thug

Compared meaning: a rough or violent person (noun).

比较义项：粗暴或恶劣的人（名词）。

• tough

  Describes a rough, physically intimidating person, often just tough-looking rather than a proven criminal; frequently used in the plural 'toughs' in casual or news writing.

  指外表粗野、有威慑力的人，未必真的犯过罪，语气不如thug强烈；常用复数形式“toughs”，多见于口语或新闻报道。

  A few neighborhood toughs hung around the corner store all evening.

  几个彪形大汉整晚都在街角小店附近闲晃。

• thug 本词

  The strongest and most negative term, naming a violent criminal who uses force or threats, typically in muggings, gang violence or organized crime.

  语气最强烈、最负面，指使用暴力或威胁手段的犯罪分子，常见于抢劫、帮派暴力或有组织犯罪的语境。

  The thug pulled a knife and demanded the tourist's wallet.

  那个暴徒掏出刀子，逼游客交出钱包。

• punk

  Informal, especially American English, for a worthless, cocky young troublemaker; used almost like an insult and does not necessarily imply serious violence.

  非正式用语，尤见于美式英语，指自以为是、爱惹麻烦的废物青年，几乎带有侮辱意味，未必真的涉及严重暴力。

  Stop causing trouble, punk, or I'll call your parents.

  别惹麻烦了，臭小子，不然我就叫你父母来。

Tough, thug and punk all describe a rough or bad person. Tough describes someone physically intimidating-looking, not necessarily a criminal. Thug is the strongest word, naming a violent criminal who uses force. Punk is informal, American English, for a cocky, worthless young troublemaker.

这三个词在表示“粗暴或恶劣的人”时意思相近，但语气强弱和使用场合不同：tough多指外表凶悍的壮汉，thug语气最重、多指使用暴力的罪犯，punk则是非正式的贬称，多指爱惹麻烦的年轻人。这里不比较tough作形容词表示“困难的”、以及punk指“朋克音乐或风格”的用法。