mad

Compared meaning: feeling or showing anger (adjective).

比较义项：生气的，愤怒的（形容词）。

• angry

  The general, neutral everyday word for this feeling; usable in almost any context, including formal writing, without implying a specific cause.

  这是最普通、最中性的通用词，几乎适用于任何场合（包括正式写作），并不暗示生气的具体原因。

  She was angry that no one had told her about the meeting.

  她很生气，因为没有人告诉她开会的事。

• mad 本词

  An informal word, especially common in American spoken English, for being very angry; it sounds too casual for formal writing.

  这是一个非正式的词，尤其在美式英语口语中很常见，表示“非常生气”；用于正式写作会显得太随意。

  He got mad when his little brother broke his phone.

  弟弟弄坏了他的手机，他非常生气。

• indignant

  Describes anger caused specifically by something that feels unfair or unjust, and is more formal or literary in tone than the others.

  特指因觉得受到不公平或不公正对待而产生的愤怒，语气比另外两个词更正式、更书面化。

  She was indignant when the manager blamed her for someone else's mistake.

  经理把别人的错怪在她头上时，她感到愤慨。

Angry, mad, and indignant all describe feeling anger. Angry is neutral and everyday, used in almost any context. Mad is informal, common in American speech. Indignant describes anger caused by unfairness, and is more formal. Mad also means 'crazy'; that is not compared here.

这三个词在这个意义上都表示“生气”，但强弱、语域和用法不同：angry 是最普通的中性通用词，mad 是非正式说法（尤其常见于美式口语），indignant 特指因觉得受到不公平对待而生气，语气更正式。这里不比较 mad 的“疯狂的”这一义项。

Compared meaning: mentally ill or not sane (adjective).

比较义项：精神失常、疯狂的（形容词）。

• crazy

  The most common, neutral informal word for mentally ill; mild enough to pair with 'a little', while insane sounds too strong and mad sounds more British or old-fashioned.

  这是表示精神失常最常见、最中性的口语词，语气较轻，可以与“有点儿”搭配使用；相比之下，insane语气太强，而mad更偏英式英语，显得有些过时。

  Everyone in town knew the old man living alone in the woods was a little crazy.

  镇上人人都知道，那个独自住在树林里的老人有点儿疯疯癫癫的。

• mad 本词

  Mainly British and slightly old-fashioned for mentally ill; in American English mad usually means angry instead, so this sense can confuse learners used to that meaning.

  mad主要用于英式英语，表示精神失常时略显过时；在美式英语中，mad通常表示“生气的”，因此这个意思容易让学习者混淆。

  By the end of the long siege, some of the prisoners had gone stark raving mad.

  长期围困结束时，一些囚犯已经彻底疯狂。

• insane

  The strongest and most formal word, often used in medical or legal contexts, such as an insanity plea, to describe serious, severe mental illness.

  这是语气最强、最正式的词，常用于医学或法律语境（如“精神失常辩护”），形容严重的精神失常。

  The court declared him legally insane and unfit to stand trial for the crime.

  法院宣判他在法律上精神失常，不适合就此罪行受审。

Crazy, mad, and insane all describe someone mentally ill. Crazy is the most common, neutral, informal word. Mad is mainly British and old-fashioned here; in American English mad usually means angry instead. Insane is the strongest and most formal, common in medical or legal contexts.

这三个词在“精神失常”这个意义上相近，但语气和正式程度不同：crazy最口语、最常用；mad带有英式英语色彩，略显过时；insane语气最强烈，常见于医学或法律语境。这里不比较crazy表示“狂热喜爱”的用法，也不比较mad在美式英语中最常见的“生气的”意思，也不比较insane口语中表示“荒唐、不可思议”的用法。

Compared meaning: foolish or unwise (adjective).

比较义项：愚蠢、不明智（adj.）。

• silly

  Silly describes mild, often harmless foolishness — trivial mistakes, jokes, or childish behavior; the tone is light and sometimes affectionate, not harsh criticism.

  silly 表示轻微、通常无害的愚蠢，比如琐碎的失误、玩笑或孩子气的举动；语气轻松，有时带有亲昵意味，而非严厉批评。

  She felt silly for tripping over her own shoelaces in front of everyone.

  她被自己的鞋带绊倒，在大家面前觉得自己很傻。

• ridiculous

  Ridiculous is stronger and more critical — it targets ideas, situations, or demands so unreasonable that they invite mockery or disbelief, often expressed with exasperation.

  ridiculous 语气更强、更具批评性——用于形容想法、情况或要求荒谬到令人发笑或难以置信的程度，常带有恼怒或难以置信的情绪。

  Charging fifty dollars for a bottle of water is simply ridiculous.

  一瓶水收费五十美元实在是太荒谬了。

• mad 本词

  Mad (chiefly British, informal) labels a decision or action as reckless or unwise, often warning about risk, typically in patterns like 'you'd be mad to...'.

  mad（主要用于英式英语口语）指某个决定或行为鲁莽、不明智，常带有警示风险的意味，典型结构为「you'd be mad to...」（要是……就太不明智了）。

  You'd be mad to turn down a job offer like that.

  你要是拒绝那样的工作机会，那就太不明智了。

Silly, ridiculous, and mad all describe foolish or unwise behavior. Silly is mild, describing harmless, trivial foolishness. Ridiculous is stronger, describing ideas or demands so unreasonable they invite mockery. Mad (mainly British, informal) calls a decision reckless, often in the pattern 'you'd be mad to...'.

这三个词在“愚蠢、不明智”这一意义上相近，但语气强弱和使用场合不同：silly 语气较轻，多指无伤大雅的糊涂言行；ridiculous 语气更强，强调荒谬到令人发笑或难以接受；mad 主要见于英式口语，常用于「you'd be mad to...」句型，强调决定鲁莽、有风险。此处不比较 mad 的“疯狂的、生气的”等其他常见含义。