不可数名词就是指不可以用数目进行计数的名词,那么我们需要计算不可数的数量该怎么办呢?此时最通常的办法就是借助单位词。所谓“单位词”,就是指表示事物个体性的词语,其中最典型的单位是piece。比如paper(纸)不可数,但piece(张)是可数的,所以要表示“一张纸”时,我们就说a piece of paper。
piece的意思很多,如表示“片”“块”“段”“件”“条”“张”“根”等,具体含义需视所搭配的名词而定(翻译时要注意合乎汉语的表达习惯)。如:
a piece of paper 一张纸 a piece of advice一条建议
a piece of news一条消息 a piece of work一件工作
a piece of luggage 一件行李 a piece of information一条情报
a piece of furniture一件家具 a piece of equipment一件设备
a piece of thread一根线 a piece of research一项研究工作
a piece of paper 一张纸 a piece of advice一条建议
a piece of news一条消息 a piece of work一件工作
a piece of luggage 一件行李 a piece of information一条情报
a piece of furniture一件家具 a piece of equipment一件设备
a piece of thread一根线 a piece of research一项研究工作
其他类似意义的单位词还有bit, article, slice, slip等。如:
a bit of advice一点忠告 a slip of paper一张纸条
a slice of bacon一片腊肉 an article of furniture一件家具
a bit of advice一点忠告 a slip of paper一张纸条
a slice of bacon一片腊肉 an article of furniture一件家具
除此之外,以下两类比较典型的单位词也值得注意:
1. 形状类:即借助一些表示事物形状的名词来用作单位词,如bar, block, cake, drip, flight, lump, loaf, grain, strip等。如:
a bar of gold一根金条 a block of ice一块冰
a cake of soap一块肥皂 a drop of blood 一滴血
a lump of coal一块煤 a stick of candy一根棒糖
a grain of rice一粒米 a strip of cloth 一块布条
2. 容器类:即借助表示盛装事物的容器名词用作单位词,如bag, basin, basket, bottle, box, cup, glass, can, bucket, bowl, jar, mug, pot, spoon, tin等。如:
a bag of groceries一口袋食品 a basin of water一盆水
a bottle of orange juice一瓶橘汁 a bowl of rice一碗饭
a cup of coffee一杯咖啡 a glass of milk一杯牛奶
a jar of jam一罐果酱 a mug of hot tea一大杯热茶
a pot of tea一壶茶 a spoon of sugar一勺糖
a tin of soup一个汤罐头
a bar of gold一根金条 a block of ice一块冰
a cake of soap一块肥皂 a drop of blood 一滴血
a lump of coal一块煤 a stick of candy一根棒糖
a grain of rice一粒米 a strip of cloth 一块布条
2. 容器类:即借助表示盛装事物的容器名词用作单位词,如bag, basin, basket, bottle, box, cup, glass, can, bucket, bowl, jar, mug, pot, spoon, tin等。如:
a bag of groceries一口袋食品 a basin of water一盆水
a bottle of orange juice一瓶橘汁 a bowl of rice一碗饭
a cup of coffee一杯咖啡 a glass of milk一杯牛奶
a jar of jam一罐果酱 a mug of hot tea一大杯热茶
a pot of tea一壶茶 a spoon of sugar一勺糖
a tin of soup一个汤罐头