英语短语"calm down"是核心口语表达,主要用于描述情绪、状态或环境从激动/混乱恢复到平静的过程。以下是具体解析:
字面直译为“冷静下来;平静下来;镇定下来”,可对应两种场景:
1、 人:从愤怒、紧张、焦虑、兴奋等情绪中平复;
2、 物/局面:从混乱、吵闹、动荡的状态恢复平稳。
"calm down"是动词短语,用法灵活,需注意及物/不及物和代词位置:
主语可以是人或事物,表示“(自己)冷静下来/变平静”。
人作主语:
例:I was so angry, but I tried to calm down.(我很生气,但试着冷静下来。)
例:Take a deep breath and calm down.(深呼吸,冷静下来。)
物/局面作主语:
例:The storm finally calmed down by midnight.(暴风雨到午夜终于平息了。)
例:The classroom calmed down when the teacher walked in.(老师进来后,教室安静了下来。)
需加宾语,结构为"calm sb/sth down"(让某人/某物冷静下来)。
宾语是名词:可放在"calm"和"down"中间或后面(但更常见放中间);
例:She calmed the crying baby down. = She calmed down the crying baby.(她哄好了哭闹的婴儿。)
宾语是代词(如him/her/it):必须放在"calm"和"down"中间(固定搭配);
例:He was yelling—can you calm him down?(他在大喊大叫——你能让他冷静下来吗?)(不能说"calm down him")
安慰/劝解:当他人情绪激动时(生气、恐慌、焦虑),用"calm down"引导平复;
例:Calm down, everything will be okay.(冷静点,一切都会好的。)
自我调节:描述自己控制情绪的过程;
例:I need to calm down before I talk to him.(我得先冷静下来再和他谈。)
描述状态变化:用于事件、环境从混乱到平稳的转变;
例:The protest calmed down after the government made a statement.(政府发表声明后,抗议活动平息了。)
"calm down"是口语化表达,正式场合可替换为"composure oneself"(使自己镇定)或"subside"(平息,用于事物),但日常交流中"calm down"更常用;
否定形式:"don't calm down"(别冷静)很少用,通常用"stay calm"(保持冷静)或"don't get upset"(别生气)代替。
总之,"calm down"是英语中调节情绪、描述状态的高频短语,掌握其及物/不及物用法和代词位置,就能灵活运用在日常对话中~