各种各样的“伤害”

徐瑶华

英语中表示“伤害”的词主要有hurt, injure, wound和harm,它们的含义各有不同。

hurt

hurt 作及物动词时,表示“肉体上、精神上受到伤害”,侧重于“伤痛”的意味;作不及物动词时,则表示“疼痛”,与ache意义相当。

例1He hurt his back while playing football.他在踢足球时弄伤了背。

例2What really hurt was that he never answered my letter. 真正使我伤心的是他从不回信。

例3His leg hurts/aches. 他的腿疼。

hurt还可以作名词,指“心灵创伤”和“委屈”。

例4There was hurt and anger in her voice. 她的声音中充满委屈和愤怒。

injure

injure是及物动词,表示“在意外或事故中受伤”,多指外貌、身体功能方面的损失;还可表示“自尊、名誉受到损害”。

例5He injured his knee while playing basketball. 他在打篮球时伤了膝盖。(这里也可以用hurt,但hurt强调“疼痛感”,injure则强调“意外”以及“功能的损失”)

例6Two people were injured in the traffic accident. 这起交通事故中有两人受伤。(表示“事故中受伤”只能用injure,不能用hurt)

例7This could seriously injure the companys reputation. 这会严重地损害公司的名誉。

wound

wound是及物动词,特指“在战场上、战斗中受伤”,强调“枪伤、刀伤、刺伤等皮肉之伤”;也可指“使心灵受伤,伤感情”,此时与hurt意义相当。

例8The soldier was wounded in the chest. 这名士兵的胸口受伤了。

例 9She felt deeply wounded by his cruel remarks. 他刻薄的话深深地伤害了她。

wound也可以作可数名词,表示“(身体上的)伤、伤口”或“武器造成的伤”,如a leg wound, a bullet wound;还可以指“心灵上的创伤”,多用于书面语言。

例10Seeing him again opened up old wounds. 再次见到他揭开了旧伤口。

harm

harm 是及物动词,指“给人或事物造成各种各样的伤害”,可以是人身的伤害,也可以是对某事物或某人的不良影响。这种“伤害”往往不是具体的,而是“抽象”的。

例11He would never harm anyone. 他从来不会伤害别人。

例12Pollution can harm marine life. 污染会对海洋生物产生危害。

例13Low-priced imports will harm the industry. 低价的进口商品将会危害这一产业。

harm还可以作不可数名词,表示“伤害”。

例14He would never frighten anyone or cause them any harm. 他永远不会吓唬或伤害任何人。

【牛刀小试】

1. His headbadly when he got up in the morning.

A. wounded B. hurt C. harmed D. injured

2. Twelve people werein the explosion last week.

A. injured B. harmed C. wounded D. damaged

3. Many children in that country werein the war.

A. injured B. harmed C. hurt D. wounded

4. What he saidme deeply.

A. injure B. harm C. wound D. hurt

5. His deedsthe companys reputation.

A. injured B. hurt C. harm D. wounded

【参考答案】

1. B (“身体上的疼痛”用hurt表示)

2. A (“在意外事故中受伤”用injure表示)

3. D (“战争中受伤”用wound表示)

4. D (wound和hurt都可表示“使精神上受到伤害”,但句中应用过去时,排除wound)

5. A (“使名誉受到损害”用injure表示)