negative

Compared meaning: not good, unfavorable (adjective).

比较义项：不好的，不利的（形容词）。

• ill

  Formal, literary, and mostly limited to fixed phrases before a noun (ill effects, ill will, bode ill); rarely used after a linking verb to describe someone's mood or a thing's general quality.

  此义项下较正式、文学化，几乎只用于固定搭配中修饰名词（如 ill effects、ill will、bode ill），很少放在系动词后描述某人的情绪或事物的一般状态。

  The dark clouds boded ill for the weekend camping trip.

  乌云密布，预示着这个周末的露营之行不妙。

• negative 本词

  Focuses on an unpleasant, discouraging, or pessimistic quality—often about attitudes, feedback, or impressions—rather than physical harm or general poor quality.

  侧重令人不快、令人沮丧或悲观的性质——常用于态度、反馈或印象——而不是身体上的伤害或笼统的质量差。

  Constant negative feedback made the new intern doubt her abilities.

  不断的负面反馈让这位新实习生怀疑自己的能力。

• bad

  The most common, general, and informal choice; can describe almost anything of poor quality or unfavorable condition, used both before a noun and after a linking verb.

  是最常见、最通用、最口语化的说法，几乎可以描述任何质量差或状况不好的事物，既可放在名词前，也可放在系动词后。

  The milk had gone bad, so she threw it away.

  牛奶变质了，所以她把它扔掉了。

Ill, negative, and bad all mean unfavorable. Ill is formal, mainly in fixed phrases like ill effects or ill will. Negative suggests a discouraging or pessimistic attitude or impression. Bad is the most common, general word. Ill can also mean sick; that is not compared.

这三个词在“不好的，不利的”这一意义上相近，但语域和用法不同：ill 正式、书面，常直接修饰名词（如 ill effects）；negative 侧重消极、悲观的态度或印象；bad 是最通用、最口语的说法。这里不比较 ill 表示“生病的”这一义项（词库例句用的正是这个意义），也不比较 negative 表示“负数的”或“（检测结果）阴性的”等其他意义。

Compared meaning: a value below zero (adjective).

比较义项：小于零的（数值）（形容词）。

• negative 本词

  The standard, more formal adjective for a value below zero; used across math, science, and finance (negative growth, negative balance).

  更正式、通用的形容词，用来形容小于零的数值，常见于数学、科学和金融语境（如负增长、负余额）。

  The company reported negative growth for the third quarter in a row.

  这家公司已经连续第三个季度出现负增长了。

• minus

  More informal; typically comes right before a number, especially in arithmetic or temperatures, rather than describing abstract quantities like growth or equity.

  更口语化，通常直接放在数字前面，尤其用于算术运算或气温，而不太用来描述增长率、净资产这类抽象数量。

  It was minus five degrees outside, so we bundled up in thick coats.

  外面是零下五度，所以我们都裹上了厚外套。

Negative and minus both describe a number below zero. Negative is the standard, more formal word, used in math, science, and finance, as in negative growth. Minus is more informal, usually placed right before a number, especially in arithmetic or temperatures.

这两个词都可以形容“负的、小于零的”数值，但语域和用法不同：negative 是正式、通用的数学/科学用词，用于描述数字、余额、增长率等；minus 更口语化，常用在算术运算（如“几减几”）或表示气温、高度等前面加负号的场合。这里不比较 negative 表示“消极的、负面的”这一常见义项，也不比较 minus 用作介词表示“缺少某物”的用法。