强调某事物(情绪、想法、行为等)的根本起因,相当于“stem from”“arise from”或“result from”,但更具文学性/正式感。
His anger was born of frustration at being ignored.(他的愤怒源于被忽视的挫败感。)
The charity was born of a desire to help homeless children.(这个慈善机构源于帮助流浪儿童的愿望。)
A great invention is often born of necessity.(伟大的发明往往源于需求。)(固定搭配:born of necessity 表示“出于必要”)
强调人的出身、家庭背景(如阶级、身份、父母状况等),相当于“come from”或“be from”,但更正式。
She was born of a poor farming family in rural India.(她出生于印度农村的一个贫困农民家庭。)
The king’s son, born of his second wife, inherited the throne.(国王的儿子——由第二任妻子所生——继承了王位。)
虽然“born to sb.”(“出生于某人”,即“某人的孩子”)更常用,但“born of sb.”也可表示“某人所生的孩子”,尤其用于强调“来源”。
The child born of the couple was adopted by a friend.(这对夫妇的孩子被朋友收养了。)
born in:强调“出生的时间/地点”(如 born in 1990“1990年出生”、born in Beijing“出生在北京”)。
born from:与“born of”含义相近(均表示“源于”),但“born from”更强调“从…过程中产生”,而“born of”更强调“内在的根源”(如 a new culture born from immigration“由移民产生的新文化” vs. a culture born of tradition“源于传统的文化”)。
正式性:“born of”多用于书面语、文学作品或正式场合,日常口语中更常用“come from”“stem from”或“because of”。
不可接时间/地点:不能说 born of 1990 或 born of Beijing,这类情况需用“born in”。