If someone is crotchety, they get annoyed easily, often over small things, and they may complain or snap. It often paints an older person having a grumpy day, though a tired child can be crotchety too. The feeling is mild to medium, not wild anger: more “leave me alone” than a big fight.

If someone is crotchety如果一個人crotchety, they get annoyed easily他們很容易生氣, often over small things常常是為了小事, and they may complain or snap而且可能會抱怨或發脾氣。It often paints它常常描繪的是 an older person having a grumpy day一個老人家心情不好的一天, though a tired child can be crotchety too不過累壞的小孩也可能crotchety。The feeling is mild to medium這種情緒是輕到中等, not wild anger不是狂怒: more 'leave me alone' than a big fight比較像「別煩我」而不是大吵一架。

It is informal, a little old-fashioned and storybook, and usually said about someone else, not as a proud word about yourself. You can be crotchety about noise, about waiting, about the weather — almost anything small that lands on a thin mood.

It is informal這個字很口語, a little old-fashioned and storybook帶點過時、故事書的味道, and usually said about someone else而且通常是用來說別人, not as a proud word about yourself不是拿來自豪地說自己。You can be crotchety你可以因為 about noise噪音, about waiting等待, about the weather天氣 而crotchety——almost anything small that lands on a thin mood幾乎任何落在敏感情緒上的小事都可以。

Though actually, it does not come from the music note. Long ago a crotchet also meant a strange little idea or fancy. Someone full of those fancies seemed hard to please, and crotchety grew from that. So the word is about a prickly mood and odd likes, not about playing music.

Though actually不過事實上, it does not come from the music note它不是來自那個音樂符號(四分音符)。Long ago很久以前 a crotchet也 also meant a strange little idea or fancy可以指一個古怪的小念頭或癖好。Someone full of those fancies充滿這些怪念頭的人 seemed hard to please看起來很難討好, and crotchety grew from that而crotchety這個字就是這樣來的。So the word is about所以這個字講的是 a prickly mood and odd likes易怒的情緒和古怪的喜好, not about playing music而不是彈奏音樂。

Kind speakers still use it with a half-smile, not as a hard insult.

Kind speakers心地好的人 still use it還是會用這個字, with a half-smile帶著半笑, not as a hard insult而不是當成尖銳的侮辱。