liberal

Compared meaning: generous, willing to give (adjective).

比较义项：慷慨的、乐于给予的（形容词）。

• liberal 本词

  Liberal usually describes amounts, portions, or actions ("a liberal amount of") rather than a person directly, and has a fairly formal, literary tone.

  liberal通常用来形容数量或份量的丰厚（如“a liberal amount of”表示慷慨的量），而不是直接形容人，语体也较为正式、文雅。

  The recipe calls for a liberal amount of butter in the pastry.

  这份食谱要求在糕点里加入慷慨的一份黄油。

• generous

  Generous is the common, neutral word for someone willing to give money, time, or things freely and kindly, without implying excess or any particular motive.

  generous是最常用、最中性的说法，指乐于慷慨地给予金钱、时间或物品，并不暗示给予过多，也不特别强调动机。

  He's generous to a fault, always picking up the bill for friends.

  他慷慨得有些过头，总是抢着替朋友买单。

• lavish

  Lavish emphasizes an excessive, extravagant degree of generosity, especially with money, gifts, or hospitality, suggesting more than necessary.

  lavish强调慷慨的程度过分、奢华，尤其用于金钱、礼物或款待方面，暗示给予的远超必要程度。

  The couple was lavish with gifts at every family celebration.

  这对夫妇在每次家庭聚会上都会送出丰厚奢华的礼物。

• benevolent

  Benevolent highlights a kind, caring motive behind the generosity — a genuine wish to help others — and is common in formal descriptions of charitable people or institutions.

  benevolent突出慷慨背后善良、关怀的动机——真心希望帮助他人，常用于正式语境中描述乐善好施的人或机构。

  The benevolent foundation funds scholarships for students in need.

  这家仁慈的基金会资助有需要的学生获得奖学金。

Liberal, generous, lavish, and benevolent all relate to being generous, but differ. Liberal describes an amount, sounding formal. Generous is the common word for giving freely. Lavish emphasizes excessive generosity, with gifts. Benevolent highlights a kind motive. Not compared: liberal's 'open-minded' sense; lavish's 'luxurious' sense.

这几个词在“慷慨、乐于给予”这一意义上很接近，但语气和侧重不同：liberal常用来形容数量或份量的丰厚（例如“a liberal amount of”表示慷慨的量），语体较为正式；generous是最普通、中性的说法，可以形容人或行为；lavish强调给予得过分丰厚、奢华；benevolent则强调出于善意、乐于助人的品性，语体也较为正式。这里不比较liberal表示“自由派的、开明的”（政治立场）以及lavish单独形容事物“奢华的”等其他义项。

Compared meaning: a person who supports social reform (noun).

比较义项：支持社会改革的人（名词）。

• progressive

  Emphasizes embracing bold, new ideas and pushing reform forward quickly; often implies a more forward-looking or radical stance than a typical liberal.

  强调拥护全新的理念并积极推动变革，语气常比liberal更激进、更具前瞻性。

  As a committed progressive, she pushed the party toward bold new social policies.

  作为一名坚定的改革派，她推动党内采取大胆的新社会政策。

• liberal 本词

  The standard, everyday political label paired with 'conservative'; emphasizes valuing personal freedom and openness to moderate reform, common in describing party or voting affiliation.

  是与conservative相对的常规政治标签，强调重视个人自由并支持温和改革，常用于描述党派或投票倾向。

  As a liberal, he consistently voted for candidates who supported civil rights.

  作为一名自由主义者，他一贯投票支持维护公民权利的候选人。

Progressive and liberal both mean a person who supports social change, easy to confuse. Progressive emphasizes bold, new ideas, sounding radical. Liberal is the standard political label paired with 'conservative', emphasizing personal freedom and moderate reform. Not compared: progressive's 'developing steadily' sense; liberal's 'generous' sense.

这两个词在指“支持社会变革的人”这一义项上意思相近，容易混淆：progressive更强调拥护全新、大胆的理念，语气偏激进；liberal则是政治光谱中与conservative相对的常规标签，更强调个人自由与温和改良。这里不比较progressive表示“进步的、不断发展的”（形容词，如原句“Her views became more progressive”）或liberal表示“慷慨的、自由主义的”等其他用法。