mean
verb/miːn/
/miːn/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they mean | /miːn/ /miːn/ |
| he / she / it means | /miːnz/ /miːnz/ |
| past simple meant | /ment/ /ment/ |
| past participle meant | /ment/ /ment/ |
| -ing form meaning | /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ |
- (not used in the progressive tenses) (of a word) to have something as a meaning in the same or another language
表示…的意思；有…含义 - mean something What does this sentence mean?
这个句子是什么意思？ - What does ‘lark’ mean?
lark 是什么意思？ - The word ‘Kuching’ means ‘cat’ in Malay.
马来语中 Kuching 的意思是“猫”。 - Many languages use a single word to mean both music and dance.
许多语言使用同一个词来表示音乐和舞蹈。 - What is meant by ‘batch processing’?
batch processing 是什么意思？
Extra Examples- ‘Parcours’ is a French word meaning the route or the journey.
“Parcours”是一个法语单词，意思是路线或旅程。 - ‘Zavod’ is usually translated as ‘The Iron Foundry’, though the word means simply ‘factory’ or ‘work’.
“Zavod”通常被翻译为“The Iron Foundry”，尽管这个词的意思只是“工厂”或“工作”。
- mean something What does this sentence mean?
- (not used in the progressive tenses) to have something as a meaning; to represent something
意思是；表示 - mean something by something What do we mean by democracy?
我们所说的民主是什么意思？ - mean something to somebody Does the name ‘Jos Vos’ mean anything to you (= do you know who he is)?
你知道乔斯·沃斯是谁吗？ - mean (that)… The flashing light means (that) you must stop.
闪烁的灯光表示你必须停下。 - mean something The Olympics have come to mean a wide variety of things.
奥运会已经有了非常广泛的意义。
Extra Examples- Convenience means different things to different customers.
便利性对于不同的客户来说意味着不同的事情。 - Too often impressionism is taken to mean gazing through a soft-focus lens.
印象派常常被认为意味着通过柔焦镜头进行凝视。
- mean something by something What do we mean by democracy?
- (not used in the progressive tenses) to intend to say something on a particular occasion
（某人说某话）意思是，本意是 - mean something by something What did he mean by that remark?
他说那话是什么意思？ - mean something ‘Perhaps we should try another approach.’ ‘What do you mean? (= I don't understand what you are suggesting.)’
“也许我们应该试一试别的方法。”“你指的是什么方法？” - ‘What's that supposed to mean?’ demanded John.
“那是什么意思？”约翰问道。 - What do you mean, you thought I wouldn't mind? (= of course I mind and I am very angry)
你这是什么意思？你以为我不会在意吗？ - What she means is that there's no point in waiting here.
她的意思是说在这儿等下去没什么意思。 - I always found him a little strange, if you know what I mean (= if you understand what I mean by ‘strange’).
我总觉得他有点儿怪，如果你明白我这话是什么意思。 - I know what you mean (= I understand and feel sympathy). I hated learning to drive too.
我明白你的意思。我也不愿意学开车。 - (informal) It was like—weird. Know what I mean?
它有点儿，怪异。你明白我的意思吗？ - I see what you mean (= I understand although I may not agree), but I still think it's worth trying.
我知道你是什么意思，但我仍然认为值得一试。 - See what I mean (= I was right and this proves it, doesn't it)? She never agrees to anything I suggest.
这下你知道我说的没错了吧？我说什么她都不听。 - ‘But Pete doesn't know we're here!’ ‘That's what I mean! (= that's what I have been trying to tell you.)’
“可是皮特不知道我们在这儿呀！”“我就是这个意思嘛！” - Do you mean Ann Smith or Mary Smith?
你是说安·史密斯，还是说玛丽·史密斯？ - mean (that)… Did he mean (that) he was dissatisfied with our service?
他是不是表示对我们的服务不满意？ - You mean (= are you telling me) we have to start all over again?
你是不是说我们必须从头再来一遍？
Language Bank i.e.i.e.Explaining what you mean- Some poems are mnemonics, i.e. they are designed to help you remember something.
有些诗歌是记忆代码，即是说，其目的是帮助人们记起某事。
- Some poems are mnemonics, i.e. they are designed to help you remember something.
- Some poems are mnemonics, that is to say, they are designed to help you remember something.
有些诗歌是记忆代码，就是说，其目的是帮助人们记起某事。
- Some poems are mnemonics, that is to say, they are designed to help you remember something.
- Mnemonic poems, that is poems designed to help you remember something, are an excellent way to learn lists.
记事诗，即帮助人记起事情的诗歌，是记住一系列事物的极佳方式。
- Mnemonic poems, that is poems designed to help you remember something, are an excellent way to learn lists.
- A limerick’s rhyme scheme is A–A–B–B–A. In other words, the first, second, and fifth lines all rhyme with one another, while the third and fourth lines have their own rhyme.
五行打油诗的韵律是 A-A-B-B-A。就是说，第一行、第二行和第五行押一个韵，而第三行和第四行押另一个韵。
- A limerick’s rhyme scheme is A–A–B–B–A. In other words, the first, second, and fifth lines all rhyme with one another, while the third and fourth lines have their own rhyme.
- In this exercise the reader is encouraged to work out the meaning, or rather the range of meanings, of the poem.
这个练习鼓励读者弄清这首诗的意思，更确切地说是弄清其几种含意。
- In this exercise the reader is encouraged to work out the meaning, or rather the range of meanings, of the poem.
- This is a poem about death, or, more precisely, dying.
这是一首关于死亡的诗，更确切地说是关于临终的诗。
- This is a poem about death, or, more precisely, dying.
- He says his poems deal with ‘the big issues’, by which he means love, loss, grief and death.
他说他的诗涉及一些 “重大问题”，这些问题是指爱、失去、痛苦和死亡。
- He says his poems deal with ‘the big issues’, by which he means love, loss, grief and death.
Express Yourself Correcting yourselfCorrecting yourselfWhen you say something that was not quite what you intended, you can correct yourself in various ways:- I'll be there at five fifteen, I mean five fifty—ten to six.
我会在 5 点 15 分到那儿，不，应该是 5 点 50 分，差 10 分钟 6 点。
- I'll be there at five fifteen, I mean five fifty—ten to six.
- It'll be Tuesday—sorry, I meant to say Thursday.
那就是星期二。不对，我想说的是星期四。
- It'll be Tuesday—sorry, I meant to say Thursday.
- Sorry, what I mean is, we need two handouts per person.
抱歉，我的意思是我们每个人需要两份讲义。
- Sorry, what I mean is, we need two handouts per person.
- We can meet in the conference centre—or rather in front of the centre.
我们可以在会议中心，确切地讲是在会议中心前面会合。
- We can meet in the conference centre—or rather in front of the centre.
- The painter—or should I say, the sculptor—was born in Padua.
这名画家，应该说是雕塑家，生于帕多瓦。
- The painter—or should I say, the sculptor—was born in Padua.
- It's one t and double s—no, sorry, one s and double t.
是一个 t 和两个 s。不，搞错了，应该是一个 s 和两个 t。
- It's one t and double s—no, sorry, one s and double t.
- It's on the fifth floor—no, actually, it's the fourth.
是在六楼，不，实际上是在五楼。
- It's on the fifth floor—no, actually, it's the fourth.
- Can I get two lattes and an espresso—no, scratch that—three lattes?
请给我来两杯拿铁和一杯浓缩咖啡。不，不要那个，要三杯拿铁。
- Can I get two lattes and an espresso—no, scratch that—three lattes?
- There are three items on tonight's agenda. Correction, four items.
今晚的议程有三项。更正，四项。
- There are three items on tonight's agenda. Correction, four items.
- mean something by something What did he mean by that remark?
- to have something as a purpose or intention
打算；意欲；有…的目的 - mean something What did she mean by leaving so early (= why did she do it)?
她为什么这么早就走了？ - Don't laugh! I mean it (= I am serious).
别笑！我是认真的。 - He means trouble (= to cause trouble).
他存心捣乱。 - mean something as something Don't be upset—I'm sure she meant it as a compliment.
别不高兴，我肯定她的原意是要称赞你的。 - mean what… He means what he says (= is not joking, exaggerating, etc.).
他说话是当真的。 - mean something for somebody/something The chair was clearly meant for a child.
这椅子显然是专为儿童设计的。 - Don't be angry. I'm sure she meant it for the best (= intended to be helpful).
别生气了。我相信她是真心想要帮忙的。 - mean to do something She means to succeed.
她一意求成。 - I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to.
对不起，弄疼你了。我不是故意的。 - I'm feeling very guilty—I've been meaning to call my parents for days, but still haven't got around to it.
我感到非常内疚，几天来我一直打算给父母打电话，但还是没机会打。 - mean somebody/something to do something I didn't mean you to read the letter.
我没打算让你看那封信。 - You're meant to (= you are supposed to) pay before you go in.
你要先交钱才能进去。 - mean (that)… (formal) I never meant (that) you should come alone.
我从来没打算让你一个人来。
Extra Examples- What do you mean by that?
你怎么胆敢那样？ - I didn't mean to read your letter.
我不是有意要读你的信的。 - The house was clearly meant to be a family home.
这所房子显然要用作家庭住宅。 - There was a rack by the door presumably meant for umbrellas.
门边有一个架子，大概是放雨伞的。 - They are not using the system in the way the manufacturer meant it to be used.
他们没有按照制造商预期的方式使用该系统。
- mean something What did she mean by leaving so early (= why did she do it)?
- to have something as a result or a likely result
产生…结果；意味着 - mean something Spending too much now will mean a shortage of cash next year.
现在花销太多就意味着明年现金短缺。 - Being frugal doesn't necessarily mean doing without.
节俭并不一定意味着将就。 - Lower energy consumption means less pollution.
低能耗意味着减少污染。 - Touching the wires means instant death.
触碰那些电线就会当场死亡。 - mean to be/do something Do you have any idea what it means to be poor?
你知不知道贫穷意味着什么？ - mean (that)… We’ll have to be careful with money but that doesn’t mean (that) we can’t enjoy ourselves.
我们必须精打细算，可也并不是说我们就不能享受生活。 - mean doing something This new order will mean working overtime.
这新订单一来，我们就得加班加点。 - mean somebody/something doing something The injury could mean him missing next week's game.
这次受伤可能使他无法参加下周的比赛。 - High unemployment means people are spending less.
高失业率意味着人们消费减少。
More Like This Verbs usually followed by infinitivesVerbs usually followed by infinitives- afford
- agree
- appear
- arrange
- attempt
- beg
- choose
- consent
- decide
- expect
- fail
- happen
- hesitate
- hope
- intend
- learn
- manage
- mean
- neglect
- offer
- prepare
- pretend
- promise
- refuse
- swear
- try
- want
- wish
Extra ExamplesTopics Change, cause and effectb1- Mr President, does this mean an end to the current conflict?
总统先生，这是否表示当前的冲突结束了呢？ - The cost would have meant financial ruin for us.
这项开支对我们来说就意味着倾家荡产。 - Good civic planning means more green space.
良好的城市规划意味着更多的绿色空间。 - Rural life meant having to draw water from a well every day.
农村生活意味着每天必须从井里打水。
- mean something Spending too much now will mean a shortage of cash next year.
- [no passive] mean something to somebody to be of value or importance to somebody
对某人重要（或有价值） - Your friendship means a great deal to me.
你的友谊对我来说是很珍贵的。 - $20 means a lot (= represents a lot of money) when you live on $100 a week.
当你每周就靠 100 美元维持生活时，20 美元可是个大数目。 - Money means nothing to him.
金钱对于他来说毫无价值。 - Her children mean the world to her.
她的孩子就是她的一切。
- Your friendship means a great deal to me.
- [often passive] to intend somebody to be or do something
想要某人成为；想要某人去做 - be meant for something/somebody I was never meant for the army (= did not have the qualities needed to become a soldier).
我根本就不是块当兵的料。 - Duncan and Makiko were meant for each other (= are very suitable as partners).
邓肯和真纪子真是天生的一对。 - mean somebody/something to be something His father meant him to be an engineer.
他父亲想让他当工程师。 - She did everything to get the two of them together, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
她极力撮合他们俩，但我觉得那根本不可能。
- be meant for something/somebody I was never meant for the army (= did not have the qualities needed to become a soldier).
have as meaning
intend as meaning
have as purpose
have as result
be important
intend somebody to be/do something
Word Originverb Old English mænan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch meenen and German meinen, from an Indo-European root shared by mind.
Idioms
be meant to be something
- to be generally considered to be something
被普遍认为是；被看作是 - This restaurant is meant to be excellent.
都说这家饭店很棒。
- This restaurant is meant to be excellent.
I mean
- (informal) used to explain or correct what you have just said
（解释或更正刚说过的话）我是说，意思是说 - It was so boring—I mean, nothing happened for the first hour!
真是无聊。我是说，头一个小时过去了，什么事都没发生！ - She's English—Scottish, I mean.
她是英格兰人，不对，是苏格兰人。
- It was so boring—I mean, nothing happened for the first hour!
mean business
- (informal) to be serious in your intentions
是认真的；说话算数 - He has the look of a man who means business.
他看上去像是个说话算话的人。 - He says he's going to make changes, and I think he means business.
他说他打算有所改变，我想他是认真的。
- He has the look of a man who means business.
mean (somebody) no harm | not mean (somebody) any harm
- to not have any intention of hurting somebody
没有恶意；并非出于恶意
mean to say
- used to emphasize what you are saying or to ask somebody if they really mean what they say
（强调要说的话，或问对方是否真是这个意思）意思是说 - I mean to say, you should have known how he would react!
我的意思是说，你本应料到他会作何反应！ - Do you mean to say you've lost it?
你是说你把那东西给弄丢了？
- I mean to say, you should have known how he would react!
mean well
- to have good intentions, although their effect may not be good
本意是好的；出于好心