英语短语 "at any price" 主要有两层含义,核心是强调“不计代价”,具体用法需结合语境理解:
字面义:以任何价格(无论高低);
比喻义(更常用):不惜任何代价;无论如何(为实现目标愿意付出一切努力、牺牲或代价)。
强调为得到某样东西,不在乎花费多少金钱。
He’s been looking for that vintage guitar for years—he’d buy it at any price.
(他找那把复古吉他好几年了——无论多少钱他都会买。)
The collector was willing to pay at any price for the rare stamp.
(那位收藏家愿意以任何价格收购这枚稀有邮票。)
最常见的用法,突出决心或执念,代价可以是时间、精力、原则甚至牺牲。
She was determined to become a doctor at any price—even if it meant working three jobs to pay for medical school.
(她决心不惜任何代价成为医生——哪怕要打三份工凑学费。)
The team vowed to win the championship at any price.
(球队发誓不惜一切代价赢得冠军。)
They would protect their family at any price.
(他们会不惜任何代价保护家人。)
表示绝对拒绝;无论如何都不,用于回应不愿做的事。
—Would you sell your childhood home?
(你会卖掉童年的房子吗?)
—Not at any price! It’s too meaningful to me.
(绝对不会!它对我太重要了。)
I wouldn’t betray my friends at any price.
(我无论如何都不会背叛朋友。)
at all costs:与比喻义的"at any price"几乎同义(“不惜一切代价”),可互换。
例:We must save the environment at all costs./We must save the environment at any price.
at a price:注意区分!意为“以很高的代价;付出代价”(强调“代价存在”,而非“不计代价”)。
例:He got the promotion, but at a price—he rarely sees his family now.
(他得到了晋升,但付出了代价——现在很少见到家人。)
口语、书面语均常用,适用于表达强烈决心、拒绝或对某物的执念,比如日常对话、新闻报道、文学作品等。
总结:"at any price"的核心是“不计代价”,无论是金钱还是其他成本,关键看语境是“买东西”还是“实现目标”。