temper /ˈtempə/ n. ［c］ & ［u］ 1. 脾气，情绪: be of quick/hot temper 脾气急躁；a fit of temper 一阵脾气 You have bad temper. 你的脾气很坏。I can’t put up with his temper any longer. 我再也忍受不了他的脾气了。lose one’s temper 发脾气：［考句］The manger lost his temper just because his secretary was ten minutes late. 仅仅因为秘书迟到了10分钟，经理就发脾气了。2.韧度，回火：The temper of the clay was right for shaping. 粘土的硬度可以塑形了。
temperament /ˈtempərəmənt/ n. ［c］ & ［u］气质，性格：nervous temperament 神经质；an artistic temperament 艺术家的个性［考句］ The cultures of China and Japan have shared many features, but each has used them according to its national temperament.中日文化有很多共通的特性，但这两个国家根据各自的民族气质在利用这些共通的特性。
［辨析］temperament6指影响一个人思想行为的素质 (包括天生的和后天培养的)。disposition6指一个人的情感倾向，如: have a happy disposition (乐天派); come to work in a foul disposition（带着很糟糕的情绪来上班）；nature特别指那些天生的, 难以改变的性格(包括身体条件)。character 和personality指区别于他人的个性，前者指一个成年人的成熟品性，后者强调情绪感染力，如: He has character but no personality.
