Work-shy describes a person who avoids work because they simply do not want to do it. It is not about being tired, or ill, or unable to find a job — it is an accusation of laziness, and specifically of dodging effort that is rightly yours.

Work-shy describes a person who avoids work because they simply do not want to do itWork-shy形容一個因為單純不想做而逃避工作的人. It is not about being tired, or ill, or unable to find a job這跟累了、生病了，或找不到工作無關 — it is an accusation of laziness這是在指控懶惰, and specifically of dodging effort that is rightly yours具體來說是指在逃避本來該由你負責的努力

The 'shy' part is doing something unusual here. It does not mean quiet or nervous; in this old pattern, -shy means 'afraid of and keeping away from', the way a horse shies away from a snake. Compare 'camera-shy' (hates being photographed) and 'gun-shy' (nervous about something after a bad experience). So a work-shy person shrinks away from work the way a shy animal shrinks from a hand.

The 'shy' part is doing something unusual here'shy'這個部分在這裡的作用不太一樣. It does not mean quiet or nervous它不是指安靜或緊張的意思; in this old pattern在這個老式構詞裡, -shy means 'afraid of and keeping away from'-shy的意思是「害怕並躲開」, the way a horse shies away from a snake就像馬看到蛇會shy away（驚退閃避）一樣. Compare 'camera-shy' (hates being photographed) and 'gun-shy' (nervous about something after a bad experience)可以比較'camera-shy'（怕被拍照）和'gun-shy'（因為一次不好的經驗而對某件事變得緊張）. So a work-shy person shrinks away from work所以work-shy的人躲避工作 the way a shy animal shrinks from a hand就像一隻怕生的動物躲避一隻手一樣

It is British far more than American, and it lives mostly in newspapers, politics, and complaining. Politicians and tabloids in the UK have used it for decades in the phrase 'work-shy scroungers' to attack people receiving unemployment benefits — so the word now carries real political heat. It sounds unkind and old-fashioned, and using it says something about you as well as about the person you're describing.

It is British far more than American這個字英式用法遠多於美式, and it lives mostly in newspapers, politics, and complaining主要出現在報紙、政治和抱怨的場合裡. Politicians and tabloids in the UK have used it for decades英國的政治人物和小報用這個字已經用了幾十年, in the phrase 'work-shy scroungers'常見於'work-shy scroungers'（好逸惡勞的白吃族）這個片語, to attack people receiving unemployment benefits用來攻擊領失業補助的人 — so the word now carries real political heat所以這個字現在帶著真實的政治火藥味. It sounds unkind and old-fashioned它聽起來不友善又老派, and using it says something about you as well as about the person you're describing用了這個字，除了說了對方，也透露了你自己的一些東西

Usually it goes in front of a noun (a work-shy colleague) or after 'be' (he's work-shy). It keeps its hyphen most of the time.

Usually it goes in front of a noun通常它放在名詞前面 (a work-shy colleague一個好逸惡勞的同事) or after 'be'或放在'be'後面 (he's work-shy他就是懶得工作). It keeps its hyphen most of the time大多數時候它會保留連字號