Something tedious goes on and on and is dull — not hard, just long and empty of interest, so that doing it or sitting through it tires you out. That combination of LENGTH and DULLNESS is the whole point: a two-minute job is not tedious, however dull it is, and a long job you enjoy is not tedious either.

Something tedious某件tedious的事情 goes on and on and is dull會拖拖拉拉又枯燥 — not hard不是難, just long and empty of interest只是又長又沒意思, so that doing it or sitting through it tires you out以至於做它或坐著撐完它會讓你累。That combination of LENGTH and DULLNESS「長」加上「枯燥」這個組合 is the whole point才是重點: a two-minute job is not tedious一件兩分鐘的工作不算tedious, however dull it is不管它有多無聊, and a long job you enjoy一件你很享受的長工作 is not tedious either也不算tedious。

It fits repetitive work perfectly — copying numbers into a spreadsheet, checking a hundred names one by one — and it fits long meetings, long speeches, and long films.

It它 fits repetitive work perfectly完全適合用在重複性的工作上 — copying numbers into a spreadsheet像把數字抄進試算表, checking a hundred names one by one一個一個核對一百個名字 — and it fits long meetings, long speeches, and long films也適合用在冗長的會議、演講和電影上。

It is a slightly formal, educated-sounding word; in casual speech friends more often say 'so boring' or 'such a pain'.

It它 is a slightly formal, educated-sounding word是個稍微正式、聽起來有點書卷氣的字; in casual speech friends more often say 'so boring' or 'such a pain'在口語裡朋友之間更常說「so boring」或「such a pain」。

Two things to notice about how people really use it. First, it is very often used about the small unavoidable parts of something worthwhile: 'The idea was exciting, but the paperwork was tedious.' Second, applied to a PERSON ('a tedious man', 'don't be tedious'), it is a cool, rather cutting insult meaning they go on and on — colder and more looking-down than 'boring', and mostly British in flavour.

Two things to notice about how people really use it關於大家實際怎麼用這個字，有兩件事值得注意。First第一, it is very often used about the small unavoidable parts of something worthwhile它很常用在一件有價值的事裡那些逃不掉的小麻煩上: 'The idea was exciting, but the paperwork was tedious.'像「The idea was exciting, but the paperwork was tedious.」 Second第二, applied to a PERSON用在一個「人」身上 ('a tedious man', 'don't be tedious')像「a tedious man」、「don't be tedious」, it is a cool, rather cutting insult meaning they go on and on是一種冷冷的、相當尖銳的損人話，意思是這個人講個沒完 — colder and more looking-down than 'boring'比「boring」更冷、更帶點看不起, and mostly British in flavour而且比較是英式說法。