quiet

这组形容词共同的意思是“安静”“平静”“寂静”。它们的区别在于:

1.在修饰环境时各词所指的状态为:calm指风平浪静; peaceful指没有战争或骚乱; quiet指没有吵闹干扰; still指完全没有声音。例如:

The sea was calm yesterday.昨天海水是平静的。

Countries should settle their disputes by peaceful means.各国应通过和平手段解决他们的争端。

Differences among them could have been reconciled by them through peaceful consultations.他们中间的分歧本来可以由他们和平协商调解。

He had a bad headache and needed being quiet.他头疼得厉害,需要安静。

Everything was deadly still.万籁俱寂。

2.在修饰人时:calm指人心平气和,毫不激动; peaceful表示“安详的”“温和的”; quiet指性情温和、安静等,有时也指人的闲散或不活动; still指“一动不动”; silent侧重“沉默”“不说话”,但不一定不动。例如:

The teacher is peaceful when the student appeared.当这个学生出现时,这个老师很温和。

We should keep quiet in the hospital.在医院里我们应该保持安静。

His hands were never still.他的双手一刻也不停。

We've been silent for too long. It's time to speak out.我们沉默得太久了,现在是大胆地发表意见的时候了。

She sat silent in her own room.她在自己的房间里一动不动地坐着。

这三个短语意思并不相同:at quiet的意思是“安定地”; in quiet的意思是“安静地”; 而on the quiet的意思是“秘密地”。

这三个词都可作“寂静,平静,清静”解。它们的区别在于:quiet表示事物的状态或气氛; quietness指人或物所展示出来的一种品质; quietude则表示人的习惯。例如:

After a busy week in London, he looked forward to the peace and quiet of his country home.在伦敦忙碌了一周之后,他渴望乡下家里宁静的生活氛围。

We were surprised at the quietness of his manner and gentleness of speech.我们为他那文静的举止和亲切的话语而感到惊讶。

Quietude is out of fashion in these days.如今清静不流行了。