scathing

Compared meaning: expressing strong disapproval (adjective).

比较义项：批评的，尖刻的（形容词，表达不满或负面评价）。

• critical

  Critical is the general, neutral-register word for expressing disapproval, ranging from mild to strong; it is used broadly, as in being critical of a decision, plan, or someone's work.

  critical是表达不满的通用、中性词，程度可轻可重，用法广泛，例如对某个决定、计划或某人的工作表示批评（“critical of”）。

  The teacher was mildly critical of the students' spelling mistakes.

  老师对学生们的拼写错误提出了些许批评。

• scathing 本词

  Scathing describes criticism that is severe, harsh, and often biting in tone; it typically modifies nouns like review, attack, or comment, and rarely takes 'of'.

  scathing形容措辞严厉、尖锐、带有伤害性的批评，通常用来修饰review、attack、comment等名词，很少与“of”连用。

  The critic wrote a scathing review of the new restaurant.

  那位评论家写了一篇措辞尖刻的餐厅评论。

Critical and scathing both mean expressing disapproval, but strength differs. Critical is the general, neutral word for disapproval, ranging from mild to strong, as in critical of a decision. Scathing describes criticism that is severe and biting, usually describing a review, attack, or comment.

critical和scathing都可表示“批评的”，但语气强弱不同：critical泛指提出批评或负面评价，程度可轻可重；scathing则指措辞尖锐、毫不留情、带有伤害性的严厉批评，语气强烈得多。这里不比较critical表示“至关重要的”这一义项（如“critical for survival”）。