OpenEtymology

wallflower

UKˈwɔːlflaʊə(r)USˈwɔːlflaʊər

Meaning

1n.

墙花(特指桂竹香等植物)

2n.

(舞会或社交活动中)因害羞而独坐一旁的人

Usage

She felt like a wallflower at the party, watching others dance from a corner.

她在派对上觉得自己像个壁花,只能坐在角落看别人跳舞。

The yellow wallflowers bloomed along the stone fence in spring.

春天时,石篱旁开满了黄色的桂竹香。

He transformed from a wallflower to a confident speaker after joining the debate club.

加入辩论社后,他从一个沉默寡言的人变得自信善谈。

Etymology

该词字面意为「生长在墙上的花」,因桂竹香(Cheiranthus cheiri)常生于古老墙壁或岩石缝隙中得名。18世纪起引申喻指社交场合中「靠墙静坐的旁观者」,巧妙融合了植物的边缘生长特性与人在社交中的被动状态——如长于墙隅的花,存在却不愿引人注目。

Wallflower Meaning, Examples & Word Origin | OpenEtymology