latent

Compared meaning: not yet real, but able to exist or happen (adjective).

比较义项：尚未成为现实，但可能存在、发生或具备的（形容词）。

• possible

  States plain feasibility of an action or fact, usually in patterns like “it is possible to/that…”; it implies nothing about any inherent capacity, only that something could happen or be true.

  只是笼统地说明某件事有可能发生、存在或成立，常用来表示做某事是可能的；它不涉及任何内在能力或迹象，只表示单纯的可能性。

  It is possible to finish the report by Friday if the whole team helps.

  如果全体团队都帮忙，星期五之前完成报告是可能的。

• potential

  Points to a capacity for future development based on someone's or something's own qualities; not yet real but promising, and commonly placed before nouns such as customers, risk or growth.

  强调凭借自身条件、将来有可能发展出的能力或机会；尚未成为现实却带有前景，常放在名词前面，例如客户、风险、增长等词之前。

  Emerging markets offer real potential growth for the company next year.

  新兴市场为这家公司明年带来了真正的潜在增长。

• latent 本词

  Describes something that already exists inside a person or thing but stays hidden, inactive or unnoticed, often used in medical, psychological or technical contexts until a trigger makes it appear.

  指某种特质或状态其实已经存在于人或事物之中，只是隐藏、不活跃或未被察觉，常见于医学、心理或技术语境，直到某个触发因素使其显现。

  The virus can remain latent in the body for years before symptoms appear.

  这种病毒可以在体内潜伏多年，之后才会出现症状。

Possible, potential, and latent all describe something not yet real. Possible just says something could happen, with no idea of ability. Potential means a capacity for future development. Latent means something already exists but stays hidden. Potential meaning ability itself is not compared.

这三个词都能表示某种尚未成为现实的可能性，但侧重点不同；possible 只泛泛地说某事有可能发生或存在，不涉及任何潜在的能力；potential 强调凭借自身条件、将来有可能发展出的能力或机会；latent 强调这种特质或状态其实已经存在，只是被隐藏、尚未显现，多用于医学、心理等专业语境。此处不比较 potential 作名词表示潜力本身的用法。