Understated describes a style that is pleasing precisely because it is quiet — simple, without loud colours, big logos, heavy decoration, or anything shouting for attention. It is almost always a compliment.

Understated這個詞 describes描述的是 a style一種風格 that is pleasing讓人喜歡 precisely because正是因為 it is quiet它很低調——simple簡單、without loud colours沒有搶眼的顏色、big logos大大的商標、heavy decoration厚重的裝飾、or anything shouting for attention或任何搶著引人注意的東西。 It is它 almost always幾乎都 a compliment是稱讚。

An understated dress, an understated grey suit, understated make-up, an understated hotel lobby, an understated performance by an actor who does very little and still makes you feel everything.

An understated dress一件低調的洋裝、an understated grey suit一套低調的灰色西裝、understated make-up低調的妝容、an understated hotel lobby低調的飯店大廳、an understated performance低調的演出、by an actor who does very little由一位做得很少的演員、and still makes you feel everything卻讓你感受到一切。

The word carries a flavour of confidence and often of money: understated things are frequently expensive things that choose not to announce it, which is why you meet the fixed phrase 'understated elegance' so often in fashion and design writing. It is also used of behaviour and of writing — an understated speech does not push its emotion at you. Note that it is not the same as plain, cheap, or boring; understated implies a choice was made and taste was involved.

The word這個詞 carries帶有 a flavour of confidence一種自信的味道、and often of money也常帶有金錢的味道:understated things低調的東西 are frequently通常 expensive things是昂貴的東西 that choose not to announce it只是選擇不張揚、which is why這也是為什麼 in fashion and design writing在時尚和設計的文章裡 you meet常常會看到 the fixed phrase 'understated elegance'「understated elegance低調的優雅」這個固定用語。 It is also used它也用 of behaviour and of writing在行為和文字上——an understated speech一場低調的演講 does not push its emotion at you不會把情緒硬塞給你。 Note that要注意 it is not the same as它跟...不一樣 plain, cheap, or boring平淡、廉價或無聊;understated低調 implies暗示著 a choice was made曾經做過選擇 and taste was involved而且是有品味的。

There is a second, plainer use, straight from the verb: 'the understated risks in the report' means risks that were described as smaller than they were. Context tells you instantly which one is meant — style contexts give you the compliment, factual contexts give you the criticism.

There is還有 a second, plainer use第二種比較樸素的用法、straight from the verb直接來自動詞:'the understated risks in the report'「the understated risks in the report報告裡被低估的風險」 means意思是 risks that were described as smaller than they were這些風險被說得比實際上還小。 Context上下文 tells you instantly會馬上告訴你 which one is meant是哪一種意思——style contexts風格的語境 give you the compliment給你的是稱讚、factual contexts事實的語境 give you the criticism給你的是批評。