The quality of being small-minded — the noun for it. It names the attitude itself, rather than describing a person. So you use it when you want to talk about the fault as a thing: something that exists in a place, in a group, in an era, and that can be met, fought, or grown out of.

The quality of being small-mindedsmall-mindedness就是small-minded這種特質 — the noun for it——它的名詞形式。 It names the attitude itself它指的是那種心態本身， rather than describing a person而不是在形容一個人。 So you use it when you want to talk about the fault as a thing所以當你想把這個毛病當成一個東西來講的時候就會用它： something that exists in a place, in a group, in an era一個存在於某個地方、某個群體、某個時代裡的東西， and that can be met, fought, or grown out of可以去面對它、對抗它，或是長大後擺脫它。

"The small-mindedness of the village drove her to the city." "There is a lot of small-mindedness in these arguments." Because it turns the criticism into an abstract thing, it can feel slightly less personal than calling someone small-minded to their face — you are attacking the attitude in the room, not naming the man who holds it. Politicians and writers use that trick often.

"The small-mindedness of the village drove her to the city."像"The small-mindedness of the village drove her to the city."(這村子的小鼻子小眼睛把她逼去了城市)， "There is a lot of small-mindedness in these arguments."或"There is a lot of small-mindedness in these arguments."(這些爭論裡有很多小家子氣)。 Because it turns the criticism into an abstract thing因為它把批評變成一個抽象的東西， it can feel slightly less personal than calling someone small-minded to their face感覺會比當面說某人small-minded要沒那麼針對個人 — you are attacking the attitude in the room, not naming the man who holds it——你是在攻擊在場的那種心態，而不是點名抱著這種心態的那個人。 Politicians and writers use that trick often政治人物和作家常常用這一招。

It carries both halves of the adjective: petty fussing over trifles, and a hard refusal to accept anything unfamiliar. Which one is meant usually comes clear from what surrounds it.

It carries both halves of the adjective它把這個形容詞的兩層意思都帶著： petty fussing over trifles一種是為小事斤斤計較， and a hard refusal to accept anything unfamiliar一種是死也不肯接受任何不熟悉的東西。 Which one is meant到底是哪一種意思 usually comes clear from what surrounds it通常從前後文就看得出來。

It is a long, slightly formal-sounding word, and it lives more in writing and speeches than in everyday chat. In conversation people simply say "he's so small-minded".

It is a long, slightly formal-sounding word這是個有點長、聽起來滿正式的字， and it lives more in writing and speeches than in everyday chat比較常出現在文章和演講裡，不太出現在日常聊天。 In conversation日常對話裡， people simply say "he's so small-minded"人們就直接說"he's so small-minded"(他這人真的很小家子氣)。