【英语词汇】defect、flaw、drawback、shortcoming、disadvantage、demerit

defect “缺点”、“缺陷”，指事物的缺点或人性格上的缺点，一般指较大的缺点、
    缺陷。
    1）The defect in the microphone caused a humming sound.
          麦克风的缺陷造成了嗡嗡的声音。
    2） Her insensitivity is a defect in her character.
           她对事物不敏感 这是她的性格的一个缺陷。
 flaw “瑕疵”、“缺点”，一般指较小的，影响完美的小毛病。也可用作动词。（find fault固定搭配）
  
    1） It was a large diamond, but it had a flaw.
          那是一块大钻石,但它有一个瑕疵。
    2） Many educators believe that the current educational system is fundamentally flawed.
          许多教育家认为目前的教育制度从根本上存在缺陷。
 drawback “缺点”、“弊端”，指对人或事物发展不利的因素。
     1）But even though the method is reliable, it has serious drawbacks.
          可是，尽管方法是可靠的,但它还是存在严重的缺陷。
    2）This system has its drawbacks, but on the whole we are satisfied with it.
         该系统有它的缺点,但总的来说,我们是满意的。
 shortcoming “缺点”、“毛病”，普通指用词，可指人或物的缺点和毛病。
     1）This is a good car; its only shortcoming is that is uses a lot of petrol.
          这是一辆好车,它唯一的缺点是用油量大。
    2）Narrow-mindedness is his greatest shortcoming.
          心胸狭隘是他的最大缺点。
  disadvantage “缺点”、短处”， 指人性格或能力上弱点，也可指物存在的缺点、
    缺陷。
     1） In spite of her shortcomings, she made a good friend of me.
           尽管她有缺点,她和我是好朋友。
    2） Robots have some advantages over humans, but they have their inherent shortcomings.
          机器人有一些优点胜过人类,但机器人有它固有的缺点。
 demerit “缺点”，“缺陷”。是 merit 的反义词。
    1） He has some demerits/shortcomings, but he is the best student in our class.
          他虽有一些缺点,但他仍是我们班上最好的学生。
    2） I think the primary demerit of the internet today is that it offers so much that it becomes
           irresistible and has an overpowering effect on our day-to-day life.
           我认为，互联网最大的缺点是它提供东西实在太多以致对我们的日常生活产不可抗拒的影响。
                
                
weakness和shortcoming的区别
区别不是很大，但还是存在的：
Weakness 一般都是指 某个人/某个东西 的弱点，
Shortcoming 一般是指 某个人 的缺点。
.
某某人的 Shortcoming 是可以改的。
但是某某人的 Weakness 是需要那个人自己去克服。
Shortcoming 只能用来指人的缺点。
Weakness 可以用在人以外的东西上。