该短语是“主系表”结构的常用表达,其中:
主语(S):通常是令人难以理解的事物/概念/行为(如理论、问题、决定、语言等);
系动词(be):根据主语的人称/数变化(am/is/are/was/were);
表语(beyond one's comprehension):核心是“beyond + 名词短语”,表示“超出…的范围”;
one's:需替换为形容词性物主代词(my/his/her/our/their等)或名词所有格(e.g., Tom's),指代“某人的”;
comprehension:不可数名词,意为“理解(能力)”,强调“对复杂事物的整体把握”(比understanding更正式)。
1、 抽象概念/理论:
The theory of quantum mechanics is beyond most people's comprehension.
(量子力学理论超出了大多数人的理解范围。)
2、 具体问题/指令:
The math problem was beyond my comprehension—even the teacher had to think twice.
(这道数学题我完全不懂——连老师都得想半天。)
3、 行为/决定:
Why she quit her high-paying job to become a farmer is beyond my comprehension.
(她为什么辞掉高薪工作去当农民,我完全无法理解。)
4、 语言/文本:
The legal document was written in such jargon that it was beyond the comprehension of ordinary citizens.
(这份法律文件用了太多行话,普通市民根本看不懂。)
同义表达:be beyond one's understanding(更口语);be impossible for sb to understand(更直白);
反义表达:be within one's comprehension(在某人的理解范围内);
注意:该短语强调“客观上超出能力”,而非“主观不想理解”,因此不能用于描述“故意不明白”的情况。
简言之,这个短语用于表达对某事物的“认知门槛”——无论怎么努力都难以理解,是口语和书面语中都常用的“难理解”表达。