trivial

- adj. 不重要的
- adj. 琐碎的
- adj. 不严重的
- Definition
- adj. of little importance
- adj. of little value
- adj. of little seriousness
- Example
- The mistake was trivial, so nobody worried about it at all.
- 这个错误微不足道,所以没人为此担心。
Synonyms & Differences 近义词辨析
Compared meaning: unimportant, not worth attention (adjective).
比较义项:不重要、无足轻重(形容词)。
- little
Little is the least formal choice; it softens or downplays something as minor or not worth fuss, usually placed right before a noun rather than used alone after a linking verb.
little 是其中最口语化的词,常用在“小事”“小争执”“小问题”这类说法里,让某件事听起来没那么严重,一般不单独放在系动词后使用。
It's just a little misunderstanding between us, nothing to make a fuss about.
这只是我们之间的一点小误会,没什么好大惊小怪的。
- trivial 本词
Trivial is neutral and fairly formal; it describes matters, mistakes or facts that carry no real weight and don't deserve serious attention or worry.
trivial 语气中性、较为正式,用来形容不值得认真对待或担心的事情、错误或事实。
The report focused on major issues and ignored a few trivial errors.
报告关注的是重大问题,忽略了一些无关紧要的错误。
- indifferent
Indifferent is formal and rather uncommon in this sense; it means something makes no real difference either way, similar to 'immaterial', often in phrases like 'a matter of indifferent importance'.
indifferent 用于此义时比较正式、也较少见,表示某事怎样都没有区别、无关紧要,接近“无关紧要的”,常出现在“无关紧要之事”这类正式表达中。
The exact meeting time seemed a matter of indifferent importance, so nobody wrote it down.
确切的开会时间似乎无关紧要,所以没人把它记下来。
- petty
Petty adds a critical or dismissive tone toward someone making a fuss over something small-scale, often used for disputes, complaints or rules seen as beneath serious attention.
petty 除了表示不重要,还带有轻蔑或批评的语气,暗示有人在为琐碎的小事斤斤计较,常用于争执、抱怨或规定。
My coworkers keep arguing over petty things like whose turn it is to refill the printer.
我的同事总是为一些琐事争吵,比如轮到谁去装打印机的纸。
Little, trivial, indifferent, and petty all mean unimportant. Little is informal, softening something as minor. Trivial is neutral, for matters with no weight. Indifferent is formal, meaning no difference. Petty criticizes someone fussing over something small. Little's size and indifferent's coldness are not compared here.
这几个词在“不重要”这一意义上很接近,但语气和正式程度不同。这里不比较 little 表示“体积小”的常见用法,也不比较 indifferent 表示“冷漠、不关心”的常见用法。