To vex someone is to bother them in a way that both annoys them and leaves them uneasy — not a flash of anger, but a small irritation that sits there and nags. That double feeling is the heart of the word: annoyed and slightly worried at the same time. A rude noise merely annoys you; a problem you cannot solve, or a question you cannot answer, vexes you.

To vex someone is to bother themVex一個人是去打擾他 in a way that both annoys them and leaves them uneasy讓他們既生氣又不安 not a flash of anger不是一時的怒氣 but a small irritation that sits there and nags而是一種留在那裡、揮之不去的小煩躁。 That double feeling is the heart of the word這種雙重感覺就是這個字的核心 annoyed and slightly worried at the same time同時又生氣又有點擔心。 A rude noise merely annoys you一個粗魯的噪音只會讓你annoyed（生氣） a problem you cannot solve, or a question you cannot answer, vexes you解不開的問題，或答不出來的問題，才會讓你vex（既氣又煩）。

The word is old-fashioned and literary now. Native speakers know it perfectly well from books, and it turns up in a few fixed phrases — 'a vexed question' and 'a vexing problem' mean a hard, unsettled matter that people keep arguing about, and 'vexed' can also describe a person: 'she looked rather vexed'. But in everyday speech people say annoyed, bothered, or irritated instead. If you say 'that vexes me' to a friend, you will sound like a character in a nineteenth-century novel — sometimes people do that on purpose, for a light joking effect.

The word is old-fashioned and literary now這個字現在偏老派、文學。 Native speakers know it perfectly well from books母語者從書上很熟悉這個字 and it turns up in a few fixed phrases也出現在幾個固定用法裡 'a vexed question' and 'a vexing problem' mean a hard, unsettled matter that people keep arguing about'a vexed question'和'a vexing problem'指的是大家爭論不休、懸而未決的難題 and 'vexed' can also describe a person: 'she looked rather vexed''vexed'也可以形容人，像'she looked rather vexed'（她看起來滿煩躁的）。 But in everyday speech但日常說話 people say annoyed, bothered, or irritated instead大家會改說annoyed、bothered或irritated。 If you say 'that vexes me' to a friend如果你對朋友說'that vexes me' you will sound like a character in a nineteenth-century novel聽起來會像十九世紀小說裡的角色 sometimes people do that on purpose, for a light joking effect有時候大家是故意這樣講，開個小玩笑。

There is an older, stronger use meaning to harass or torment someone over and over — 'vexed by illness all his life' — which you still see in serious writing. And in law, to vex someone is to keep dragging them into court to wear them down; that use is alive and technical.

There is an older, stronger use meaning to harass or torment someone over and over還有一個更早、更強烈的用法，指反覆折磨或糾纏一個人 'vexed by illness all his life'像'vexed by illness all his life'（一輩子被病痛纏身） which you still see in serious writing在正式的文章裡還看得到。 And in law在法律用語裡 to vex someone is to keep dragging them into court to wear them downvex一個人是指不斷把他拖上法庭來消耗他 that use is alive and technical這個用法現在還活著，而且是專業用語。

Worth knowing: in Caribbean English, and in West African English, vex is fully ordinary, everyday, and often used as a describing word — 'I'm vex with you' means plainly 'I'm angry with you', with no old-fashioned feeling at all.

Worth knowing值得知道的是 in Caribbean English, and in West African English, vex is fully ordinary, everyday, and often used as a describing word在加勒比英語和西非英語裡，vex是完全日常的字，還常常直接當形容詞用 'I'm vex with you' means plainly 'I'm angry with you''I'm vex with you'意思就是'我在生你的氣' with no old-fashioned feeling at all完全沒有老派的感覺。