Describes a job, position, or task that nobody would want. It is a polite, slightly clever way of saying 'that is a horrible thing to have to do'.

Describes用來形容 a job, position, or task that nobody would want沒有人想要的工作、職位或任務 It這 is a polite, slightly clever way of saying是一種委婉又有點巧妙的說法 'that is a horrible thing to have to do'「這是件糟糕透頂卻得做的事」

Instead of calling the situation bad directly, you say that no one envies the person in it — and the listener works out the rest.

Instead of calling the situation bad directly不直接說這個處境很糟 you你 say that no one envies the person in it而是說沒有人羨慕身處其中的人 and the listener works out the rest剩下的意思讓聽者自己去理解

It is nearly always followed by a small set of nouns: an unenviable task, an unenviable job, an unenviable position, an unenviable record, an unenviable reputation.

It它 is nearly always followed by幾乎總是搭配 a small set of nouns一小組固定的名詞 an unenviable task吃力的任務 an unenviable job吃力的工作 an unenviable position吃力的處境 an unenviable record難堪的紀錄 an unenviable reputation難堪的名聲

That last pair are worth noticing, because there the word turns dry and a little mocking: 'the unenviable record of having lost eleven games in a row' means the record is embarrassing, and the speaker is enjoying saying so.

That last pair最後那一對 are worth noticing值得注意 because there the word turns dry and a little mocking因為在那裡這個字變得乾冷又帶點嘲諷 'the unenviable record of having lost eleven games in a row'連輸十一場的難堪紀錄 means the record is embarrassing意思是這項紀錄很丟臉 and the speaker is enjoying saying so而說話的人講起來還挺得意

There is real sympathy in the usual use, though. When a newspaper writes 'the coach has the unenviable task of telling the players', it means: this is going to be awful, and we are glad it is not us.

though不過 There is real sympathy in the usual use一般用法裡帶著真正的同情 When當 a newspaper writes報紙寫 'the coach has the unenviable task of telling the players'教練得負責去告訴球員這個吃力的任務 it means意思是 this is going to be awful這件事會很糟 and we are glad it is not us而我們慶幸不是自己得做

It is a formal, journalistic word — very common in news and reports, less common in conversation, where people just say 'I wouldn't want his job'.

It這 is a formal, journalistic word是一個正式、新聞體的詞 very common in news and reports在新聞和報導裡很常見 less common in conversation在對話裡比較少見 where people just say那時候人們只會說 'I wouldn't want his job'我才不想要他那份工作