impression

Compared meaning: an idea formed from experience or instinct (noun).

比较义项：因观察、经验或直觉而形成的想法、印象或信念（名词）。

• impression 本词

  Impression is a general mental picture formed from observation or experience, often about a person's character; frequently used with make/get an impression.

  impression指经观察或接触后形成的整体印象，常用来描述对一个人的性格或形象的看法；常见搭配为make/get an impression（留下／获得印象）。

  He made a good impression on his boss during the interview.

  他在面试时给老板留下了很好的印象。

• belief

  Belief denotes a strong, often lasting conviction that something is true, stronger and more definite than the vague ideas the others describe; common in 'belief in'.

  belief指一种强烈、往往持久的信念，认为某事是真实的，比其他几个词所表达的模糊想法更强烈、更明确；常见搭配为belief in（对……的信念）。

  Her strong belief in hard work inspired her whole team.

  她对努力工作的坚定信念激励了整个团队。

• feeling

  Feeling is a vague, often intuitive sense not based on clear reasoning, sometimes even unexplainable, weaker and less concrete than the others; typical in 'have a feeling that'.

  feeling指一种模糊的、往往凭直觉产生的感觉，没有明确的推理依据，有时甚至说不出原因，比其他几个词更弱、更不具体；典型搭配为have a feeling that（有一种……的感觉）。

  I had a strange feeling that something was wrong.

  我有一种奇怪的直觉，觉得有些不对劲。

• notion

  Notion is a general or casual idea, often introduced to be questioned, doubted or rejected, and can sound dismissive; common with 'reject/entertain the notion'.

  notion指一种一般性或随意的想法，常被提出来加以质疑、怀疑或否定，语气上可能带有轻视意味；常见搭配为reject/entertain the notion（否定／持有某种想法）。

  She rejected the notion that money brings true happiness.

  她否定了金钱能带来真正幸福这种想法。

Impression, belief, feeling, and notion all mean an idea formed from observation or instinct. Impression is a general mental picture, often about someone's character. Belief is a strong, lasting conviction. Feeling is vague and intuitive. Notion is a casual idea, often introduced to be questioned.

这四个词都可以表示对某事物形成的想法或感觉，但强弱和语气不同：belief强调坚定的信念，impression和feeling偏向模糊、主观的印象或直觉，notion则常用于提出一个可被质疑的想法。这里不比较impression表示“模仿表演”的意思，也不比较feeling表示“身体感觉／情感”的意思，以及belief表示“宗教信仰”的意思。

Compared meaning: a mark left by pressing on a surface (noun).

比较义项：按压在表面上留下的印记／压痕（名词）。

• impression 本词

  Used especially in formal or technical contexts for a mark produced by pressing (e.g., a dental impression, a seal's impression in wax); can denote the general shape of the mark rather than a sharp print.

  多用于正式或专业语境中表示按压留下的痕迹（如牙科印模、印章压在蜡上留下的印记），有时指痕迹的大致形状，而非清晰的印记。

  The dentist took an impression of her teeth using soft putty.

  牙医用软胶给她的牙齿取了一个印模。

• imprint

  Emphasizes the distinct shape or pattern left by an object pressed onto a surface, often implying it is clear or lasting; more common in everyday, concrete descriptions like footprints or paw prints.

  强调物体压在表面上留下的清晰形状或图案，常暗示痕迹清晰或持久；更常用于日常、具体的描述，如脚印或爪印。

  The dog's paw left a muddy imprint on the doormat.

  那只狗的爪子在门垫上留下了一个泥泞的印记。

Impression and imprint both mean a mark left by pressing. Impression is formal or technical, like a dental impression, and can be a general shape. Imprint stresses a clear shape, like a footprint. A feeling about someone or a lasting effect are not compared here.

这两个词在“按压留下的印记”这一义项上意思相近，但语域和搭配不同：impression 更常见于正式或专业语境（如牙科印模、印章压在蜡上留下的印记），而 imprint 更强调物体压出的具体形状或清晰、持久的痕迹，语气更口语化。这里不比较 impression 的“印象、感受”义（如对老板留下好印象），也不比较 imprint 的“留下持久影响”这一比喻义。