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many和a lot, 英语量词你会用吗?
2016-08-27 • 17782除了many, a few, a lot, 英语里还有好多课本里学不到,但口语里很常用的量词!
比如前些天,一位用户问的“a dozen", 还有"a ton", "a bunch"......
今天我们就总结这些常用量词!
中英文量词的区别
measure word: 量词
Chinese meansure words are very specific, i.e. many can be only used to describe a certain type of thing: 中文的量词比较特定,不同的量词对应不同的东西
Measure words in English aren't as specific as Chinese: 英语的量词没有中文那么特定
But because they're more general, using them appropriately might be challenging: 但是因为比较宽泛,所以要恰当使用也不那么容易
美国人最爱用的量词:a dozen

A dozen: 一打
A dozen means 12:一打表示12个
Eggs are most commonly bought by the dozen: 最常用来形容鸡蛋
- A dozen eggs: 一盒鸡蛋 
We wouldn't call it a box of eggs: 英语里不会说一盒蛋,而是说一打鸡蛋
You can also buy half a dozen eggs: 也可以买小盒的,半打
Half a dozen or a half dozen?
Both are correct: 两种说法都是正确的
Dozens can also be used in the plural form: 打还可以变成复数
- Dozens of people: 好多人(几十个) 
- Dozens of options: 许多的选择 
Dozens究竟是多少?
Since English doesn't really have a word for "tens", dozens is used to express the idea:由于英语没有一个词表明“几十”,所以dozens用来形容几十这个数量
"Dozens" is the next step down from hundreds: “dozens”代表几十个,再上去就是几百个
最浪漫的量词:a couple

现在常说的“CP", 就是couple. 不过美国人可不会说“CP", 这是有亚洲特色的英语。
A couple
A couple: 两个,也是一对恋人、爱人的意思
A couple到底是几个?
Strictly speaking, "a couple" means 2: 严格来说,a couple是两个
- A couple of pens: 两支笔 
- A couple of cups: 两个杯子 
But in everyday conversations, it could also mean several, a few: 但是日常口语里,它也能指几个、多个
- Let's get a couple of tomatoes: 我们买几个番茄 
- Let's get a couple of apples: 我们买几个苹果 
It really depends on the context: 具体的数量,还是要通过语境分析
A few
This is a word everyone learns early on: 这个词大家应该是最早学到的
注意语法
A few___ 不是 a few of ___
Most measure words are followed by "of" but "few" is an exception: 量词通常都用“of”链接后面的名词,但“a few”是个例外(few同理)
- "a few pens", not "a few of pens": 是 few pens,而不是a few of pens 
但是有例外
- The only time you use "a few of" is when you're not being specific: 当 a few后面跟的不是具体事物时,要加of。比如: 
- a few of these 
- a few of those 
- a few of us 
做菜必备量词: a pinch, a handful

Measure words used in cooking/recipes 做菜、菜谱常用的量词
- A pinch: 一小撮 
Add a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper: 加一小撮盐、一小撮胡椒
- A handful: 一把 
A handful of nuts: 一把坚果
More measure words for cooking 更多做菜时常用的量词
- A spoonful: 一勺 
- A table spoon of: 一汤匙 
- A tea spoon of: 一茶匙 
形容大数量的量词

A ton of: 美国人最爱用
Americans love using the word "a ton": 美国人非常爱用“a ton"这个词
An actual ton is 1000kg: 这个词确切的重量是一吨、1000公斤
Canadians spell the word as "tonne": 加拿大人的拼法是tonne
In spoken English, a ton means "a lot": 口语里,a ton的意思是很多、大量的
- A ton of homework": 很多作业 
- A ton of work: 很多工作 
Ton in the plural form: ton也能当复数

Most common use of "tons": tons最常见的用法
- We had tons of fun at the party: 派对真好玩儿 
- There are tons of people in Shanghai Disney: 上海迪士尼人爆多 
*Instead of saying "people mountain people sea", you should say "tons of people": 以后别再说“people mountain people sea"这个错误的老梗了,大家跟我说“tons of people"
Versatile measure words 百搭量词
A bunch: 一捆、一堆、一群
- A bunch of flowers: 一束花 
- A bunch of carrots: 一捆胡萝卜 
- A bunch of people: 一群人(几个到十几个的范围,没有几十个那么多) 
- A bunch of money: 一些钱 (不是太多、也不是太少) 
A pile:一堆
- A pile of work: 一堆工作,通常形容堆积了很多 
* You can't use pile to describe people: 不能说”a pile of people"
特定量词一:动物

There are really specific measure words for animals: 英语里形容动物的量词是最特定的
- A school of fish: 一群鱼 
- A flock of birds: 一群鸟 
- A pride of lions: 一群狮子 
特定量词二:食物

Food also has very specific measure words: 食物也有特定对应的量词
- A piece or slice of toast: 一片面包 
- A loaf of bread: 一条面包 ,切片面包组成的一长条 
- A baguette, not a loaf of baguette: 不过法棍是个例外,直接说a baguette, 不是a loaf of baguette 
- A cup of coffee: 一杯咖啡 
- A bowl of oatmeal: 一碗麦片 
- A box of cereal: 一盒早餐谷物 
注意发音: of 变成 /æ/
With these measure words, the "of" sounds more like "æ": 口语里说这些量词,of会变成a的音
- "a box of cereal" > "a box a cereal" 
- "a pack of cigarettes" > "a pack of cigarettes" 
- A lot of > lotta 
- A whole lot of > whole lotta 
送给大家 whole lotta love!

