"be frightened to do sth." 是英语中常用的恐惧类表达,核心含义是:因感到恐惧而不敢/害怕去做某事(强调“恐惧导致行动的退缩”)。
be frightened:系表结构,意为“感到恐惧的”("frightened"是-ed结尾的形容词,修饰人/有感知的主体,表示“被吓到的、恐惧的”);
to do sth.:不定式作状语,说明“恐惧的具体对象”——即“不敢去做的那个动作”。
整体可以理解为:“因为害怕,所以不敢做某件事”。
主语通常是有恐惧情绪的主体(人或动物),强调“因恐惧而回避某个动作”。
She was frightened to go out alone after the robbery.
(抢劫案后,她害怕独自外出。)
The little boy is frightened to touch the dog—he thinks it will bite.
(小男孩不敢摸狗——他怕狗会咬他。)
The cat was frightened to jump off the high shelf.
(那只猫不敢从高架子上跳下来。)
可以在"frightened"前加程度副词(如very, so, absolutely)或用固定短语frightened to death(吓得要死),突出“极度恐惧”:
He was absolutely frightened to speak in front of the whole class.
(他完全不敢在全班同学面前讲话。)
I was frightened to death to swim in the deep sea.
(我吓得要死,不敢在深海里游泳。)
表示“不害怕做某事”,直接在"be"动词后加否定词(not):
She isn’t frightened to try new things—she loves adventure!
(她不害怕尝试新事物——她喜欢冒险!)
The brave girl wasn’t frightened to climb the mountain alone.
(这个勇敢的女孩不害怕独自爬山。)
常与be afraid to do sth. 混淆,但二者侧重不同:
be frightened to do:更强调“强烈的恐惧”(往往是具体的、让人生畏的场景/事物),比如“害怕被攻击、害怕高”;
be afraid to do:更日常、温和,侧重“担心后果”(比如“怕出错、怕麻烦”)。
例:
I’m afraid to ask the teacher—she might get angry.(我不敢问老师——怕她生气。)
I’m frightened to ask the teacher—she yelled at me last time!(我不敢问老师——她上次吼过我!)
"be frightened to do sth." 是表达“因恐惧而不敢行动”的精准短语,适用于描述“对具体动作的恐惧回避”,常见于口语和书面语中。记住核心:恐惧→不敢做。