的祝酒詞)。

It can feel warm and human, because it sounds like a real person, not a script. It can also land badly, because nobody has checked it.

It can feel warm and human它可以讓人覺得溫暖、有人情味, because it sounds like a real person因為聽起來像真人在說話, not a script不是照稿念。It can also land badly它也可能講得不好, because nobody has checked it因為沒有人先檢查過。

Teachers, bosses, and politicians often call an answer off-the-cuff when they want you to forgive a rough or messy line. Though actually, some “off-the-cuff” lines are practised until they only look sudden.

Teachers, bosses, and politicians老師、老闆、和政治人物 often call an answer off-the-cuff常常把一個回答說成off-the-cuff when they want you to forgive是希望你原諒 a rough or messy line那句話講得粗糙、有點亂。Though actually不過其實, some “off-the-cuff” lines are practised有些「off-the-cuff」的話其實練習過 until they only look sudden只是練到看起來像臨場而已。

The word is about preparation, not about being rude, and not about keeping a secret. A planned speech can still be kind; an off-the-cuff one can still be sharp.

The word is about preparation這個詞講的是有沒有準備, not about being rude不是有沒有禮貌, and not about keeping a secret也不是有沒有保密。A planned speech can still be kind一場事先計畫好的演講還是可以很親切; an off-the-cuff one can still be sharp一段off-the-cuff的話也還是可以很尖銳。

Informal to neutral. You will hear it in news, offices, and everyday talk. As an adverb, people also say they spoke off the cuff, with or without the hyphens.

Informal to neutral語感是從口語到中性都有。You will hear it你會聽到它 in news, offices, and everyday talk在新聞、辦公室、和日常對話裡。As an adverb當副詞用的時候, people also say人們也會說 they spoke off the cuff spoke off the cuff(臨場發言), with or without the hyphens連字號加不加都可以。