A foible is a small weakness or a slightly strange habit that someone has, which does not really harm anyone else. Maybe they always check the door twice, or they cannot start work until the desk is perfectly neat.

A foible一個foible is a small weakness or a slightly strange habit是某人身上的一個小缺點或有點怪的習慣 that someone has而已, which does not really harm anyone else不會真的傷害到別人。 Maybe they always check the door twice也許他們總是把門檢查兩次, or they cannot start work until the desk is perfectly neat或桌子沒整理到完美就沒辦法開始工作。

When you call it a foible, you are being kind: you are saying this is a little fault, and we can live with it. It is a rather bookish, educated word; in everyday talk people say a little weakness or a quirk.

When you call it a foible當你稱它為foible時, you are being kind你是在表達善意: you are saying this is a little fault你是在說這只是個小缺點, and we can live with it而我們可以接受它。 It is a rather bookish, educated word這是一個偏書面、有點文雅的字; in everyday talk在日常對話裡, people say a little weakness人們會說a little weakness or a quirk或a quirk。

Though actually, English took it from older French foible, meaning weak — the same French word we also borrowed as feeble, which still means weak. In fencing, the foible is the weaker half of the sword, but the meaning you will meet in ordinary English is the small-fault one.

Though actually不過事實上, English took it英文把這個字借來 from older French foible是從古法文foible來的, meaning weak意思是「弱」 — the same French word跟同一個法文字 we also borrowed as feeble我們也借來變成feeble, which still means weak意思一樣還是「弱」。 In fencing在擊劍運動裡, the foible劍身的foible部位 is the weaker half of the sword是劍比較弱的那一半, but the meaning you will meet in ordinary English不過你在一般英文裡會遇到的意思 is the small-fault one是「小缺點」那個意思。