'Would-be' goes in front of a noun and means 'hoping or trying to be this thing, but not it yet': a would-be actor, a would-be writer, would-be buyers. It always describes the person by the thing they are aiming at, so it only makes sense before a noun — you cannot say "he is would-be". Keep the hyphen; it is one word doing one job.

'Would-be' goes in front of a noun'Would-be'放在名詞前面 and means 'hoping or trying to be this thing, but not it yet'意思是「希望或正努力成為這個東西,但還不是」 a would-be actor, a would-be writer, would-be buyersa would-be actor、a would-be writer、would-be buyers這些說法 It always describes the person by the thing they are aiming at它永遠是用這個人想成為什麼來形容這個人 so it only makes sense before a noun所以只能放在名詞前面 you cannot say "he is would-be"你不能說"he is would-be" Keep the hyphen連字號要保留 it is one word doing one job它是一個字,做一件事

There is a second, colder use that surprises learners: it also means 'attempted, but failed'. A 'would-be thief' is someone who tried to steal and did not manage it; a 'would-be attacker' tried to attack. Newspapers love this one. So the same little word can describe a hopeful young singer and a burglar who got caught — the thread joining them is that in both cases the intention was there and the reality was not.

There is a second, colder use that surprises learners還有第二種、比較冷酷的用法,常讓學習者嚇一跳 it also means 'attempted, but failed'它也可以指「試過了,但沒成功」 A 'would-be thief' is someone who tried to steal and did not manage ita 'would-be thief'是想偷東西但沒得逞的人 a 'would-be attacker' tried to attacka 'would-be attacker'是想攻擊但沒成的人 Newspapers love this one報紙特別愛用這個說法 So the same little word can describe a hopeful young singer and a burglar who got caught所以同一個小小的字既能形容一個懷抱希望的年輕歌手也能形容一個被抓到的小偷 the thread joining them is that in both cases the intention was there and the reality was not把兩者連在一起的是「有那個意圖,但事實並非如此」這一點

Tone matters here. 'Would-be' before a job or an art usually carries a small, dry smile from the writer: a would-be poet is not quite a poet, and everyone in the sentence knows it. It can sound mildly dismissive, so be careful using it about a real person to their face.

Tone matters here這裡語氣很重要 'Would-be' before a job or an art usually carries a small, dry smile from the writer'Would-be'放在職業或藝術之前通常帶著作者一點點乾乾的微笑 a would-be poet is not quite a poeta would-be poet還算不上真正的詩人 and everyone in the sentence knows it句子裡的每個人都心知肚明 It can sound mildly dismissive這個字可能聽起來有點輕視 so be careful using it about a real person to their face所以當面用在真實的人身上要小心

If you simply want to say someone hopes to be something, without the raised eyebrow, 'aspiring' is warmer ('an aspiring writer'), and 'future' or 'trainee' are neutral. Compare too 'wannabe', which is the same idea in slang and is openly rude.

If you simply want to say someone hopes to be something如果你只是想單純說某人希望成為什麼 without the raised eyebrow不帶那種挑眉的味道 'aspiring' is warmer ('an aspiring writer')'aspiring'比較溫暖('an aspiring writer') and 'future' or 'trainee' are neutral'future'或'trainee'則比較中性 Compare too 'wannabe'也可以比較一下'wannabe' which is the same idea in slang這是同樣概念的俚語說法 and is openly rude而且是很直接的不客氣