你能接触到exhaustive这个词，说明英文水平已经不低了。这个时候学英文不仅要通过中文学英文，更要通过英文学英文。亦即认识单词应当看它的英文释义和例句，这样才能准确掌握词汇的含义和用法。
exhaustive：If you describe a study, search, or list as exhaustive, you mean that it is very thorough and complete.
The author's treatment of the subject is exhaustive.
该作者对这个问题的分析很透彻。
thorough：1. A thorough action or activity is one that is done very carefully and in a detailed way so that nothing is forgotten.
This very thorough survey goes back to 1784...
这个非常全面的调查可追溯到 1784 年。
2. Someone who is thorough is always very careful in their work, so that nothing is forgotten.
The men were expert, thorough and careful.
那些人业务精通，作风严谨，态度认真。
综上，exhaustive用于指物时，就是thorough and complete，(可以用thorough解释exhaustive)；但exhaustive只能指物，thorough还可以指人 (仔细的，严谨的)。
