dumb与mute均有“哑的、不能说话的”之意。
dumb : 可与mute换用，但dumb指根本没有说话能力或失去了说话能力。
- He's been deaf and dumb since birth.
他生下来就又聋又哑。 - She was struck dumb by what she had seen.
她被自己看到的惊得说不出话来。
mute : 多指因后天疾病而引起的聋哑，有时也指因故不说话。
- a mute child
哑巴孩子 - The president has remained mute about plans to curtail the number of immigrants.
总统对于减少外来移民人数的方案保持沉默。 - I gazed at her in mute admiration.
我默默地凝视着她，心生爱慕之情。
