Below the level that is required or accepted — not merely a bit worse than usual, but poor enough that it should not be allowed. An adjective.

Below the level that is required or accepted低於規定或可接受的水準 — not merely a bit worse than usual,──不只是比平常差一點， but poor enough that it should not be allowed.而是差到不應該被允許的程度。An adjective.是個形容詞。

You hear it most about things that are supposed to meet a rule: substandard housing that is damp and unsafe, substandard building work, substandard care in a hospital, substandard goods that a shop should not have sold. Because of that, it carries a note of blame and often a hint that someone should answer for it, which is why it lives in news reports, inspections, complaints and official documents rather than in casual talk. If your friend cooks a disappointing dinner you would not call it substandard unless you were joking.

You hear it most about things that are supposed to meet a rule:你最常在應該符合規定的事物上聽到這個字： substandard housing that is damp and unsafe,潮濕又不安全的 substandard housing（不合標準的住宅）， substandard building work,substandard building work（不合標準的施工）， substandard care in a hospital,醫院裡 substandard care（不合標準的照護）， substandard goods that a shop should not have sold.商店不該賣出的 substandard goods（不合標準的商品）。Because of that, it carries a note of blame正因為如此，它帶有一點責怪的味道 and often a hint that someone should answer for it,也常常暗示有人該為此負責， which is why it lives in news reports, inspections, complaints and official documents rather than in casual talk.這就是為什麼它常出現在新聞報導、檢查報告、投訴和官方文件裡，而不是日常聊天中。If your friend cooks a disappointing dinner如果你朋友煮了一頓讓人失望的晚餐， you would not call it substandard unless you were joking.除非你是在開玩笑，不然你不會說那是 substandard。

There is a second, narrower use in language study: 'substandard English' means forms that are not accepted as standard, such as 'he don't'. Be careful with that one — many linguists now avoid it, because calling how real people speak 'substandard' sounds like a judgement on the speakers, and 'nonstandard' is the neutral word they prefer.

There is a second, narrower use in language study:在語言學研究裡還有第二種、比較窄的用法： 'substandard English' means forms that are not accepted as standard,「substandard English」是指不被接受為標準的說法， such as 'he don't'.例如「he don't」。Be careful with that one這個用法要小心 — many linguists now avoid it,──現在很多語言學家都會避免使用它， because calling how real people speak 'substandard' sounds like a judgement on the speakers,因為把真實人們說話的方式稱作「substandard」，聽起來像是在評斷說話的人， and 'nonstandard' is the neutral word they prefer.他們比較喜歡用中立的字「nonstandard」。