核心畫面

One way to hold prim: everything pulled in and pinned down. A straight back, hands in the lap, a mouth pressed shut, a collar buttoned to the very top — nothing loose, nothing spilling over. The word carries a small amount of teasing with it wherever it goes, because all that holding-in is a shade more than the moment asks for. Point the image at a person and you get their manner; point it at what they are wearing and you get the clothes; turn it into a verb and you get the one small movement of the mouth closing.

prim 可以想成「整個收緊、釘牢」的樣子。背挺著,手放腿上,嘴抿起來,領子扣到最上面一顆——沒有一處是鬆的,沒有一更多收起prim 可以想成「整個收緊、釘牢」的樣子。背挺著,手放腿上,嘴抿起來,領子扣到最上面一顆——沒有一處是鬆的,沒有一處溢出來。這個字走到哪裡都帶著一點點調侃,因為那樣的收緊,總比當下需要的再多一點。把這個畫面指向一個人,得到的是舉止;指向他身上的衣服,得到的是穿著;把它變成動詞,得到的就是嘴巴閉緊的那一個小動作。

Two branches

人的舉止:一本正經

核心畫面直接落在人身上,是這個字最常用的一支。

adjective · C1

Speaking and behaving in a very correct, careful way, keeping closely to polite rules, and easily shocked by anything rude or untidy.

一本正經;拘謹

衣著:整齊而拘束

同一個畫面從人身上移到衣服上;連那點調侃也一起搬過去。

adjective · C1

Prim clothes are neat and formal — plain, buttoned up, nothing loose or bright about them.

(衣著)整齊拘謹的