“under no circumstances”是一个表示强烈否定的英语短语,核心含义是:
强调“无论发生什么情况,某件事都绝对不会发生/绝对不能做”,语气比普通的“never”更正式、更强烈。
否定意义的短语(如“under no circumstances”“by no means”“in no way”等)放在句首时,句子需要部分倒装——即把助动词/情态动词/be动词 提前到主语之前。
1、 句中含情态动词(can, should, must等)
原句:You should tell him the truth.(你应该告诉他真相。)
倒装:Under no circumstances should you tell him the truth.(你绝不能告诉他真相。)
2、 句中含be动词(am/is/are/was/were)
原句:Smoking is allowed here.(这里允许吸烟。)
倒装:Under no circumstances is smoking allowed here.(这里绝不允许吸烟。)
3、 句中含实义动词(无明显助动词)
需添加助动词“do/does/did”,再将助动词提前,实义动词变回原形。
原句:He mentioned his failure.(他提到了他的失败。)
倒装:Under no circumstances did he mention his failure.(他绝口不提自己的失败。)
4、 用于宾语从句中
如果“under no circumstances”放在宾语从句的句首,从句也需要倒装:
She said, “I will not give up.”(她说:“我不会放弃。”)
→ She said that under no circumstances would she give up.(她表示,无论如何她都不会放弃。)
语气与场景:常用于正式书面语(如法律文件、严肃承诺)或口语中的强调,比“never”更郑重。
易混淆短语对比:
“under any circumstances”:在任何情况下(肯定含义,强调“无论如何都要做”)
例:Under any circumstances, you must stay calm.(无论如何你都要保持冷静。)
“under no circumstances”:在任何情况下都不(否定含义,强调“绝对不能做”)
1、 Under no circumstances should you open the door to strangers.(你绝不能给陌生人开门。)
2、 The company stated that under no circumstances would they cut employees’ salaries.(公司声明,无论如何都不会降员工工资。)
3、 Under no circumstances are you allowed to use your phone during the exam.(考试期间你绝对不能用手机。)
简言之,“under no circumstances”是表达“绝对禁止/绝不”的强否定短语,核心考点是“句首倒装”,记住这个规则就能正确使用啦!