If something rankles, it still makes you angry when you think of it, even a long time later. The upset did not fade.

If something rankles如果某件事 rankles（耿耿於懷）、it still makes you angry它還是會讓你生氣、when you think of it當你想起它時、even a long time later即使已經過了很久。The upset那股不平 did not fade沒有消退。

A sharp thing someone said, an unfair score, a time you were left out — those can rankle for years. The old hurt is what rankles: his words still rankle; it rankles with her that nobody said sorry.

A sharp thing someone said有人說過的一句刺人的話、an unfair score不公平的分數、a time you were left out一次被排除在外的經驗——those can rankle for years這些都可能讓人耿耿於懷好幾年。The old hurt那舊的傷 is what rankles就是耿耿於懷的東西：his words他說的話 still rankle還是讓她耿耿於懷；it rankles with her她耿耿於懷的是 that nobody said sorry沒有人道歉。

You do not usually say I rankle to mean I am angry, and you do not usually rankle a person the way you annoy them. A useful picture is a sore that keeps working under the skin instead of healing — the sting will not sit still.

You do not usually say你通常不會說 I rankle來表示「我很生氣」to mean I am angry、and you do not usually rankle a person也不會像 annoy 那樣說「rankle 一個人」the way you annoy them。A useful picture一個有用的畫面 is a sore就是一個傷口、that keeps working under the skin instead of healing在皮膚底下持續作痛、而不是癒合——the sting will not sit still那股刺痛就是靜不下來。

The word is a little formal. You meet it in books and newspapers more than in playground talk; a friend might just say it still bothers me. Though actually, when people do choose rankle, they mean one old sting they have not shaken off, not a passing bad mood.

The word這個字 is a little formal有點正式。You meet it你會在 in books and newspapers書籍和報紙裡 遇到它 more than in playground talk比在操場閒聊裡更常見；a friend一個朋友 might just say可能就直接說 it still bothers me「這件事還是讓我很在意」。Though actually不過其實 when people do choose rankle當人們真的選用 rankle 這個字時、they mean one old sting they have not shaken off指的是一根還沒甩掉的舊刺、not a passing bad mood而不是一時的壞心情。