Describing someone who always gives in and does what another person wants, without arguing back — even when that person treats them badly. It is mostly a criticism, or at least a worry: 'a submissive wife', 'submissive employees'. It suggests the obeying has gone too far, that the person has stopped standing up for themselves.

Describing someone用來形容一個人 who always gives in and does what another person wants總是讓步、照別人的意思做, without arguing back從不反駁 — even when that person treats them badly就算對方對他不好也一樣. It它 is mostly a criticism大多是一種批評, or at least a worry或至少是一種擔憂: 'a submissive wife', 'submissive employees'像「a submissive wife」、「submissive employees」（順從的太太、唯命是從的員工）. It它 suggests暗示著 the obeying has gone too far順從已經過頭了, that the person has stopped standing up for themselves這個人已經不再為自己站出來.

This is what separates it from 'obedient', which can be neutral or even praise, and from 'polite' or 'humble', which are about manners rather than surrender. It is also used of animals — a dog rolling over shows submissive behaviour — and of body language in general: a lowered head, avoided eyes.

This這一點 is what separates it from就是它和 'obedient'「obedient」（聽話、服從）不一樣的地方, which can be neutral or even praise因為obedient可能是中性的，甚至是稱讚, and from和 'polite' or 'humble'「polite」（有禮貌）或「humble」（謙虛）也不一樣, which are about manners rather than surrender因為那些講的是禮貌，不是屈服. It它 is also used of animals也可以用在動物身上 — a dog rolling over shows submissive behaviour狗翻肚子就是一種順從submissive的行為 — and還有 of body language in general一般身體語言上也是: a lowered head, avoided eyes低著頭、眼神閃躲.

There is a further use you should recognise even if you never need to write it: in talk about relationships, 'submissive' (often shortened to 'sub') is one half of the dominant/submissive pair, and there it is a chosen role rather than an insult.

There is a further use還有一個用法 you should recognise even if you never need to write it你該認得，就算你自己不需要寫: in talk about relationships在談感情關係時, 'submissive'「submissive」 (often shortened to 'sub')常簡寫成「sub」 is one half of the dominant/submissive pair是「dominant/submissive」（支配／順從）這一組角色裡的一半, and there而在那個脈絡裡 it is a chosen role rather than an insult它是一個自己選擇的角色，而不是一種侮辱.

Culture matters here. Behaviour that Taiwanese families might call 乖 or 聽話 and see as good can be labelled 'submissive' by an English speaker and meant as a warning, so weigh the word before you use it about a real person. The noun is 'submission'; the adverb, 'submissively'.

Culture matters here文化在這裡很重要. Behaviour台灣家庭可能會叫做「乖」或「聽話」、視為好事的行為 that Taiwanese families might call 乖 or 聽話 and see as good can be labelled 'submissive'可能被英語使用者貼上「submissive」的標籤 by an English speaker and meant as a warning而且是當成一種警訊在說, so weigh the word所以用這個字之前要斟酌一下 before you use it about a real person再用在一個真實的人身上. The noun名詞 is是 'submission'「submission」; the adverb, 'submissively'副詞則是「submissively」.