"not to mention" 是英语中常用的 补充说明类短语,核心含义是 “更不用说;别提;何况”,用于在已有信息的基础上,补充一个 更极端、更突出或更显而易见的情况,强化语气(通常暗示后者比前者更难/更甚/更不可能)。
用来引出 比前文所述更进一层的内容,相当于汉语的“别说…了(就连…都…)”“更不用说”。例如:
I can't even cook rice, not to mention making a full course meal.
我连米饭都不会煮,更不用说做一顿完整的大餐了。
"not to mention" 后面可接 名词、动名词、形容词、从句 等,关键要注意 前后内容的逻辑平行(即结构或性质一致)。
用于补充前文提到的同类事物,强调后者更难/更重要:
The hotel was dirty and noisy, not to mention the high price.
这家酒店又脏又吵,更不用说价格还很高了。
She has three kids to take care of, not to mention her elderly parents.
她要照顾三个孩子,何况还有年迈的父母。
当前文是“无法做某事”时,后面接更难的动作:
I'm too tired to walk, not to mention climbing that mountain.
我累得连路都走不动,更不用说爬那座山了。
He can't speak French, not to mention writing a letter in it.
他不会说法语,更别提用法语写信了。
补充前文描述的特征,强调后者更突出:
The movie was boring, not to mention way too long.
这部电影很无聊,而且长得要命。
The job is low-paid, not to mention extremely stressful.
这份工作工资低,更不用说压力还极大。
用于补充更具体的细节(此时"not to mention" 后需加"that"):
She's a great athlete, not to mention that she's also a top student.
她是个优秀的运动员,更不用说她还是个尖子生。
The party was fun, not to mention that the food was delicious.
派对很有趣,何况食物还很美味。
1、 逻辑重心:"not to mention" 后的内容是强调重点,通常比前文更“极端”(更难、更差、更重要)。
2、 平行结构:为了句子流畅,后面的成分最好与前文结构一致(比如前文是“动词原形”,后面也用动词原形;前文是“形容词”,后面也用形容词):
错误:He can't swim, not to mention to dive.(to dive 与 swim 不平行)
正确:He can't swim, not to mention dive.(dive 与 swim 均为动词原形)
3、 与"let alone"的区别:
两者含义相似,但 "let alone"更口语,且通常用于否定句(强调“连…都不,更别说”);
"not to mention"更正式,可用于肯定/否定句,且能接从句(let alone 一般不接从句)。
例如:
He can't afford a bike, let alone a car.(口语,否定句)
She's a good singer, not to mention that she dances well.(正式,肯定句+从句)
"not to mention" 是强化补充的工具,核心是“在前文基础上再加一层更甚的内容”。只要抓住“更不用说”的逻辑,搭配各类平行成分,就能灵活使用啦!