Unobtrusive describes something — or someone — that is there but does not push itself at you. It does not hide; it simply does not demand your attention. This is nearly always a compliment in English, and that is the part students miss.

Unobtrusive形容 describes something — or someone — that is there but does not push itself at you某個東西或某個人存在，但不會硬要引起你的注意。It does not hide它不是躲起來; it simply does not demand your attention它只是不會要求你去注意它。This is nearly always a compliment in English這在英文裡幾乎都是稱讚, and that is the part students miss而這正是學生最容易忽略的地方。

An unobtrusive waiter fills your glass and disappears, and you had a lovely evening partly because of that. Unobtrusive lighting, unobtrusive music, an unobtrusive repair to an old wall, an unobtrusive security camera — in each case the praise is that it does its job without interrupting anything.

An unobtrusive waiter一位不張揚的服務生 fills your glass and disappears會幫你倒滿酒杯然後悄悄離開, and you had a lovely evening partly because of that而你之所以度過美好的一晚，這也是原因之一。Unobtrusive lighting低調的燈光, unobtrusive music不張揚的音樂, an unobtrusive repair to an old wall一處不著痕跡的老牆修補, an unobtrusive security camera一台不顯眼的監視器 — in each case the praise is that it does its job without interrupting anything每個例子裡，被稱讚的都是它默默做好自己的工作、不打斷任何事。

With people, unobtrusive suggests good manners: quiet, tactful, not making the moment about themselves. Compare a few neighbours: an obtrusive one is always in your face; an unobtrusive one is around, and you never feel crowded.

With people用在人身上時, unobtrusive suggests good manners不張揚暗示的是好教養: quiet, tactful, not making the moment about themselves安靜、得體、不會把場面變成關於自己。Compare a few neighbours比較幾個相近的詞: an obtrusive one一個obtrusive（愛出風頭）的人 is always in your face總是很煩人地存在感十足; an unobtrusive one一個unobtrusive的人 is around, and you never feel crowded就在那裡，但你完全不會覺得被打擾。

It is a formal, mostly written word, and in speech people say 'you hardly notice it' or 'it doesn't get in the way'. Its usual partner is 'discreet', which is very close but adds the idea of keeping something secret; unobtrusive is only about not standing out.

It is a formal, mostly written word這是個正式、多半用於書面的字, and in speech在口語裡 people say 'you hardly notice it' or 'it doesn't get in the way'大家會說'你幾乎不會注意到它'或'它不會擋路'。Its usual partner它常見的搭檔字 is 'discreet'是'discreet'（謹慎、低調）, which is very close but adds the idea of keeping something secret意思很接近，但多了保守秘密的含意; unobtrusive is only about not standing out而unobtrusive純粹是指不引人注目。