Astuteness is the quality of reading a situation, or a person, very well and very quickly — and, though actually, there is often a sharp little edge to it.

Astuteness精明 is the quality就是那種特質、of reading a situation, or a person, very well and very quickly能又快又準地看穿一個情況或一個人——and, though actually不過其實、there is often a sharp little edge to it裡面常帶著一點銳利的邊。

It is not only “being clever.” A clever student knows the answer. A person with astuteness sees what other people want, where the danger is, and how to come out ahead, sometimes before anyone has said a word.

It is not only "being clever."它不只是「聰明」。A clever student聰明的學生 knows the answer知道答案。A person with astuteness而精明的人 sees what other people want看得出別人要什麼、where the danger is危險在哪裡、and how to come out ahead以及怎麼佔上風、sometimes before anyone has said a word有時候在誰都還沒開口之前就看出來了。

People use it with a kind of respect, but not always with warmth. You can praise a businesswoman’s astuteness and still not quite trust her.

People use it人們用這個字 with a kind of respect帶著一種敬意、but not always with warmth但不一定帶著溫暖。You can praise a businesswoman's astuteness你可以稱讚一個女商人精明、and still not quite trust her卻還是不太信任她。

It turns up in talk about money, politics, and deals more than in talk about kindness.

It turns up in talk about money, politics, and deals它比較常出現在談錢、政治和交易的話題裡、more than in talk about kindness比在談善良的話題裡多。

The word itself is a little formal. In ordinary speech people more often say “she is astute” than “her astuteness.” Older writing likes the noun; younger people still know it, but they do not reach for it every day.

The word itself這個字本身 is a little formal有點正式。In ordinary speech在日常口語裡 people more often say一般人比較常說 "she is astute"「她很精明」 than "her astuteness."而不是「她的精明」。Older writing較老派的寫作 likes the noun喜歡用這個名詞；younger people年輕人 still know it還是知道這個字、but they do not reach for it every day只是不會每天用。