“by means of”是一个正式的介词短语,核心含义是“通过;借助于;用(某种方法/手段/工具)”,用来明确说明完成某件事所依赖的具体方式或工具,相当于“using”或“through the use of”。
强调“利用某种手段达成目的”,聚焦于“方法的使用”,而非具体动作本身。例如:
用工具:Open the box by means of this key.(用这把钥匙打开箱子。)
用方法:They solved the problem by means of teamwork.(他们通过团队合作解决了问题。)
用技术:Information is shared by means of the internet.(信息通过互联网共享。)
1、 后接成分:
作为介词短语,“by means of”后需接名词、代词或动名词(-ing形式),构成介宾结构,修饰谓语动词。
接名词:We travel by means of public transport.(我们乘公共交通出行。)
接动名词:She improved her English by means of practicing every day.(她通过每天练习提高英语。)
接代词(较少见,需指代明确的手段):Is there a way to fix this by means of it?(能用它来修这个吗?)
2、 正式性:
多用于书面语、正式场合(如学术写作、法律文本、技术说明),口语中更常用“using”“with”等更简洁的表达。
例:书面语→The experiment was conducted by means of a laser.(实验通过激光进行。)
口语→We did the experiment using a laser.(我们用激光做了实验。)
具体工具/技术:The signal is transmitted by means of a satellite.(信号通过卫星传输。)
抽象方法/品质:He gained respect by means of honesty.(他通过诚实赢得尊重。)
行为方式:The thief entered the house by means of breaking a window.(小偷通过打破窗户进入房子。)
1、 by no means:完全不同的含义——“绝不;根本不”(表否定),需避免混淆。
例:By no means am I satisfied with the result.(我对结果一点也不满意。)
2、 with vs. by means of:
“with”更口语、更具体,直接接工具/身体部位(如cut with a knife用刀割);
“by means of”更正式,强调“通过某种手段的过程”(如solve by means of a new method通过新方法解决)。
3、 by way of:意为“经由;通过…方式”(侧重路径或媒介),如He went to Tokyo by way of Seoul.(他经首尔去东京。)
“by means of”是正式的“手段介词”,核心是“用…方法/工具做某事”,后接名词/动名词,适用于需要明确、严谨表达“手段”的场景。