To stigmatize someone is to treat them as shameful — not because of anything they did wrong, but because society has decided that their situation, illness, job, or behaviour is something to be ashamed of. The word almost always describes something a group does to a person, not something one person does in a moment of anger. You stigmatize people who are poor, people with mental illness, people who have been in prison, people with HIV.

To stigmatize someone使某人被汙名化 is to treat them as shameful就是把他們當成可恥的對待 — not because of anything they did wrong不是因為他們做錯了什麼, but because society has decided而是因為社會認定 that their situation, illness, job, or behaviour他們的處境、疾病、工作或行為 is something to be ashamed of是一件可恥的事. The word almost always describes這個詞幾乎都是在描述 something a group does to a person一個群體對一個人做的事, not something one person does in a moment of anger而不是某個人一時生氣做的事. You stigmatize people who are poor你會汙名化窮人, people with mental illness有精神疾病的人, people who have been in prison坐過牢的人, people with HIV得愛滋病的人.

Notice the shape of it: the shame lands on the person, but it comes from outside. That is the whole point of the word. A person can feel ashamed on their own; a person is stigmatized by everyone else.

Notice the shape of it注意這個詞的結構: the shame lands on the person羞恥感落在那個人身上, but it comes from outside但它是從外面來的. That is the whole point of the word這正是這個詞的重點所在. A person can feel ashamed on their own一個人可以自己覺得羞恥; a person is stigmatized by everyone else但一個人是被其他所有人汙名化的.

Because of this, you will very often meet it in the passive: "Mental illness is still stigmatized here." "These families are stigmatized by their neighbours." The active form is common too, but the thing doing the stigmatizing is usually big and vague — society, the media, the law, the culture — rather than one named person. It is a serious, slightly formal word. You meet it in news articles, in essays, in the speech of doctors, social workers and campaigners. Two friends complaining about someone would not use it.

Because of this正因如此, you will very often meet it in the passive你很常會看到它用被動式: 'Mental illness is still stigmatized here.'「精神疾病在這裡仍然被汙名化」 'These families are stigmatized by their neighbours.'「這些家庭被鄰居汙名化」 The active form is common too主動式也很常見, but the thing doing the stigmatizing但做出汙名化這件事的 is usually big and vague通常是龐大而模糊的東西 — society, the media, the law, the culture社會、媒體、法律、文化 — rather than one named person而不是某個具名的人. It is a serious, slightly formal word這是一個嚴肅、略帶正式的詞. You meet it你會在 in news articles, in essays新聞報導、論說文裡遇到它, in the speech of doctors, social workers and campaigners也會在醫生、社工和倡議者的發言裡遇到. Two friends complaining about someone兩個朋友在抱怨某人時 would not use it不會用這個詞.

And it carries a judgement of its own: when a writer says a group is stigmatized, that writer is almost always saying the shame is unfair and should stop. So it is not a neutral report — it is a quiet argument. That is worth knowing before you use it.

And it carries a judgement of its own而且它本身就帶著一種評判: when a writer says a group is stigmatized當一個作者說某個群體被汙名化時, that writer is almost always saying那位作者幾乎都是在說 the shame is unfair and should stop這種羞辱是不公平的、應該停止. So it is not a neutral report所以這不是一個中立的陳述 — it is a quiet argument而是一種悄悄的主張. That is worth knowing before you use it這是你使用這個詞之前值得知道的事.

You will also see the related noun stigma (the mark of shame itself) and the adjective stigmatized. In British English you may see the spelling stigmatise; the meaning is identical.

You will also see the related noun你也會看到相關的名詞 stigma stigma（羞恥的標記本身）(the mark of shame itself) and the adjective以及形容詞 stigmatized stigmatized. In British English在英式英文裡 you may see the spelling你可能會看到拼法 stigmatise stigmatise; the meaning is identical意思完全一樣.