To underplay something is to talk about it, or act about it, as if it were smaller, calmer, or less serious than it really is. The thing is real; you just make it sound like less.

To underplay something underplay一件事 is to talk about it, or act about it就是講到它，或表現出來的時候 as if it were smaller, calmer, or less serious than it really is好像它比實際上更小、更平靜、更不嚴重。 The thing is real事情本身是真的； you just make it sound like less你只是把它講得比較輕。

A doctor who says "there's a small problem with your heart" when the problem is not small is underplaying it. A company that says a data leak "affected some accounts" when it affected millions is underplaying it.

A doctor who says一個醫生說 "there's a small problem with your heart"「你的心臟有個小問題」 when the problem is not small如果問題其實不小， is underplaying it就是在underplay它。 A company that says一家公司說 a data leak "affected some accounts"外洩事件「影響了一些帳戶」 when it affected millions但其實影響了幾百萬個帳戶， is underplaying it也是在underplay。

Notice that the word carries a soft judgement: when I say you underplayed something, I usually mean you should have said more. It is the natural opposite of exaggerate.

Notice that the word carries要注意這個字帶著 a soft judgement一種輕輕的批判： when I say you underplayed something當我說你underplay了一件事， I usually mean you should have said more我通常是說你該多講一點才對。 It is the natural opposite of exaggerate它剛好是exaggerate（誇大）的反面。

There is a second use, from acting: an actor underplays a part when they act it in a quiet, held-back way instead of a big dramatic way — and here the word is often praise, because a quiet performance can hit harder.

There is a second use還有第二種用法， from acting來自演戲： an actor underplays a part演員underplay一個角色 when they act it in a quiet, held-back way instead of a big dramatic way是指用收著、低調的方式演，而不是用誇張、戲劇化的方式—— and here the word is often praise這時候這個字通常是讚美， because a quiet performance can hit harder因為安靜的表演反而更有力量。

English also has the phrase 'underplay your hand', from card games: you have strong cards but you bet small, so you win less than you could have. People use that about job interviews and negotiations.

English also has the phrase英文也有這個說法 'underplay your hand'「underplay your hand」， from card games來自撲克牌遊戲： you have strong cards你手上有好牌 but you bet small但你下小注， so you win less than you could have所以你贏得比原本可以贏的少。 People use that大家會用這個說法 about job interviews and negotiations來講求職面試和談判。

The word is fairly formal — you meet it in news writing and reviews more than in daily chat. In daily chat people say 'play down', which means the same thing: "He played down the injury." Small warning: underplay is not a word about doing too little work or playing sport too little. It is about how you present something.

The word is fairly formal這個字算蠻正式的—— you meet it你會在 in news writing and reviews新聞寫作和評論裡遇到它 more than in daily chat比在日常聊天裡多。 In daily chat日常聊天裡 people say 'play down'大家會說'play down'， which means the same thing意思一樣： "He played down the injury."像「He played down the injury（他淡化了這個傷勢）」。 Small warning小提醒： underplay is not a word about doing too little work or playing sport too little underplay不是在講工作做太少或運動打太少。 It is about how you present something它講的是你怎麼呈現一件事。