fragile
Definitions
Easily broken or damaged.
易碎的。
Delicate and easily harmed or disrupted (of a person, situation, or state).
脆弱的，易受损的（指人、局势或状态）。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedfrag (break) + -ile (capable of) = 'breakable.' This uses the present-stem variant frag- (from frangere) rather than fract-. From physical objects (fragile glass) the word extends to anything that could easily fall apart: a fragile peace, a fragile state of health, a fragile ego.
Root fract still carries 13 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.fragile [state/condition/ecosystem]脆弱的状态/条件/生态系统
- 2.[extremely/quite] fragile极度脆弱的
- 3.fragile [peace/agreement]脆弱的和平/协议
Example Sentences
- 1.
Handle the box with care — the contents are fragile.
- 2.
The ceasefire remains fragile and could collapse at any time.
- 3.
After the illness she felt physically and emotionally fragile.
Synonym Comparison
- fragile — easily broken or harmed; physical or figurative: fragile vase, fragile truce
- brittle — hard but snaps easily; lacks flexibility: brittle bones, brittle plastic
- delicate — fine and needs gentle handling, not necessarily about to break: delicate lace, delicate situation
- frail — weak from age or illness, used of living things: a frail old man
- flimsy — poorly made and insubstantial: a flimsy excuse, flimsy cardboard