Well-nigh means almost, or very nearly. It goes in front of an adjective or a word like impossible, and it says that something is so close to being true that the difference hardly matters: the job is well-nigh impossible, the old house was well-nigh empty, it was well-nigh dark by the time we got home.

Well-nigh Well-nigh means almost, or very nearly意思是幾乎、差不多. It它 goes in front of an adjective or a word like impossible放在形容詞或像impossible這樣的字前面, and it says that something is so close to being true that the difference hardly matters表示某件事非常接近成真，差別已經幾乎不重要了: the job is well-nigh impossible這件工作幾乎不可能做到, the old house was well-nigh empty那間老房子幾乎空無一物, it was well-nigh dark by the time we got home等我們到家時天幾乎黑了.

The thing to know is that this word is old. Nobody in Taiwan needs to say it, and if you say it to a friend you will sound like a character in a novel. But you will meet it in reading — in older books, in newspaper writing that wants to sound a bit grand, and sometimes in a speech. Writers still reach for it because it sounds heavier and more final than plain almost.

The thing to know is that this word is old要知道的是，這個字很老派. Nobody in Taiwan needs to say it台灣人不需要用這個字, and if you say it to a friend you will sound like a character in a novel如果你跟朋友這樣說話，聽起來會像小說裡的人物. But you will meet it in reading但你會在閱讀裡遇到它 — in older books在比較舊的書裡, in newspaper writing that wants to sound a bit grand想寫得有氣勢的新聞文章裡, and sometimes in a speech有時候也會出現在演講裡. Writers still reach for it作家還是會用這個字, because it sounds heavier and more final than plain almost因為它聽起來比單純的almost更沉重、更有定論的感覺.

It likes to sit next to strong, absolute words. Well-nigh impossible, well-nigh perfect, well-nigh unbearable are the ones you see again and again. Nobody says well-nigh warm or well-nigh happy — it wants a word that already means the very end of the scale, and then it pushes you right up to that end without quite touching it.

It likes to sit next to strong, absolute words它喜歡搭配語氣強烈、絕對性的字. Well-nigh impossible, well-nigh perfect, well-nigh unbearable Well-nigh impossible、well-nigh perfect、well-nigh unbearable are the ones you see again and again是你會一再看到的搭配. Nobody says well-nigh warm or well-nigh happy沒有人會說well-nigh warm或well-nigh happy — it wants a word that already means the very end of the scale它要搭配一個本身就已經是量表最極端的字, and then it pushes you right up to that end without quite touching it然後把你推到那個極端的邊緣，只差一點點沒碰到.

So well-nigh impossible does not mean impossible. It means: not quite impossible, but do not expect it to work.

So well-nigh impossible does not mean impossible所以well-nigh impossible不等於impossible. It means它的意思是: not quite impossible, but do not expect it to work幾乎不可能，但別期待它會成功.

A note on writing it: you will see it with a hyphen (well-nigh) and sometimes as two words (well nigh). Both turn up in print. The hyphen is the safer choice.

A note on writing it寫法上要注意: you will see it with a hyphen (well-nigh)你會看到加連字號的（well-nigh） and sometimes as two words (well nigh)有時候也會看到分成兩個字的（well nigh）. Both turn up in print兩種寫法在印刷品裡都有. The hyphen is the safer choice加連字號比較保險.