Vindictive describes a person who wants to hurt someone back, and wants it too much. Someone hurt them, and instead of letting it go, they carry the anger for a long time and look for ways to make that person suffer — often in ways far bigger than the original harm.

Vindictive describes a person who wants to hurt someone back是用來形容一個想報復回去的人, and wants it too much而且想報復得太過頭。Someone hurt them有人傷害了他們, and instead of letting it go, they carry the anger for a long time但他們沒有放下，而是把怒氣帶了很久 and look for ways to make that person suffer還想辦法讓對方受苦 — often in ways far bigger than the original harm而且常常做得比原本受到的傷害大得多。

A vindictive ex-partner tells lies to your friends for years. A vindictive boss gives you the worst jobs because you once disagreed in a meeting.

A vindictive ex-partner tells lies to your friends for years一個 vindictive 的前任會對你的朋友撒謊撒好幾年。A vindictive boss gives you the worst jobs because you once disagreed in a meeting一個 vindictive 的老闆會因為你曾在會議上唱反調，就一直把最爛的工作丟給你。

This is always a criticism. There is no kind version of this word. That is what separates it from simply wanting fairness: if a thief is sent to prison, that is justice, and nobody calls it vindictive; but if the person they stole from also gets them fired, spreads their name around town, and follows them to their new job, that is vindictive.

This is always a criticism這個字永遠帶著批評的意味。There is no kind version of this word沒有溫和版本的用法。That is what separates it from simply wanting fairness這也是它跟單純想要公平不一樣的地方: if a thief is sent to prison, that is justice, and nobody calls it vindictive如果小偷被關進監獄，那是正義，沒有人會說這是 vindictive; but if the person they stole from also gets them fired, spreads their name around town, and follows them to their new job但如果失主還讓小偷被開除、把他的名字傳遍全鎮、甚至追到他的新工作去, that is vindictive那就是 vindictive 了。

The line is proportion — and coldness. A vindictive person is not exploding in the moment; they are patient, which is what makes it frightening.

The line is proportion分界線在於比例 — and coldness還有冷靜。A vindictive person is not exploding in the momentvindictive 的人不是當下爆發情緒; they are patient而是很有耐心, which is what makes it frightening這正是讓人害怕的地方。

It can also describe actions and things, not only people: a vindictive email, a vindictive punishment, a vindictive streak. And notice it is stronger and colder than angry, and narrower than cruel — cruelty can be aimed at anyone, but vindictiveness is always payback aimed at someone who wronged you first.

It can also describe actions and things, not only people它也可以用來形容行為和事物，不只是人: a vindictive email, a vindictive punishment, a vindictive streak像 a vindictive email（一封充滿報復意味的信）、a vindictive punishment（報復性的懲罰）、a vindictive streak（報復性的性格傾向）。And notice it is stronger and colder than angry還要注意它比 angry（生氣）更強烈、更冷, and narrower than cruel但範圍比 cruel（殘忍）窄 — cruelty can be aimed at anyonecruelty 可以針對任何人, but vindictiveness is always payback aimed at someone who wronged you first但 vindictiveness 永遠是針對曾經先虧待你的人所做的報復。