英语短语 "come to light" 的核心含义是:(此前隐藏、未知或未被注意的事物)被发现、暴露、为人所知。
强调“从‘隐藏状态’转向‘公开/被知晓’”,通常用于描述真相、证据、事实、秘密等原本不为人知的事物最终“浮出水面”。
1、 主语特征:
通常是事物(真相、证据、线索、秘密、事实等),而非人。
例:New evidence came to light.(新证据被发现。)
例:The truth about the accident has finally come to light.(事故的真相终于大白。)
2、 时态搭配:
一般过去时(came to light):描述过去某个时间点“被发现”的动作。
例:His criminal record came to light during the job interview.(他的犯罪记录在面试时被曝光。)
现在完成时(has/have come to light):强调“已经被发现”的结果,或与现在的关联。
例:Several suspicious details have come to light since the investigation began.(调查开始后,几个可疑细节浮出水面。)
3、 语态特点:
本身是主动形式表被动含义,不能用被动语态(不能说 sth was come to light)。
与“真相/秘密”搭配:
The secret of his wealth came to light after his death.(他的财富来源之谜在他死后被揭开。)
与“证据/线索”搭配:
A key witness's testimony has come to light, changing the case.(关键证人的证词被发现,改变了案情。)
与“历史/往事”搭配:
Documents from the 1940s have come to light, revealing new details about the war.(20世纪40年代的文件被发现,揭示了战争的新细节。)
come to light vs come out:
come to light 侧重“隐藏的事物被发现”;
come out 更多指“出版、发行;(消息)传开;(真相)公开”(但更口语化,且不一定强调“此前隐藏”)。
例:The book came out last month.(这本书上个月出版了。)
例:The news about their divorce came out yesterday.(他们离婚的消息昨天传开了。)
"come to light" 是描述“隐藏事物曝光”的常用短语,核心是“从无到有、从隐到显”的过程,主语多为抽象事物(真相、证据等),常用过去时或现在完成时,无被动。
一句话记忆:When something hidden is discovered, it comes to light.