retarded

Compared meaning: not very intelligent (adjective).

比较义项：智力迟钝、不太聪明（形容词）。

• simple

  An old-fashioned, informal way to call someone not very intelligent; mildly patronizing but not a clinical or offensive label, common in everyday speech.

  一种老式、口语化的说法，用来说某人不太聪明；略带居高临下的意味，但不是临床术语，也不带冒犯性，日常口语中很常见。

  Grandpa always said the boy was a bit simple, though he was kind and reliable.

  爷爷总说这个男孩有点simple，不过他为人善良，也很可靠。

• retarded 本词

  A now-outdated clinical term for below-normal mental development; today it is widely seen as offensive and has been replaced by terms like 'intellectually disabled'.

  一个如今已过时的临床术语，指智力发育低于正常水平；现在普遍被视为带有冒犯性，已被“智力障碍”等说法取代。

  Older textbooks sometimes called such children retarded, a term now considered offensive.

  旧课本有时会把这类儿童称为retarded，如今这个说法已被视为带有冒犯性。

Both can describe someone as not very intelligent. Simple is an old-fashioned, informal way to say this, patronizing but not clinical. Retarded is an outdated clinical term for below-normal mental development, seen as offensive. Not covered: simple meaning 'not complicated', retarded meaning 'to slow down'.

这两个词都可以指一个人的智力低于正常水平，但语域差别很大：retarded 是过时的临床用语，如今普遍被认为带有冒犯性；simple 则是较随意、老派的口语说法，语气没有那么严重。这里不比较 simple 的“简单的、不复杂的”义项，也不比较 retarded 作动词表示“使…变慢、延缓”的义项（如本词库例句中修饰植物生长）。