英语短语 "on the quiet" 的核心含义是 “秘密地;私下地;不声张地”(对应英文解释:secretly, without telling many people, or without drawing attention)。它强调行动或信息未被公开、避开他人注意的状态,是口语中常用的表达。
"on the quiet" 侧重“不张扬、不让外人知道”,常用来描述:
不想被大众知晓的行为(如悄悄离职、私下结婚);
仅限少数人知道的信息(如私下透露的消息);
避开关注的操作(如悄悄处理某事)。
"on the quiet" 是副词短语,通常作状语,修饰动词、动词短语或整个句子,位置灵活(可放句末,或紧跟动词)。常见搭配为 "do sth on the quiet"(私下做某事)。
通过具体场景理解更清晰:
1、 行为类(悄悄做某事):
She quit her job on the quiet—none of us knew until last week.
(她悄悄辞了职——我们上周才知道。)
They got married on the quiet to avoid a big, noisy wedding.
(他们私下结了婚,不想办热闹的婚礼。)
2、 信息类(私下透露消息):
I heard on the quiet that the company is going to lay off staff.
(我私下听说公司要裁员了。)
Can you tell me the truth on the quiet? I won’t tell anyone.
(你能私下告诉我真相吗?我不会说出去的。)
3、 避开关注:
Let’s move the furniture on the quiet—the neighbors are sleeping.
(咱们悄悄搬家具吧——邻居在睡觉。)
The team planned the surprise party on the quiet so it would be a shock.
(团队悄悄策划惊喜派对,好让对方大吃一惊。)
很多人会混淆这两个表达,关键区别在于:
on the quiet:强调“秘密性”(不让人知道);
quietly:强调“声音小”(不吵闹)。
比如:
He left quietly so as not to wake the baby.(他轻轻离开,以免吵醒宝宝。)→ 声音小;
He left on the quiet so no one would notice.(他悄悄离开,没人注意到。)→ 秘密性。
"on the quiet" 是口语中描述“私下、不声张”的常用短语,适合日常对话或非正式写作。记住它的核心是“避开他人知晓”,用的时候结合场景就能准确传达意思啦!