"own up"是一个口语化的不及物动词短语,核心含义是主动承认(错误、罪行或不愿公开的事),强调“站出来承担责任”的态度(而非被动逼问下的承认)。
= to admit that you have done something wrong or embarrassing(承认做错事/尴尬的事)
侧重“主动坦白”,常隐含“之前试图隐瞒,后来决定承担责任”的语境。
结构:own up to (doing) sth.
表示“承认做了某事”。
He finally owned up to stealing the wallet.(他最终承认偷了钱包。)
Why won’t you own up to your mistake?(你为什么不承认你的错误?)
She owned up to eating the last piece of cake.(她承认吃了最后一块蛋糕。)
If you broke the window, you should own up!(如果你打破了窗户,就该承认!)
Nobody owned up to the prank, so everyone got in trouble.(没人承认搞了恶作剧,所以大家都受罚了。)
结构:own up that...
He owned up that he’d lied to his teacher.(他承认对老师撒谎了。)
口语性:比"admit"更随意,更符合日常对话(正式场合更常用"admit"或"confess")。
主动性:强调“主动坦白”,而非被质疑/证据逼问后的承认(如果是被动承认,更可能用"admit under pressure")。
无被动:因为是“主动承认”,不能说"be owned up"。
I knew I had to own up to forgetting her birthday.(我知道我得承认忘了她的生日。)
The kids were scared, but one of them finally owned up to drawing on the wall.(孩子们很害怕,但其中一个最终承认在墙上画画了。)
Don’t be afraid to own up—everyone makes mistakes.(别害怕承认——每个人都会犯错。)
简单来说,"own up"就是“主动认账”,用于需要承担责任的场景~