小词详解 | congenial

小词详解 | congenial
congenial 英 [kənˈdʒiːniəl] 美 [kənˈdʒiːniəl]

TOEFL TEM8 GMAT GRE

外刊例句

  • That, in turn, could lead to the emergence of a moral code and demonstrate the benefits of more congenial or generous behaviour.
    这继而可能催生一种道德准则,并可表明更友善或慷慨的行为之益处。
    ——《经济学人》
  • But what seems finally to have dawned on the markets is that globalization is no longer supported by the combination of investor-friendly economic policy and congenial politics they have long taken for granted.
    但市场似乎最终开始明白,他们长期以来习以为常的那些支撑着全球化的投资者友好经济政策和协调的政治,如今已经不复存在。
    ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[adjective] (of a person) pleasant because of a personality, qualities, or interests that are similar to one's own
[形容词] (指人)因具有与自己相似的个性、品质或兴趣而令人愉快的

深入解读

Congenial 一词源自拉丁语 com (和……一起)+ genialis (出生的、有血缘关系的),现主要形容人“意气相投的、情投意合的”,比如:

  • 她和他是竹马青梅,志趣相投。
    She and he were congenial companion in youth.

志趣相投也就意味着兴趣、爱好等“一致的、协调的”,比如:

  • 相同的爱好
    congenial tastes
  • 协调的建筑群
    a group of congenial buildings

再进一步用于形容工作、地方、环境、场合等事物时,则可以表示“合意的、相宜的、令人愉快的”或“适合的、适当的”,比如:

  • 湖畔宜写诗。
    The lake is congenial to writing poetry.
  • 适于表达民族主义者意见的场合
    a situation that was congenial to the expression of nationalist opinions

生活中常会发现有的人性格外向,涉猎广泛,和很多人都合得来,而这种人也可以用 congenial 表示,即“好交际的、和蔼友善的”,比如:

  • 好客的主人
    a congenial host

值得注意是, congenial 与 congenital (天生的、先天的)形似,阅读与拼写时要注意区别。

名著用例

As I walk along the stony shore of the pond in my shirt sleeves, though it is cool as well as cloudy and windy, and I see nothing special to attract me, all the elements are unusually congenial to me.
沿着满布石头的湖岸行走,虽然没有穿夹克,天气又冷,多云又多风,我没有看到任何吸引我的东西,可是所有一切似乎对我有着不平常的善意。

出自美国作家亨利·戴维·梭罗的著名散文集《瓦尔登湖》(Walden; or, Life in the Woods),又译《湖滨散记》。《瓦尔登湖》是超验主义经典作品,在美国文学中被公认为最受读者欢迎的非虚构作品之一。

同近义词

  • kindred: similar in kind; related
  • convivial: (of a person) cheerful and friendly; jovial
  • simpatico: (of a person) likable and easy to get along with