英语短语"tell…apart"的核心含义是“区分开;辨别出;把……区分开来”,用于描述从相似的人、物或情况中识别出差异的能力。
"tell…apart"是“动词+副词”结构的短语动词,通常需要接两个并列的宾语(表示需要区分的两者),或用代词指代这两者。具体结构如下:
tell A and B apart(最常用):直接在"tell"后接需要区分的两个对象(A和B),再跟"apart"。
tell apart A and B:若宾语是名词短语,也可将"apart"提前(但代词作宾语时不能这样用,见下文“注意事项”)。
常与can't/couldn't(不能)、find it hard/difficult to(难以)等搭配,强调“无法区分”:
I can't tell the two sisters apart—they look identical!(我分不清这对姐妹——她们长得一模一样!)
Is it easy to tell apart real leather and synthetic leather?(区分真皮和人造革容易吗?)
可用“be + 形容词 + to tell apart”表示“……难以区分”:
These two mobile phones are almost identical—they're hard to tell apart.(这两部手机几乎一样——很难区分。)
代词作宾语时,必须放在"tell"和"apart"中间:
✅ I can't tell them apart.(我分不清它们。)
❌ I can't tell apart them.(错误)
对象为单数时:若区分的是“某事物与其他相似事物”,可补充上下文:
Can you tell this painting apart from the fake one?(你能把这幅画和赝品区分开吗?)
1、 区分人:
Even their teacher can't tell the twins apart—they wear the same clothes every day.(连他们的老师都分不清这对双胞胎——他们每天穿一样的衣服。)
2、 区分物:
The two brands of coffee taste so similar that I can't tell them apart.(这两个品牌的咖啡味道太像了,我分不清。)
3、 区分概念:
It's important to tell right from wrong apart when making decisions.(做决定时区分对错很重要。)
(注:此处"right from wrong"是固定搭配,可替换为其他对立概念。)
"tell…apart"是描述“区分相似事物”的高频短语,关键是明确需要区分的两个对象,并注意代词的位置。日常对话中常用否定形式表达“无法区分”,是实用性很强的短语~