belated

Compared meaning: happening later than expected (adjective).

比较义项：迟的，晚于预定时间发生的（形容词）。

• late

  Common everyday word for anything that happens after the expected time — a person, a train, a payment, an event; can directly describe a person who arrives late.

  日常通用词，指任何晚于预期时间发生的事物——人、火车、付款、事件等；可以直接形容迟到的人。

  I was late for work because of heavy traffic.

  因为交通拥堵，我上班迟到了。

• belated 本词

  More formal word, used mainly with wishes, apologies, greetings or thanks that come later than they should have; not used to say a person arrived late.

  较为正式的词，主要用于迟来的祝福、道歉、问候或感谢；不用来说某人本人迟到了。

  Please accept my belated wishes for your birthday last week.

  请接受我对你上周生日迟来的祝福。

Both words mean happening later than expected. Late is the common word, used for a person, a train, a payment, or an event; it can describe someone who arrives late. Belated is more formal, used with wishes, apologies, or greetings, not with a person.

这两个词都表示“迟”“发生得比预期晚”，但语气和使用场合不同：late是日常通用词，可以形容人迟到、迟到的事物或事件；belated更正式，通常只用于迟来的祝福、道歉、问候等表达，不用来说某人本人迟到。这里不比较late的其他含义，例如“已故的”（the late Mr. Smith）。