Straggly describes something that grows in a loose, untidy way — spreading out in different directions, thin in places, with gaps, nothing neat about it. It is used most often of hair, beards, plants and hedges.

Straggly describes something形容一個東西 that grows in a loose, untidy way長得鬆散、亂七八糟——spreading out in different directions往不同方向散開, thin in places有些地方很稀疏, with gaps有缺口, nothing neat about it一點都不整齊。It is used most often of最常用在 hair頭髮, beards鬍子, plants植物, and hedges還有樹籬上。

A straggly beard is one with thin patches, a few long hairs going their own way; a straggly rose bush is one with long bare stems shooting out instead of a full round shape. The feeling is mildly negative but not cruel — it says untidy, weak, needing a cut, rather than ugly.

A straggly beard is one一把 straggly 的鬍子 with thin patches有幾處很稀疏, a few long hairs going their own way幾根長毛亂長一通; a straggly rose bush is one一叢 straggly 的玫瑰 with long bare stems shooting out是光禿禿的長枝條到處竄出來 instead of a full round shape而不是圓滾滾的一叢。The feeling is mildly negative but not cruel語感是稍微負面但不算刻薄——it says untidy, weak, needing a cut它說的是亂、弱、該修一修了, rather than ugly而不是醜。

It is a good honest describing word for things that grew without anyone looking after them.

It is a good honest describing word這是個老實的形容詞 for things that grew用來形容那些長大的東西, without anyone looking after them沒有人特別照顧過。

You will also meet the very close word straggling, which does the same job and can additionally describe a line of people spread out along a road. Straggly is the more everyday of the two, and it is the one you want for hair and plants. Both come from the verb straggle, to spread out untidily.

You will also meet the very close word你也會遇到一個很接近的字: stragglingstraggling, which does the same job意思差不多, and can additionally describe a line of people而且還可以形容一排人 spread out along a road沿著路散開拉得很長。Straggly is the more everyday of the twostraggly 是兩個字裡比較口語常用的, and it is the one you want for hair and plants講頭髮和植物就是用它。Both come from the verb straggle兩個字都來自動詞 straggle, to spread out untidily意思是散亂地散開。