“缓和”常见的英文表达有 ease、mitigate、alleviate、moderate、relax 等,具体使用哪个词取决于语境:
ease:最为常用,指使紧张、困难、痛苦等程度减轻,或使局势、关系等不再那么紧张、激烈。例如:
They tried to ease the tension between the two countries.(他们试图缓和两国之间的紧张关系。)
Taking a warm bath can ease muscle pain.(泡个热水澡可以缓解肌肉疼痛。)
mitigate:侧重于采取措施减轻不良影响的严重程度,常用于正式或技术性的语境中。例如:
Planting more trees can mitigate the effects of climate change.(种植更多的树木可以减轻气候变化的影响。)
alleviate:强调通过某种方式减轻痛苦、困难或不适的程度,常与“pain(疼痛)”“suffering(苦难)”“poverty(贫困)”等词搭配。例如:
The new drug can alleviate the symptoms of the disease.(这种新药可以缓解这种疾病的症状。)
moderate:作动词时,表示使(行为、情绪等)变得温和、适度,不过分激烈。例如:
The teacher managed to moderate the students' excitement.(老师设法让学生们的兴奋情绪平静下来。)
relax:更侧重于使原本紧张、严格或受限的状态变得轻松、宽松,常与“rules(规则)”“restrictions(限制)”等搭配。例如:
The government decided to relax the travel restrictions.(政府决定放宽旅行限制。)