slight

Compared meaning: small in amount or degree (adjective).

比较义项：数量少、程度小（形容词）。

• small

  "Small" is the neutral, general-purpose word for size or amount, used in formal and informal contexts alike with countable or measurable things, without little's affectionate tone or slight's focus on subtle degree.

  small是最普通、中性的表示大小或数量的词，正式和非正式场合皆可使用，可修饰可数或可测量的事物，没有little的亲昵语气，也不像slight那样侧重细微的程度。

  Only a small percentage of applicants passed the difficult exam.

  只有一小部分申请者通过了这场困难的考试。

• little

  "Little" often carries a warm, affectionate or diminutive tone, especially before concrete countable nouns in everyday speech, and rarely describes abstract degree the way slight does.

  little常常带有亲切、可爱或表示“小巧”的感情色彩，尤其用在日常口语中修饰具体的可数名词，很少像slight那样用来修饰抽象的程度概念。

  The little dog followed her everywhere she went today.

  那只小狗今天到哪儿都跟着她。

• slight 本词

  "Slight" is the most formal of the three and typically modifies abstract nouns describing a subtle degree or amount, such as differences, increases, or chances, rather than physical objects.

  slight是三者中最正式的一个，通常修饰表示细微程度或数量的抽象名词，如差异、增长、机会等，而不是修饰具体的物体。

  There was only a slight difference between the two designs.

  这两个设计之间只有细微的差别。

Small, little, and slight all mean small in amount or degree. Small is the neutral, general word for countable things. Little is warm, mainly before concrete nouns. Slight is formal, for abstract nouns like differences. Slight's sense of a thin body is not compared here.

这三个词在“数量少、程度小”这一意义上相近，但用法有别：small是最中性、通用的说法；little常用于具体、可数的事物，并带有亲昵、可爱的感情色彩；slight更正式，多修饰差异、增长等抽象名词，强调细微的程度。这里不比较slight表示“（身材）瘦削的”这一意义，例如a slight young man（瘦削的年轻人）。

Compared meaning: thin in body (adjective).

比较义项：瘦，纤细（形容词）。

• slight 本词

  Describes a person's build as thin and delicate, often graceful or fragile-looking; a more literary or formal word, common for describing physique, especially of women or children.

  形容人的体型纤细、柔弱，常带优雅或脆弱的意味；用词较文雅、正式，常用来描写女性或儿童的体态。

  Her slight frame made her look younger than she really was.

  她纤细的身材让她看起来比实际年龄更年轻。

• lean

  Describes someone as thin but firm and toned, usually implying little fat and good muscle condition; often used positively for fit, athletic people or animals.

  形容人瘦但结实、有肌肉线条，通常暗示脂肪少、体格健康；常用于健身或运动的人或动物，带正面评价。

  Years of running gave him a lean, muscular body.

  多年跑步让他拥有精瘦而结实的体格。

• thin

  The plain, neutral word for not fat; can describe people, animals, or things in general, without any particular positive or negative connotation.

  是表示“不胖”的普通中性用词，可用于人、动物或一般事物，没有明显的褒贬色彩。

  He was thin as a teenager but filled out later.

  他十几岁时很瘦，后来才长壮了一些。

• skinny

  Means very thin; an informal word often implying excessive or unattractive thinness, commonly used in casual speech, sometimes with a negative or teasing tone.

  表示“非常瘦”；是口语化用词，常暗示瘦得过分或不好看，日常口语中常用，有时带贬义或调侃语气。

  Stop teasing him for being so skinny, it's not kind.

  别再取笑他那么瘦了，这样不太友善。

Slight, lean, thin, and skinny all describe a thin body. Slight suggests a delicate build. Lean suggests fit and toned, with little fat, often positive. Thin is the plain, neutral word. Skinny is informal, often negative or teasing. Their other senses are not compared here.

这几个词在“瘦”这一意义上很接近，但语气和感情色彩不同：slight 强调纤细、柔弱，带文学色彩；lean 强调结实、健康，常含正面评价；thin 是中性说法；skinny 是口语用词，常含贬义或调侃语气。这里不比较 slight 的“轻微的”义项（如 a slight difference），也不比较 lean 作动词的“倾斜，倚靠”义项，以及 thin 用于形容液体“稀薄的”义项。