humble

Compared meaning: modest and not proud, gentle (adjective).

比较义项：不自负、谦逊温和（形容词）。

• humble 本词

  Praises someone for not boasting despite success, skill or authority; often follows an achievement and pairs with crediting others. Positive, admirable tone.

  用于称赞某人尽管取得成功、拥有能力或权力却不自夸；常出现在取得成就之后，并伴随对他人功劳的肯定。语气积极、令人赞赏。

  Even after winning, she stayed humble and thanked her whole team.

  即使赢了比赛，她依然很谦逊，还感谢了整个团队。

• meek

  Describes a naturally quiet, gentle and submissive personality, often shy about speaking up or asserting oneself; can carry a mildly negative sense of passivity or timidity.

  形容一个人天生性情安静、温和、顺从，常常不敢开口或不敢坚持自己的想法；有时略带被动、怯懦的负面意味。

  The meek student rarely spoke up during class discussions.

  这个温顺的学生在课堂讨论中很少发言。

Both words describe someone modest. Humble praises someone for not boasting despite success, crediting others; a positive quality. Meek describes a naturally gentle, submissive personality, often shy about speaking up; it can carry mild weakness. Humble can also mean 'low or simple', not compared here.

这两个词在“不自负、谦逊”这层意思上相近，但语气不同：humble强调不自夸、肯定他人的功劳，通常是一种受人称赞的美德；meek强调天生性情温顺、逆来顺受，语气偏被动，有时略带软弱、怯懦的意味。这里不比较humble表示“地位低微、简陋”的意思（如humble origins）。

Compared meaning: to make someone feel humble or ashamed (verb).

比较义项：使某人不再自负或不再自视甚高，感到谦卑／羞愧（动词）。

• humble 本词

  Milder and often not deliberate; can result from circumstances (like losing) rather than another person's intent, and does not necessarily involve public embarrassment.

  语气较轻，且往往不是故意为之；可能是由某种处境（如失败）造成，而非他人蓄意所为，也不一定涉及当众出丑。

  Losing the final match humbled the young player and taught him patience.

  输掉决赛让这位年轻球员感到谦卑，也教会了他耐心。

• humiliate

  Stronger and usually deliberate; specifically implies making someone feel ashamed or foolish in front of other people, so it carries a clearly negative, hurtful tone.

  语气更重，通常是故意的；特指让人在别人面前感到羞耻或愚蠢，因此带有明显的负面、伤人色彩。

  The coach humiliated the player by yelling at him in front of the whole team.

  教练当着全队的面对那名球员大吼，让他很难堪。

Both words mean to reduce someone's pride, but degree differs. Humble is milder, often not deliberate, resulting from circumstances like losing rather than another's intent. Humiliate is stronger, deliberate, making someone feel ashamed in front of others. Humble is common as an adjective meaning 'modest'.

这两个词都指“打压某人的自尊或地位”，但程度和感情色彩不同：humble 语气较轻，甚至可以是中性或带有积极意味（例如一次失败让人变得谦逊），未必涉及当众出丑；humiliate 语气更重，通常指故意让人当众蒙羞、难堪，带有明显的负面和伤害意味。这里不比较 humble 作形容词时“谦逊的”这一常见用法。