"more often than not"是一个常用的英语副词短语,核心含义是“通常;往往;多半;大多数情况下”,用来表示某件事发生的频率高于不发生的频率(即“发生的次数比不发生的多”)。
字面直译为“比不发生的时候更经常”,引申为“大多数时候如此”,强调频率上的“多数性”(类似“usually”或“frequently”,但更具书面性或强调逻辑上的“大概率”)。
作为副词短语,它通常修饰整个句子或谓语动词,位置灵活,可放在:
句首(用逗号隔开);
句中(主语之后,谓语动词之前);
句尾(较少见,但语法正确)。
以下是不同场景的常见用法:
More often than not, I take the bus to work.
(我通常乘公交上班。)
More often than not, rainy days make me feel sleepy.
(多半情况下,雨天会让我犯困。)
She more often than not forgets to bring her umbrella.
(她往往会忘记带伞。)
The restaurant more often than not has a long wait on weekends.
(这家餐厅周末通常要排很久的队。)
I end up working overtime more often than not.
(我结果多半要加班。)
The meeting goes on for hours more often than not.
(会议往往要开几个小时。)
该短语不直接修饰名词或形容词,需搭配完整的句子或谓语动词;
它是中性表达,不带有褒贬,仅说明频率;
可替换为“usually”“frequently”“most of the time”,但“more often than not”更强调“对比性”(发生>不发生),语气稍正式。
"more often than not"是描述“高频发生”的实用短语,核心是“多数情况如此”,用法灵活,适合口语和书面语,只要记住它修饰整个事件的频率即可。