sentimental
- adj. 感伤的, 感情用事的
- Definition
- adj. causing or showing tender feelings such as nostalgia, rather than reason
- Example
- She kept the old letters for sentimental reasons.
- 出于感情上的原因，她一直留着那些旧信。
Synonyms & Differences 近义词辨析
Compared meaning: causing warm or nostalgic feelings (adjective).
比较义项：温柔、体贴的，令人感伤/怀旧的（形容词）。
- tender
Describes something gentle, kind, or emotionally touching in a warm, positive way; often used for feelings, moments, or gestures, without any hint of excess or mawkishness.
形容温柔、善良或以温暖、正面的方式打动人心的事物；常用于感情、时刻或举动，不带任何过度或矫情的意味。
He gave her a tender look before saying goodbye at the airport.
他在机场道别前，给了她一个温柔的眼神。
- sentimental 本词
Describes something that stirs nostalgia or emotional attachment, often tied to memory or the past; can carry a mild negative tone suggesting excessive or shallow emotion.
形容能唤起怀旧或情感依恋的事物，常与回忆或过去有关；有时带轻微负面语气，暗示情感过度或肤浅。
He refused to throw away the sentimental old photographs from his childhood.
他不肯扔掉那些让他怀旧的儿时旧照片。
Both words describe something that gives warm or nostalgic feelings. Tender is positive: gentle, kind, or touching. Sentimental means stirring nostalgia or emotional attachment about the past, and can sound mildly negative, suggesting too much emotion. Tender's other meanings (soft meat, sore wound) are excluded.
两词都能形容能唤起柔情或怀旧情绪的事物，但 tender 更偏向温柔、体贴、感人至深，语气偏正面；sentimental 则强调多愁善感、怀旧，有时带轻微贬义，暗示情感过度或矫情。这里不比较 tender 的“（肉等）鲜嫩、易嚼”或“（伤口等）触痛的”等义项。