poorly

Compared meaning: done in an unsuccessful or unskilled way (adverb).

比较义项：表现不佳地，做得不好（副词）。

• badly

  The more common, general-purpose word for doing something in an unsuccessful or unskilled way; also frequently used as an intensifier meaning 'severely' or 'urgently' in other contexts (not compared here).

  更常用、更通用的词，指做某事不成功或缺乏技巧；也常作为强调词表示“严重地”或“急需地”用于其他语境（此处不作比较）。

  He played so badly that the coach pulled him off in the second half.

  他表现得太差了，以至于教练在下半场把他换下了场。

• poorly 本词

  A slightly more formal or measured alternative to 'badly', often used to describe performance or results; in informal British English it can also work as an adjective meaning 'unwell' (not compared here).

  比“badly”稍显正式、语气更克制的替代词，常用于描述表现或结果；在非正式英式英语中，“poorly”也可作形容词表示“身体不适”（此处不作比较）。

  Sales performed poorly in the last quarter despite the new marketing campaign.

  尽管有新的营销活动，上一季度的销售业绩仍然表现不佳。

Badly and poorly both mean done in an unsuccessful way. Badly is the more common, general word, and elsewhere can also mean 'severely' or 'urgently', as in badly injured. Poorly is more formal, describing performance or results; in informal British English it can mean 'unwell'.

“badly”和“poorly”在此均表示“做得不好、不成功”，语气和使用场景高度重合，“badly”更口语化、使用频率更高，“poorly”略显正式、克制。此处不比较“badly”作强调词表示“严重地／急需地”（如badly injured）以及“poorly”作形容词表示“身体不适”的非正式英式用法。

Compared meaning: feeling unwell or sick (adjective).

比较义项：感到身体不适、生病（形容词）。

• sick

  Emphasizes a feeling of nausea or the urge to vomit; can stand before a noun (a sick child) and, especially in American English, can mean ill in general.

  强调恶心、想呕吐的感觉；可以放在名词前面修饰，在美式英语中还常泛指生病。

  I felt sick on the boat and thought I might throw up.

  我在船上感到恶心，觉得自己可能要吐了。

• poorly 本词

  A mild, informal British word for feeling unwell, used only after a verb like be or feel, never directly before a noun.

  英式英语中较口语、程度较轻的词，表示身体不舒服，通常只能跟在系动词后面，不能放在名词前面。

  My grandmother has been feeling poorly since Monday, so she stayed in bed.

  我奶奶从周一开始就感觉不舒服，所以一直躺在床上休息。

• ill

  A more formal, neutral word for having a health problem, ranging from mild to serious, used mainly after a verb rather than before a noun.

  语气更正式、中性的词，表示身体不适或健康出了问题，程度可轻可重，通常也只跟在系动词后面，一般不放在名词前面。

  He was too ill to attend the meeting and had to see a doctor.

  他病得太重，无法参加会议，只好去看医生。

Sick, poorly, and ill all mean unwell. Sick suggests nausea, or in American English, illness generally. Poorly is mild, informal British English, used only after 'be' or 'feel'. Ill is more formal and neutral. Not covered: sick meaning 'fed up', poorly as an adverb.

这三个词都可以表示身体不舒服、生病，但语气和地域用法不同：sick 强调恶心、想呕吐的感觉，在美式英语中也可以泛指生病，并且可以放在名词前面修饰；poorly 是英式英语里较口语、程度较轻的说法，通常只能跟在系动词后面；ill 语气更正式、中性，可以指较轻或较重的疾病，通常也只跟在系动词后面，一般不放在名词前面。这里不比较 sick 表示“对……感到厌烦”或“变态的”的意思，也不比较 poorly 作副词表示“差劲地”的用法。