mellow

Compared meaning: ripe or fully developed (adjective).

比较义项：成熟的（形容词）。

• ripe

  Describes fruit or crops that have fully grown and are ready to be picked and eaten; a literal, objective stage of physical development.

  指水果或农作物已经完全长成，可以采摘食用；是一种客观、具体的生长阶段。

  Don't pick the tomatoes yet, they aren't ripe.

  先别摘那些西红柿，它们还没成熟。

• mellow 本词

  Describes flavor that has become smooth and rich through ripening or aging, not the raw fact of being edible; often used for fruit, wine or cheese.

  指经过成熟或陈放后味道变得柔和醇厚，而不是指“已经可以吃了”这一客观事实；常用来形容水果、葡萄酒或奶酪。

  As the pears ripened further, their flavor grew mellow and sweet.

  随着梨子进一步成熟，它们的味道变得柔和香甜。

Ripe and mellow both describe maturity, for example of fruit. Ripe means fruit has fully grown and is ready to eat. Mellow means the flavor has become smooth and rich through ripening or aging. Not covered: mellow describing an easygoing character, or a soft sound.

两个词都可以形容水果或人生阶段的“成熟”，但 ripe 侧重生理上完全长成、可以食用，而 mellow 更强调随着时间沉淀而变得柔和、顺口。这里不比较 mellow 用来形容人的性格“温和随和”，也不比较 mellow 形容声音、颜色或气氛“柔和”的用法。

Compared meaning: mature or softened by time (adjective).

比较义项：经过时间发展而变得成熟、醇厚或圆融的状态（形容词）。

• ripe

  Describes fruit or vegetables that have fully grown and developed enough flavor or sweetness to be eaten; not used for cheese, wine, sound, or personality.

  指水果、蔬菜等长熟、发育完全，味道或甜度达到可以食用的程度；不用于奶酪、葡萄酒、声音或性格。

  These bananas are ripe enough to eat right now.

  这些香蕉现在已经熟得可以吃了。

• aged

  Describes food or drink such as cheese, wine, or whisky that has been stored or processed for a stated length of time to develop flavor; often follows 'aged for six months' or 'aged N years'.

  指奶酪、葡萄酒、威士忌等经过一段规定时长的存放或加工以形成风味；常用“aged for six months”或“aged N years”这样的搭配。

  The cheese is aged for six months before it's sold.

  这种奶酪要陈放六个月后才出售。

• mellow 本词

  Describes a quality — sound, flavor, light, or a person's temperament — that has become soft, smooth and gentle, typically through age or experience, not physical ripening.

  指声音、味道、光线或人的性格等因年岁或阅历而变得柔和、圆润，并非指生理上的成熟或长熟。

  The music turned mellow as the evening slowly came to an end.

  随着夜晚渐渐落幕，音乐变得柔和起来。

Ripe, aged, and mellow describe becoming mature over time. Ripe means fruit is ready to eat. Aged means food like cheese or wine stored to develop flavor. Mellow means sound or personality softened with age. Aged's 'old' sense and ripe's 'good timing' sense aren't compared.

这三个词都与“随时间发展而达到成熟状态”有关，但适用对象和语气很不同：ripe 只用于水果、蔬菜等食物长熟到可以食用；aged 强调经过一段时间的存放或加工过程，常用于奶酪、葡萄酒等；mellow 强调因年岁或阅历而变得柔和、不再生硬，可用于声音、性格、味道等。这里不比较 aged 表示“上了年纪的”（如一位老人）以及 ripe 表示“时机成熟的”（如条件成熟）等其他用法。