Undue means more than is fair, reasonable, or needed. 'Undue pressure' is pressure that goes past what the situation deserves. 'Without undue delay' means without waiting any longer than the job honestly requires. 'Undue influence' is pushing someone harder than you have the right to.

Undue meansUndue 指的是 more than is fair, reasonable, or needed超過合理、公平或必要的程度。'Undue pressure' is pressure'Undue pressure' 是一種壓力 that goes past what the situation deserves超出了這個情況所該有的程度。'Without undue delay' means'Without undue delay' 意思是 without waiting any longer than the job honestly requires不要拖得比事情本身需要的時間更久。'Undue influence' is'Undue influence' 是 pushing someone harder than you have the right to用超過你該有的權力去逼一個人。

It goes before a noun; you do not say 'the delay was undue' in normal English. The word carries a judgement, and that is the whole reason it exists.

It goes before a noun它要放在名詞前面; you do not say 'the delay was undue' in normal English一般英文不會說 'the delay was undue'。The word carries a judgement這個字帶著評斷的意味, and that is the whole reason it exists而這正是它存在的理由。

If I say 'there was pressure', I have described a fact. If I say 'there was undue pressure', I have told you the pressure crossed a line. So it is a quiet way of complaining, or of setting a limit, without raising your voice.

If I say 'there was pressure'如果我說 'there was pressure', I have described a fact我只是陳述一個事實。If I say 'there was undue pressure'如果我說 'there was undue pressure', I have told you the pressure crossed a line我等於告訴你這個壓力已經超過線了。So it is a quiet way of complaining, or of setting a limit所以這是一種低調抱怨、或設下限度的方式, without raising your voice不用提高音量。

That is why you meet it constantly in careful, official language — contracts, law, medical advice, company rules, polite letters: 'Please do not cause the patient undue distress.' 'The company must not place undue burden on staff.' The word almost always sits with a negative noun: pressure, delay, hardship, burden, risk, influence, alarm, haste, distress. That is a useful shortcut for students. Something good is never 'undue' — you cannot say 'undue happiness'.

That is why you meet it constantly in careful, official language這就是為什麼你會常常在謹慎、正式的文字裡碰到它 — contracts, law, medical advice, company rules, polite letters合約、法律、醫療建議、公司規定、客氣的信件: 'Please do not cause the patient undue distress.'像 'Please do not cause the patient undue distress.'（請不要讓病人承受不必要的痛苦） 'The company must not place undue burden on staff.''The company must not place undue burden on staff.'（公司不得讓員工承受過度的負擔） The word almost always sits with a negative noun這個字幾乎都跟負面名詞搭在一起: pressure, delay, hardship, burden, risk, influence, alarm, haste, distress像 pressure、delay、hardship、burden、risk、influence、alarm、haste、distress。That is a useful shortcut for students這對學生來說是個好用的捷徑。Something good is never 'undue'好的事情絕不會用 'undue' 來形容 — you cannot say 'undue happiness'不能說 'undue happiness'。

Though actually there is a small wrinkle here that dictionaries do not always mention. Because 'undue' means 'too much', the phrase 'without undue X' does NOT mean 'without any X'. 'Without undue delay' quietly admits there will be SOME delay — just not an unreasonable amount. Officials like the phrase for exactly that reason: it promises less than it sounds like it promises.

Though actually there is a small wrinkle here不過其實這裡有個小小的細節 that dictionaries do not always mention字典不一定會提到。Because 'undue' means 'too much'因為 'undue' 是「太多」的意思, the phrase 'without undue X' does NOT mean 'without any X''without undue X' 這個說法並不等於「完全沒有 X」。'Without undue delay' quietly admits there will be SOME delay'Without undue delay' 其實默默承認會有一些延遲 — just not an unreasonable amount只是不會多到不合理。Officials like the phrase for exactly that reason官方就是因為這樣才喜歡用這個說法: it promises less than it sounds like it promises它聽起來承諾的比實際承諾的還要多。