cold

Compared meaning: very cold (adjective).

比较义项：寒冷的（形容词）。

• cold 本词

  The plain, everyday word for low temperature; neutral register, used in almost any context (weather, food, drinks, rooms) without exaggeration.

  最普通、最常用的表示低温的词；语气中性，几乎可用于任何语境（天气、食物、饮料、房间），不带夸张色彩。

  Wear a jacket, it's cold outside today.

  穿件外套吧，今天外面很冷。

• arctic

  An intensified, often hyperbolic word for extreme cold, evoking polar regions; mainly describes weather or conditions, rarely food or drinks, and sounds dramatic or literary.

  语气更强、常带夸张色彩的词，联想到极地；主要用来形容天气或环境，很少用于食物或饮料，听起来更戏剧化或带文学色彩。

  An arctic wind cut through the city all week.

  整整一周，刺骨的极寒寒风席卷了整座城市。

Cold and arctic both describe low temperature, but cold is the plain, everyday word, used for almost anything. Arctic is a stronger, more dramatic word for extreme cold, evoking polar regions, mainly used for weather, rarely for food or drinks.

两词都形容低温，但程度不同：cold 是最普通、最常用的说法，指一般的低温；arctic 语气夸张、程度更强，强调像北极一样极端严寒，常用于形容天气或环境，带有一点夸张或文学色彩。

Compared meaning: unfriendly, showing no warmth (adjective).

比较义项：冷淡的（形容词）。

• cold 本词

  The plain, neutral word for an unfriendly manner; can describe a look, reply, or welcome, and is far more common than icy or frozen in everyday speech.

  这是表示态度冷淡最普通、最中性的词，可以形容眼神、回答或接待方式，在日常口语中比 icy 和 frozen 都常见得多。

  She gave him a cold nod and walked past without saying hello.

  她冷淡地朝他点了点头，径直从他身边走过，都没有打招呼。

• icy

  Stronger than cold; suggests a sudden, sharp hostility, often in a stare, tone, or silence, as if the person deliberately wants to seem hostile.

  语气比 cold 更强，暗示突然而尖锐的敌意，常用于形容眼神、语气或沉默，仿佛这个人是故意表现得充满敌意。

  His icy silence after the argument told her exactly how angry he was.

  吵架过后，他冷冷的沉默清楚地说明他有多生气。

• frozen

  The strongest of the three; suggests total absence of emotion or reaction, as if the person's face or feelings cannot move at all.

  三者中程度最深，暗示完全没有情感反应，仿佛这个人的表情或感情完全无法有任何变化。

  Her smile stayed frozen the whole time, and she said nothing warm to him.

  她的笑容一直僵住，全程没有对他说一句温暖的话。

Cold, icy, and frozen can all describe an unfriendly manner, but differ in strength. Cold is the plain, neutral word for an unfriendly look or reply. Icy is stronger, suggesting sharp, deliberate hostility. Frozen is strongest, meaning a total absence of emotion or reaction.

这三个词在“冷淡的”这一义项上意思相近，但语气强弱不同：cold 最基础、最中性，icy 语气更强，带有明显的敌意，frozen 程度最深，形容完全没有感情反应。这里不比较 cold 的“寒冷的”、icy 的“结冰的”和 frozen 的“冰冻的，冰冷的”等其他义项。