性情這個面向
這一家最貼近字根，就是那個刻度盤本身，不帶好壞。
adjective · C1
Relating to a person's temperament — the emotional side of their character, such as how strongly they feel things and how easily their mood moves.
性情上的
核心畫面
One way to hold this word: picture a dial inside each person that shows how strongly they are reacting right now. Some people's needles barely move; other people's needles jump to the top over a dropped cup. Temperamental is a word about that dial. Pointed at the dial itself it is neutral — temperamental differences just means two people's dials are set differently. Said about a person on their own, it means the needle jumps too easily, and it sounds like a complaint. Machines have no dial at all, so calling one temperamental is a borrowed picture: it behaves as if it had moods.
可以想成每個人身上都有一個天生的情緒刻度盤：同樣一件事，有人的指針幾乎不動，有人一下子就衝到底。temperamen…更多收起
可以想成每個人身上都有一個天生的情緒刻度盤：同樣一件事，有人的指針幾乎不動，有人一下子就衝到底。temperamental 這個字講的就是這個盤面。當它指「盤面這個面向」時是中性的，例如 temperamental differences 只是說兩個人天生的設定不同。但單獨拿來形容一個人，通常是在說他的指針太容易亂跳，語氣是抱怨。機器根本沒有這個盤，所以說機器 temperamental 是借來的畫面：它表現得好像有脾氣。From the word’s history
Wiktionary records the word as temperament + -al, that is, "to do with temperament". That matches the sense that sits closest to the root: the emotional side of a character.
Wiktionary 記錄這個字是 temperament（性情）加上 -al（…的），字面就是「跟性情有關的」。這條線索正好落在最貼近字根的那個意思：性情這個面向。
Wiktionary entry for temperamental, supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:992822821:8556), etymology_text: "From temperament + -al."
Two branches
指針說跳就跳
同一個刻度盤，但太敏感：小事就讓指針衝到頂。這時候這個字就從描述變成抱怨，機器的用法再往外借一步。
adjective · B2
Someone who is temperamental changes mood suddenly and often, becoming upset, excited or angry over small things. The word shows that you do not like this about them.
喜怒無常的