stubborn

Compared meaning: refusing to change one's mind or opinion (adjective).

比较义项：顽固、固执己见，不愿改变想法（形容词）。

• stubborn 本词

  The everyday, fairly neutral word for refusing to change one's mind; can sound exasperated or even fondly amused, and also describes stubborn stains, weeds, or problems, not just people.

  更日常、语气较中性的说法，表示不肯改变想法；可能带点无奈甚至带点喜爱的意味，也能形容顽固的污渍、杂草或难题，不限于人。

  My little brother is too stubborn to admit when he is wrong.

  我弟弟太固执了，就是不肯承认自己做错了。

• obstinate

  A more formal, somewhat literary word with a stronger disapproving tone; it almost always describes a person's fixed opinion or behavior and sounds odd applied to objects.

  更正式、略带书面色彩的说法，语气更带不赞许的意味；几乎只用来形容人固执的意见或行为，用来形容物品会显得不自然。

  The obstinate child refused to eat his vegetables at dinner.

  那个固执的孩子晚饭时拒绝吃蔬菜。

Stubborn and obstinate both mean refusing to change one's mind, but the tone differs. Stubborn is the everyday, neutral word; it also describes stubborn stains or weeds, not just people. Obstinate is more formal and literary, with a stronger disapproving tone, describing only a person.

这两个词在本义项上很接近，都表示固执己见、不肯改变想法，但语气和使用场合不同：obstinate更正式、书面化，带有更强的负面评价；stubborn更口语、中性，语气可能带点无奈甚至喜爱。这里不比较stubborn还可以形容顽固的污渍、杂草等非人类事物的用法。

Compared meaning: difficult to deal with, control, or solve (adjective).

比较义项：难对付的、难以控制或解决的（adj.）。

• stubborn 本词

  Describes a person or animal who refuses to change their mind, opinion or behavior; informal, everyday word, often mildly critical or affectionate in tone.

  指固执己见、不肯改变想法或行为的人或动物；口语化、日常用词，语气常带一点批评或亲昵。

  My little brother is too stubborn to admit when he is wrong.

  我弟弟太固执了，从不肯承认自己错了。

• intractable

  A formal word mainly for abstract problems, situations or disputes that resist solution or control; rarely used to describe a person's personality directly.

  较正式的用词，主要形容难以解决或控制的抽象问题、局面或争端；很少直接用来形容人的性格。

  The negotiators faced an intractable problem that no one could solve.

  谈判代表们面对一个谁也无法解决的棘手问题。

Stubborn and intractable both mean difficult to deal with, but they differ. Stubborn describes a person or animal who refuses to change their mind; it is informal, mildly critical or affectionate. Intractable is formal, for problems or disputes that resist solution, rarely describing a person.

这两个词在这个意义上都表示“难对付”，但 stubborn 多用于形容固执己见、不肯改变想法或行为的人或动物，语气口语化，有时带点无奈或亲昵；intractable 是较正式的书面用词，多用于形容难以解决或控制的问题、局面或争端，很少用来形容人的性格。