英语短语"beyond sb.'s reach"核心含义是“超出某人的能力/范围/触及范围”,具体可引申为以下4种常见解释,需结合语境理解:
字面:“在某人伸手不及的地方”;
引申:某人无法做到/获得/理解的(涵盖物理、能力、经济、认知等维度)。
根据不同场景,"beyond sb.'s reach"可表达以下4类意思:
指物体的位置超出某人的手臂触及范围,常用于提醒安全(如防止儿童接触危险物品)。
The knife is placed beyond the child's reach (on the high counter).
刀放在孩子够不着的地方(高柜上)。
The top shelf is beyond my reach—can you get that book for me?
顶层书架我够不着,能帮我拿那本书吗?
指目标、任务超出某人的技能、实力或可能性。
Winning the Olympic gold medal is beyond his reach right now—he's still a beginner.
现在拿奥运金牌对他来说不可能——他还是个新手。
This project is beyond our team's reach without more funding.
没有更多资金,这个项目我们团队做不了。
指商品价格超出某人的预算或支付能力(常与"way"“far”等副词连用表“远远超出”)。
That luxury watch is way beyond my reach—it costs $10,000!
那块 luxury 手表我根本买不起——要1万美元!
The house in the city center is beyond most young people's reach these days.
如今市中心的房子大多数年轻人都买不起。
指概念、理论超出某人的知识水平或认知能力。
Quantum mechanics is beyond the reach of most laypeople (ordinary people).
量子力学大多数普通人理解不了。
The poet's abstract metaphors are often beyond my reach—I need to read them twice.
诗人的抽象隐喻我常常看不懂——得读两遍。
同义替换:"out of sb.'s reach"(与"beyond sb.'s reach"几乎完全通用,但"beyond"更强调“抽象的超出”,"out of"更偏向“物理上的脱离”)。
例:Keep the medicine out of the dog's reach.(把药放在狗够不着的地方。)
反义短语:"within sb.'s reach"(在某人能力范围内;够得着;买得起)。
例:The promotion is within her reach if she works hard.(如果她努力,晋升是有可能的。)
变体结构:"beyond the reach of sb."(与"beyond sb.'s reach"意思一致,只是语序不同,更正式)。
例:The secret is beyond the reach of all but a few (only a few people know it).(这个秘密只有少数人知道。)
"beyond sb.'s reach"是一个多维度的否定短语,核心是“某人无法掌控/获得/理解”。使用时需结合上下文判断具体场景(物理、能力、经济、认知),搭配不同主语(物体、目标、商品、概念等)即可准确表达“超出范围”的含义。
一句话记住:If something is beyond your reach, you can't get it, do it, afford it, or understand it.