Uneducated means not having had much schooling — or showing the signs of that. It works two ways.

Uneducated means not having had much schooling意思是沒受過什麼教育 — or showing the signs of that或表現出那種樣子. It works two ways這個字有兩種用法.

About a person: 'she was poor and uneducated' simply states that she did not get to go to school for long. About speech, writing, or manners: 'an uneducated accent', 'uneducated handwriting' — here the word is judging how someone comes across, and that use is often unkind.

About a person講一個人的時候: 'she was poor and uneducated'「she was poor and uneducated」 simply states that she did not get to go to school for long只是單純陳述她沒有上過多久學. About speech, writing, or manners講口音、書寫或舉止的時候: 'an uneducated accent'「an uneducated accent」, 'uneducated handwriting'「uneducated handwriting」 — here the word is judging how someone comes across這時候這個字是在評斷一個人給人的觀感, and that use is often unkind而這種用法常常帶著不客氣.

Handle it carefully. Uneducated is not a neutral technical word in the way it looks; in English it carries a strong social smell, and calling a living person uneducated to their face, or in an essay, sounds looking-down-your-nose. Native speakers usually soften it: 'he left school early', 'she never had the chance to study'. It is safest in historical or statistical writing — 'a largely uneducated population in the nineteenth century'.

Handle it carefully使用時要小心. Uneducated is not a neutral technical word in the way it looks並不是表面看起來那樣中性的技術詞; in English it carries a strong social smell在英文裡它帶著濃厚的階級意味, and calling a living person uneducated to their face當面說一個活生生的人uneducated, or in an essay或在文章裡這樣寫, sounds looking-down-your-nose聽起來都像在瞧不起人. Native speakers usually soften it母語者通常會說得委婉一點: 'he left school early'「he left school early」, 'she never had the chance to study'「she never had the chance to study」. It is safest in historical or statistical writing在歷史或統計性的文章裡用最安全 — 'a largely uneducated population in the nineteenth century'像「a largely uneducated population in the nineteenth century」.

Keep it apart from three near neighbours. Uneducated is about schooling. Ignorant is about not knowing a particular thing (and is ruder). Illiterate specifically means unable to read and write. Stupid is about ability, and is different again — a highly intelligent person can be uneducated, and that gap is exactly the point the word often makes.

Keep it apart from three near neighbours要跟三個相近的字分清楚. Uneducated is about schooling這個字講的是有沒有受教育. Ignorant而ignorant is about not knowing a particular thing講的是不知道某件事 (and is ruder而且語氣更重). Illiterate而illiterate specifically means unable to read and write則專指不識字、不會讀寫. Stupid而stupid is about ability講的是能力, and is different again又是另一回事 — a highly intelligent person can be uneducated一個非常聰明的人也可能是uneducated, and that gap is exactly the point the word often makes而這中間的落差正是這個字常常想表達的重點.

In older writing you will also meet 'the uneducated' as a group noun, meaning uneducated people generally.

In older writing you will also meet 'the uneducated' as a group noun在比較舊的文章裡，你還會看到「the uneducated」當集合名詞用, meaning uneducated people generally泛指沒受教育的人.