An insulting old word for a woman who is loud, fierce, and always arguing — a woman other people (usually men) found frightening to deal with. Calling someone a virago is not describing her; it is attacking her, and it carries the assumption that a woman being forceful is itself a fault.

An insulting old word for a woman who is loud, fierce, and always arguing是一個帶侮辱意味的舊詞，形容一個大聲、兇悍、老是在爭吵的女人 — a woman other people (usually men) found frightening to deal with一個讓其他人(通常是男人)覺得難以應付、害怕的女人。Calling someone a virago is not describing her說某人是virago並不是在描述她; it is attacking her而是在攻擊她, and it carries the assumption that a woman being forceful is itself a fault而且這個字背後預設了：一個女人強勢，本身就是一種缺點。

English has a long shelf of these words — shrew, harridan, termagant — and no matching set for men. That absence is the point, and it is why the word now sounds not just rude but dated and unfair.

English has a long shelf of these words — shrew, harridan, termagant英文有一長排這種字——shrew、harridan、termagant — and no matching set for men卻沒有對應形容男人的一套字。That absence is the point這種缺席正是重點所在, and it is why the word now sounds not just rude but dated and unfair也是為什麼這個字現在聽起來不只粗魯，還過時又不公平。

There is a second, older meaning that runs the other way. In Latin, virago meant a heroic, warlike woman — strong like a warrior, meant as praise. That sense survives in literature and in history writing, where a queen who led armies might be called a virago admiringly.

There is a second, older meaning that runs the other way還有第二個比較舊的意思，方向完全相反。In Latin, virago meant a heroic, warlike woman在拉丁文裡，virago指的是一個英勇、善戰的女人 — strong like a warrior, meant as praise像戰士一樣強悍，是一種讚美。That sense survives in literature and in history writing這個意思留存在文學和歷史寫作裡, where a queen who led armies might be called a virago admiringly一位帶兵打仗的女王可能會被讚賞地稱作virago。

So the word carries two opposite tones depending on the century you are reading.

So the word carries two opposite tones所以這個字帶著兩種完全相反的語氣, depending on the century you are reading取決於你讀的是哪個世紀的文字。

You will meet it in older novels rather than in speech. Do not use it about a real person. If you need a modern word for someone who argues fiercely, describe the behaviour instead: she was furious, she shouted everyone down, she is very hard to argue with.

You will meet it in older novels rather than in speech你會在比較舊的小說裡遇到它，而不是在對話裡。Do not use it about a real person不要拿它來說真實存在的人。If you need a modern word for someone who argues fiercely如果你需要一個現代的字來形容激烈爭吵的人, describe the behaviour instead改用描述行為的方式：she was furious, she shouted everyone down, she is very hard to argue withshe was furious（她氣炸了）、she shouted everyone down（她把大家都罵到不敢出聲）、she is very hard to argue with（她很難溝通、很難跟她辯）。