delicate

Compared meaning: finely and beautifully made in appearance (adjective).

比较义项：精致、精美，形容外观精细或轻盈（形容词）。

• delicate 本词

  The everyday, neutral word for something finely made and easily damaged, used for physical objects like glass, lace, or flowers; it carries no special sense of beauty or high quality.

  日常、中性的用词，形容精细而容易损坏的实物，如玻璃、蕾丝或花朵；本身并不带有美感或高档的评价。

  Please be careful, this vase is very delicate and breaks easily.

  请小心，这个花瓶非常精致，很容易破碎。

• exquisite

  Stronger and more admiring than delicate, praising something as extremely beautiful and skillfully made; used for refined art, food, or workmanship rather than fragile everyday objects.

  语气比delicate更强、更带赞美色彩，形容极其精美、做工精良的事物，多用于艺术品、美食或工艺品，而非普通易碎物品。

  The chef prepared an exquisite meal for the anniversary dinner.

  厨师为纪念日晚宴准备了一顿精致美味的大餐。

• ethereal

  Describes a light, airy, seemingly otherworldly beauty rather than physical fragility; typically applied to voices, music, light, or atmosphere, not solid objects like vases or furniture.

  形容轻盈、缥缈、仿佛超凡脱俗的美，而非实物的易碎；通常用来形容嗓音、音乐、光线或氛围，而不是花瓶、家具等实体物品。

  The singer's ethereal voice made the entire audience fall completely silent.

  歌手那飘渺空灵的嗓音让全场观众完全安静下来。

Delicate, exquisite, and ethereal all describe fine, refined beauty. Delicate is the neutral word for something finely made and easily damaged, like glass or flowers. Exquisite is stronger, praising extremely beautiful, skillful work. Ethereal describes a light, airy, otherworldly beauty, used for voices or light.

这三个词都可以表示“精致”，但侧重不同：delicate强调精细、易损的实体外观；exquisite语气更强，带有赞美意味，形容极致精美的工艺或美感；ethereal则强调轻盈、缥缈、超凡脱俗的美，多用于嗓音、光线等抽象事物。此处不比较exquisite表示“敏锐的”（如对味觉、感官的敏锐）等其他义项，也不比较delicate表示“棘手的，需谨慎处理的”（如delicate situation）这一常见义项。

Compared meaning: easily broken or damaged (adjective).

比较义项：易碎的，容易损坏（形容词）。

• delicate 本词

  Emphasizes fineness or preciousness; describes finely made things that need gentle handling to avoid tearing or scratching, not necessarily because they shatter.

  强调精细、珍贵，形容制作精巧的物品，需要轻柔对待以免撕破或刮伤，不一定是因为它会碎裂。

  This vintage silk scarf is delicate, so handle it very gently to avoid tearing it.

  这条复古真丝丝巾很精细易损，所以要非常轻柔地对待，以免撕破。

• fragile

  The most neutral, general word for something that breaks or shatters easily; commonly printed on shipping boxes to warn handlers.

  是最中性、最通用的说法，指容易破碎或摔碎的物品，常印在快递箱上提醒搬运者小心轻放。

  The fragile ornaments were wrapped in bubble wrap before shipping.

  这些易碎的装饰品在运输前用气泡膜包好了。

• brittle

  Describes hard, stiff material that has lost flexibility and snaps or cracks rather than bends, often because of age, dryness, or cold.

  形容材质坚硬、失去韧性，一折就断或一碰就裂，常因老化、干燥或寒冷而变成这样。

  The old rubber band had become brittle and snapped the moment I touched it.

  这根旧橡皮筋已经变脆了，我一碰就断了。

Delicate, fragile, and brittle all describe things that break easily. Delicate stresses fine, precious things that need gentle handling. Fragile is the most neutral, general word, often printed on boxes to warn handlers. Brittle describes hard, stiff material that has lost flexibility and snaps easily.

这三个词都能形容容易损坏或破碎的物品，但语气和场合不同：delicate 强调精细、珍贵，需要小心轻放；fragile 是最中性通用的说法，常印在包装箱上提醒搬运者；brittle 则强调材质变硬、失去韧性，一折就断。这里不比较 delicate 的“棘手的，微妙的”（如 a delicate situation）、fragile 的“脆弱的，不稳定的”（如经济、健康）以及 brittle 的“（性格、语气）生硬冷淡的”等引申义。