Tetchy means easily annoyed — irritable, quick to snap, in the mood where you would rather people just left you alone. It works for people ('Dad's a bit tetchy today'), for what they say ('a tetchy reply'), and for shared situations ('the mood in the room turned tetchy', 'tetchy talks between the two sides').

Tetchy means意思是 easily annoyed容易被惹毛——irritable暴躁, quick to snap很快就發脾氣, in the mood where you would rather people just left you alone心情就是希望大家別來煩你。It works for people可以形容人 ('Dad's a bit tetchy today')（像『Dad's a bit tetchy today』，爸爸今天有點暴躁）, for what they say可以形容說的話 ('a tetchy reply')（像『a tetchy reply』，一個帶刺的回答）, and for shared situations也可以形容整體氣氛 ('the mood in the room turned tetchy', 'tetchy talks between the two sides')（像『the mood in the room turned tetchy』氣氛變得緊張，或『tetchy talks between the two sides』雙方氣氛不佳的談判）。

Two things are worth noticing about how it is really used. First, it describes a passing mood far more than a fixed character; a tetchy person is usually tired, hungry, ill, or fed up, and will be fine tomorrow. Second, it is mild and slightly affectionate — you call your grandfather tetchy, not your boss who screamed at you. It softens the criticism.

Two things are worth noticing有兩件事值得注意, about how it is really used關於這個字實際上怎麼用。First第一, it describes a passing mood far more than a fixed character它形容的是一時的心情，而不是固定的性格; a tetchy person is usually tired, hungry, ill, or fed up一個 tetchy 的人通常是累了、餓了、生病了或受夠了, and will be fine tomorrow明天就會沒事了。Second第二, it is mild and slightly affectionate語氣溫和，還帶點寵溺——you call your grandfather tetchy你會說爺爺 tetchy, not your boss who screamed at you而不會這樣說對你大吼的老闆。It softens讓 the criticism批評變得溫和一點。

It is mainly British and mainly written; American writers use it too but less. In everyday Taiwanese classrooms and conversation you will hear grumpy, cranky, or 'in a bad mood' far more often, and testy is its close cousin with almost the same meaning.

It is mainly British and mainly written主要是英式用法，也主要出現在書面; American writers use it too but less美國作家也會用，但比較少。In everyday Taiwanese classrooms and conversation台灣平常的教室和對話裡, you will hear grumpy, cranky, or 'in a bad mood' far more often你比較常聽到 grumpy、cranky，或『in a bad mood』, and testy is its close cousin而 testy 是它的近親, with almost the same meaning意思幾乎一樣。

If a student asks the difference between tetchy and testy: honestly, very little, and even native speakers use them interchangeably. Tetchy leans a touch more towards childish sulkiness, testy a touch more towards sharp adult impatience — but nobody will misunderstand you either way.

If a student asks the difference between tetchy and testy如果學生問 tetchy 跟 testy 的差別: honestly, very little老實說，差別不大, and even native speakers use them interchangeably連母語人士都會混著用。Tetchy leans a touch more towards childish sulkinesstetchy 比較偏向小孩子式的鬧脾氣, testy a touch more towards sharp adult impatiencetesty 比較偏向大人那種尖銳的不耐煩——but nobody will misunderstand you either way但不管用哪一個，都不會有人誤會你。