A vengeful person badly wants to hurt someone back for something that person did to them. It describes not a single act but a state of mind — the wish for revenge, sitting inside someone, often for a long time. 'A vengeful ex-husband', 'she felt vengeful', 'a vengeful god'.

A vengeful person有報復心的人 badly wants to hurt someone back很想要報復回去 for something that person did to them因為對方對他做過的事。It describes not a single act這個字講的不是單一的行為 but a state of mind而是一種心理狀態 — the wish for revenge, sitting inside someone一種想報復的念頭藏在心裡 often for a long time常常放很久。'A vengeful ex-husband', 'she felt vengeful', 'a vengeful god'『A vengeful ex-husband（愛報復的前夫）』、『she felt vengeful（她覺得很想報復）』、『a vengeful god（愛報復的神）』。

Two things make this word what it is. First, it is nearly always negative. English lets you feel that the wrong done to you was real, and still judge you for wanting revenge — 'vengeful' says you have gone too far, that the wanting has taken you over. If you want to say that punishing someone was fair, you use different words: just, deserved, fair.

Two things make this word what it is這個字有兩個重點。First, it is nearly always negative第一，它幾乎都是負面的。English lets you feel that the wrong done to you was real英文讓你可以覺得對方對你做的錯事是真的 and still judge you for wanting revenge但還是會因為你想報復而評斷你 — 'vengeful' says you have gone too far『vengeful』是在說你已經做過頭了 that the wanting has taken you over這種想報復的念頭已經控制了你。If you want to say that punishing someone was fair如果你想說懲罰某人是公平的 you use different words: just, deserved, fair你會用別的字：just、deserved、fair。

Second, it suggests something cold and patient. An angry person shouts and it passes; a vengeful person waits. That is why it fits so well with stories — vengeful ghosts, vengeful spirits, vengeful villains are everywhere in films and novels, and this is where students most often meet the word.

Second, it suggests something cold and patient第二，它給人一種冷靜又有耐心的感覺。An angry person shouts and it passes生氣的人會大吼，然後就過去了 a vengeful person waits有報復心的人會等。That is why it fits so well with stories這就是為什麼它很適合用在故事裡 — vengeful ghosts, vengeful spirits, vengeful villains愛報復的鬼、愛報復的靈、愛報復的反派 are everywhere in films and novels在電影和小說裡到處都是 and this is where students most often meet the word而學生也最常在這裡遇到這個字。

The related noun is 'revenge' (much more common than the older noun 'vengeance', which sounds biblical or dramatic — 'vengeance is mine'). Everyday English prefers 'take revenge on someone' or 'get back at someone'. Keep 'vengeful' for the adjective, describing the person or their feeling: 'He isn't a vengeful man'.

The related noun is 'revenge'相關的名詞是『revenge』 (much more common than the older noun 'vengeance'比較舊的名詞『vengeance』少見多了, which sounds biblical or dramatic聽起來像聖經或很戲劇化 — 'vengeance is mine')『vengeance is mine（復仇是我的）』）。Everyday English prefers 'take revenge on someone' or 'get back at someone'日常英文比較常用『take revenge on someone』或『get back at someone』。Keep 'vengeful' for the adjective『vengeful』留給形容詞用 describing the person or their feeling用來形容人或他們的感覺 'He isn't a vengeful man'『He isn't a vengeful man（他不是個愛報復的人）』。