A worrywart is someone who worries about small things that do not deserve it — the light left on, whether the door is locked, whether the plane will be late. The 'unimportant' part is what separates it from 'worrier'.

A worrywart is someone who worries about small things一個worrywart是會為一些小事煩惱的人 that do not deserve it其實不值得那樣擔心 — the light left on像燈忘了關, whether the door is locked門有沒有鎖好, whether the plane will be late飛機會不會誤點. The 'unimportant' part「不重要」這個部分 is what separates it from 'worrier'就是它跟worrier不一樣的地方

It is teasing, informal, and affectionate; you say it to a friend, a spouse, a parent. Said to a stranger it would be rude.

It is teasing, informal, and affectionate這是帶點調侃、口語又親暱的說法; you say it to a friend, a spouse, a parent你會對朋友、配偶、父母這樣說. Said to a stranger如果對陌生人這樣講, it would be rude會很失禮

It is a much more American word than British — Americans use it freely, while British speakers more often say 'worrier' or the old slang 'worryguts'. In Taiwan you are most likely to meet it in American films and TV.

It is a much more American word than British這個詞比較美式、不太英式 — Americans use it freely美國人用得很自然, while British speakers more often say 'worrier' or the old slang 'worryguts'而英國人比較常說worrier或老派俚語worryguts. In Taiwan在台灣, you are most likely to meet it你最可能遇到這個詞 in American films and TV是在美國電影和影集裡

The most common frames are 'don't be such a worrywart' and 'you're such a worrywart'.

The most common frames最常見的用法 are 'don't be such a worrywart'是don't be such a worrywart, and 'you're such a worrywart'還有you're such a worrywart

Where does the strange 'wart' come from? A wart is the small hard lump you get on your skin — but here it is chosen mostly for the sound, the matching w- at the start of both halves, the same way English enjoys 'namby-pamby' or 'wishy-washy'.

Where does the strange 'wart' come from那個奇怪的wart是哪來的？A wart is the small hard lump you get on your skinwart本來是指皮膚上長出來的小硬疙瘩 — but here it is chosen mostly for the sound不過這裡選它主要是因為聲音, the matching w- at the start of both halves兩半開頭都是w-、對得起來, the same way English enjoys 'namby-pamby' or 'wishy-washy'就跟英文喜歡namby-pamby或wishy-washy這種字一樣

It goes back to a newspaper comic strip character in the 1920s and 30s and became general slang by the 1950s. Spelling varies a little in print — worrywart, worry-wart, worry wart — but one word is now standard.

It goes back to a newspaper comic strip character它可以追溯到一個報紙連環漫畫角色 in the 1920s and 30s在1920、30年代 and became general slang by the 1950s到1950年代就變成通用俚語. Spelling varies a little in print印刷上拼法有一點差異 — worrywart, worry-wart, worry wart像worrywart、worry-wart、worry wart — but one word is now standard不過現在標準寫法是連在一起的一個字