Sparing describes using only a little of something — and using little on purpose, because you are being careful with it. That last part is the heart of the word. A sparing cook is not a poor cook who has run out of salt; a sparing cook is choosing to use less because too much would spoil the dish.

Sparing describessparing 指的是 using only a little of something只用一點點東西， and using little on purpose而且是故意少用， because you are being careful with it因為你在小心珍惜它。 That last part那最後一點 is才是 the heart of the word這個字的重點。 A sparing cook is nota sparing的廚師不是 a poor cook who has run out of salt一個沒鹽可用的可憐廚師； a sparing cook is choosing to use lessa sparing的廚師是選擇少用， because too much would spoil the dish因為用太多會毀了這道菜。

The usual pattern is sparing with or sparing in: "be sparing with the chilli", "she was sparing in her praise". You can also put it straight in front of a noun — "his sparing use of adjectives", "a sparing application of the cream".

The usual pattern is常見的搭配是 sparing with or sparing insparing with 或 sparing in： 'be sparing with the chilli'「be sparing with the chilli」（辣椒別放太多）， 'she was sparing in her praise'「she was sparing in her praise」（她很少稱讚人）。 You can also put it straight in front of a noun你也可以直接把它放在名詞前面 — 'his sparing use of adjectives'「his sparing use of adjectives」（他很節制地使用形容詞）， 'a sparing application of the cream'「a sparing application of the cream」（乳霜用得很省）。

What is it really used for? Two areas, mostly. Physical things you can spend or spread — salt, water, paint, medicine, money. And things people give out: praise, criticism, detail, words themselves. That second use is very common and quite English: to say someone is sparing with praise is to say they hand it out rarely, so it means more when it comes.

What is it really used for它到底是用在什麼地方？ Two areas, mostly主要有兩個範圍。 Physical things you can spend or spread可以花用或塗抹的實體東西 — salt, water, paint, medicine, money鹽、水、油漆、藥、錢。 And things people give out還有人給出去的東西： praise, criticism, detail, words themselves稱讚、批評、細節、話語本身。 That second use is very common and quite English第二種用法很常見，也很英式： to say someone is sparing with praise說一個人 sparing with praise（吝於稱讚） is to say they hand it out rarely意思是他們很少給出稱讚， so it means more when it comes所以稱讚一出現就更有分量。

The feeling of the word is usually mildly approving. Being sparing suggests restraint and good judgement, unlike stingy or mean, which say you are holding back when you should not. But it can tip: "sparing with the truth" is a polite, slightly amused way of saying someone is not being fully honest.

The feeling of the word這個字給人的感覺 is usually mildly approving通常是帶點讚許的。 Being sparing suggests restraint and good judgementsparing 給人的印象是節制、有分寸， unlike stingy or mean不像 stingy 或 mean， which say you are holding back when you should not那兩個字說的是你在不該省的時候小氣。 But it can tip不過它也可能轉向： 'sparing with the truth'「sparing with the truth」（對真相有所保留） is a polite, slightly amused way of saying是一種客氣、帶點玩笑意味的說法， someone is not being fully honest說某人沒有完全誠實。

Register: somewhat formal, more written than spoken. In everyday conversation people say "don't use too much" or "go easy on the salt". You will meet sparing in recipes, instructions, reviews and careful writing. It is fairly uncommon in front of a noun and much more common in that be sparing with pattern — and, honestly, its adverb sparingly is far more frequent than the adjective itself.

Register語感／使用場合： somewhat formal偏正式， more written than spoken書面比口語常見。 In everyday conversation people say日常對話裡大家會說 'don't use too much'「don't use too much」（不要用太多）， or 'go easy on the salt'「go easy on the salt」（鹽少放一點）。 You will meet sparing in你會看到 sparing 出現在 recipes, instructions, reviews and careful writing食譜、說明、評論和講究的文章裡。 It is fairly uncommon in front of a noun放在名詞前面其實不常見 and much more common in that be sparing with pattern反而是 be sparing with 這個句型常見得多 — and, honestly, its adverb sparingly is far more frequent than the adjective itself而且老實說，副詞 sparingly 比形容詞本身還要常用得多。

Beware one thing: sparing also looks exactly like the -ing form of the verb spare ("sparing no expense", "sparing her feelings"). Same spelling, different job. The context tells you which you have.

Beware one thing要注意一件事： sparing also looks exactly like the -ing form of the verb sparesparing 長得跟動詞 spare 的 -ing 形一模一樣 ('sparing no expense'「sparing no expense」（不惜花費）， 'sparing her feelings'「sparing her feelings」（顧及她的感受)。 Same spelling拼法一樣， different job功能不同。 The context前後文 tells you which you have會告訴你是哪一個。