A wuss is someone you think is weak, soft, or too easily frightened — the person who will not go on the roller coaster, who cries at a small cut, who backs down from an argument. It is an insult, but usually a light one, said between friends: 'Come on, don't be a wuss, the water's fine.' It is American slang and quite informal. Do not use it in a school essay, in an email to a boss, or to a stranger.

A wuss is someone you think is weak, soft, or too easily frightenedWuss是指一個你覺得軟弱、膽小，或太容易被嚇到的人—— the person who will not go on the roller coaster, who cries at a small cut, who backs down from an argument就是那種不敢玩雲霄飛車的人、被小傷口弄哭的人、吵架吵到一半就退縮的人。 It is an insult, but usually a light one, said between friends這是一種侮辱，但通常是輕微的那種，是朋友之間才會說的： 'Come on, don't be a wuss, the water's fine.'『Come on, don't be a wuss, the water's fine.（拜託，別當個膽小鬼，水沒問題的。）』 It is American slang and quite informal這是美式俚語，相當口語。 Do not use it in a school essay, in an email to a boss, or to a stranger不要在學校作文裡、給老闆的信裡，或對陌生人用它。

There is also a verb, 'wuss out', which means to promise to do something and then get scared and not do it: 'He said he'd sing, then he wussed out.' The verb is actually more common now than the noun.

There is also a verb, 'wuss out'還有一個動詞『wuss out』， which means to promise to do something and then get scared and not do it意思是答應要做某件事，結果卻膽怯了、沒有去做： 'He said he'd sing, then he wussed out.'『He said he'd sing, then he wussed out.（他說他要唱歌，結果卻臨陣退縮了。）』 The verb is actually more common now than the noun這個動詞現在其實比名詞還常用。

One thing worth knowing: because the insult means 'weak', it carries an old idea that being frightened or gentle is unmanly, and quite a lot of people dislike it for that reason. It is much milder than the harsher insults with the same meaning, so it will not usually start a fight, but among careful speakers it can still land badly.

One thing worth knowing有一件事值得知道： because the insult means 'weak'因為這個侮辱的意思是『軟弱』， it carries an old idea that being frightened or gentle is unmanly它帶著一種老舊的觀念，覺得會害怕或溫柔就是不man， and quite a lot of people dislike it for that reason很多人也因為這樣不喜歡這個字。 It is much milder than the harsher insults with the same meaning它比同樣意思、但更難聽的侮辱溫和很多， so it will not usually start a fight所以通常不會因此吵起來， but among careful speakers it can still land badly但在講話小心的人耳裡，還是可能聽起來很刺耳。

Between close friends teasing each other, it is fine. Anywhere else, there are safer words.

Between close friends teasing each other, it is fine在互相調侃的好朋友之間用，沒問題。 Anywhere else, there are safer words在其他場合，還有更安全的字可以用。