Something second-rate is not of the very best standard or quality. A second-rate hotel is fine-ish, but you would not boast about it. A second-rate actor is not the star people remember. The phrase is a little unkind; it judges.

Something second-rate second-rate 的東西 is not of the very best standard or quality不是最頂尖的水準或品質。A second-rate hotel一間 second-rate 的旅館 is fine-ish還算過得去， but但 you你 would not boast about it不會拿它來炫耀。A second-rate actor一位 second-rate 的演員 is not不是 people人們 remember會記得 the star的那種明星。The phrase這個說法 is a little unkind有點不客氣； it judges它帶著評斷。

It does not mean second place in a race — that is just second. And it does not mean the second thing in a list.

It它 does not mean不是指 second place in a race比賽的第二名 — that那 is just只是 second。And it而它也 does not mean不是指 the second thing in a list清單裡的第二項。

Though actually, the phrase started with ships: the British navy ranked its big warships first-rate, second-rate, and so on by how many guns they carried. First-rate was the strongest class. Later people used the labels for almost anything, and second-rate came to mean ‘not the best’.

Though actually不過其實， the phrase這個說法 started with ships是從船開始的： the British navy英國海軍 by how many guns they carried按照船上載了幾門砲， its big warships把自家的大軍艦 ranked分級成 first-rate, second-rate, and so on first-rate、second-rate 一路排下去。First-rate was是 the strongest class最強的一級。Later後來 people人們 the labels把這些標籤 used for用在 almost anything幾乎任何東西上， and second-rate而 second-rate came to mean就漸漸變成 ‘not the best’「不是最好的」的意思。

We still write it with a hyphen.

We我們 still仍然 with a hyphen用連字號 write it寫它。