- [usually before noun]
connected with or happening in the mind; involving the process of thinking 思想的；精神的；思考的；智力的 the mental process of remembering 记忆的心理过程 Do you have a mental picture of what it will look like? 在你想象中它会是什么样子？ The actor doesn't match the mental image I had of the character. 这个演员不符合我对这个角色的印象。 I made a mental note to talk to her about it. 我记着要去和她谈谈这事儿。 He has a complete mental block (= difficulty in understanding or remembering) when it comes to physics. 他对物理一窍不通。 These musicians have prodigious mental capacities. 这些音乐家有惊人的智力。 The experience caused her huge amounts of mental suffering. 那次经历给她带来了巨大的精神痛苦。
Extra ExamplesDehydration can affect your mental processes. 脱水会影响你的心理过程。 The elderly woman has the mental capacity of a child. 这位老妇人有小孩的智力。 Mental performance can be seriously impaired by alcohol. 酒精会严重损害智力。
- [usually before noun]
connected with the state of health of the mind or with the treatment of illnesses of the mind 精神病治疗的；精神健康的 a mental disorder/illness 精神错乱﹔精神病 He had a history of mental problems. 他有精神病史。 She was suffering from physical and mental exhaustion. 她当时已经是精疲力竭。 The analysis of dreams can reveal details of a person's mental state. 对梦的分析可以揭示一个人精神状态的细节。 - (old-fashioned)
a mental hospital/patient The use of mental in these compounds is now considered old-fashioned, sometimes even offensive. The preferred terms now are psychiatric hospital/patient. 精神病院/病人在这些化合物中使用精神药物现在被认为是过时的，有时甚至是令人不快的。现在首选的术语是精神病院/患者。
Extra ExamplesTopics Illnessb1She suffered a mental breakdown after her son's death. 她儿子死后，她精神崩溃了。 His family had concerns for his physical and mental well-being. 他的家人担心他的身心健康。 It is a sport that requires physical and mental toughness. 这是一项需要身体和精神韧性的运动。
- [not usually before noun] (British English, slang)
crazy 疯狂；发疯 Watch him. He's mental. 看着他，他疯了。 My dad will go mental (= be very angry) when he finds out. 我父亲要是发现了，他会气疯的。 We were just losing so much money—it was mental. 我们只是损失了这么多钱——这是精神上的。 It was mental, but a brilliant ending to the film. 这是精神上的，但却是这部电影辉煌的结局。
Word Originlate Middle English: from late Latin mentalis, from Latin mens, ment- ‘mind’.