about的用法说明
■用作介词
1. 在…各处,到处:
He traveled about the world. 他周游了全世界。
The books were scattered about the floor. 书扔在地板上到处都是。
2. 在…附近,离…不远,在…的周围:
He is somewhere about the house. 他就在这房子的什么地方。
3. 关于,对于,涉及,有关:
He talked about his family. 他谈到了他的家人。
I spoke with him about the matter. 我同他谈过此事了。
4. 在…身上,在…身边,在手头上:
Do you have a lighter about you? 你身上带有打火机吗?
There was something about him that I did not like. 他有些表现我不喜欢。
5. 大约在:
about this time an incident happened. 差不多就在这个时候,发生了一件事。
6. 从事于:
What are you about? 你在干什么?
He knew what he was about. 他知道自己在做什么。
【常用短语】
How [What] about… …怎么样:
What about the others? 其他人怎么样?
How about going on a picnic? 去野餐怎么样?
【用法说明】
在动词know, hear, speak等之后用不用介词about,含义有差别:
I have heard about him, but I don’t know him. 我听到过一些关于他的事,但不认识他这个人。
I’ve heard of him, but I don’t know about him. 我听说过他,但我不知道有关他的情况。比较:
He knows her. 他认识她。
He knows of her. 他知道有她这样一个人。
He knows about her. 他知道有关她的情况。
【用法辨析】about, on:
两者均可表示“关于”,但about指泛泛地或非正式地谈论某事物,其内容也较为普通;而on则指比较有系统地或理论性较强地谈论某事物,其内容较正式或较严肃。如说a book on rabbits,指的可能是一本论及兔子的学术著作;若说a book about rabbits,则指的可能是一本供小孩看的关于兔子的故事书。
■用作副词
1. 大约,差不多:
We waited for about 20 minutes. 我们大约等了20分钟。
Is that about right? 那样差不多吗?
2. 到处:
Don’t drop cigarette ash about. 不要乱弹烟灰。
3. 在四周,在附近:
There was nobody about. 附近没有人。
【常用短语】
be about to do sth 即将做某事:
They are about to start. 他们就要动身了。
【用法说明】
该短语不与具体的时间状语连用,如不说:
They are about to start soon
tomorrow. 在美国口语中,be about to do sth的否定式意为“不愿”“不打算”。