“hold sb. in one's arms”是一个表达亲密、保护或安慰动作的常用短语,核心含义是“将某人抱在(自己的)怀里”,强调用双臂环绕、托住对方的状态。
字面直译:“把某人放在自己的臂弯里”,实际表达“抱着某人”(侧重“怀抱着”的状态,而非简单“搂住”),隐含温暖、关怀或守护的情感。
该短语是及物动词短语,结构需注意以下几点:
1、 主语与物主代词一致
“one's”(某人的)需与主语(实施“抱”动作的人)的人称匹配:
主语是I → 用my(我的)
主语是he/she → 用his/her(他的/她的)
主语是they → 用their(他们的)
❌ 错误:He held me in my arms.(逻辑矛盾:“他用我的胳膊抱我”)
✅ 正确:He held me in his arms.(他把我抱在他的怀里)
2、 常见场景与搭配
该短语多用于温馨、亲密或安慰的语境,常见对象包括:
亲人(如父母抱孩子、子女抱长辈);
伴侣(情侣/夫妻间表达爱意);
需要安抚的人(如朋友难过时的拥抱)。
3、 被动语态
若强调“被抱的状态”,可转化为被动形式be held in sb.'s arms(被某人抱在怀里):
The baby is held in her mother's arms.(宝宝被妈妈抱在怀里。)
通过具体场景理解用法:
1、 亲情场景:
My dad held me in his arms when I fell and hurt my knee.
(我摔倒磕到膝盖时,爸爸把我抱在怀里。)
2、 亲密关系:
She leaned in, and he held her in his arms gently.
(她靠过去,他温柔地把她抱在怀里。)
3、 安慰场景:
After hearing the bad news, I held my friend in my arms until she stopped crying.
(听到坏消息后,我抱着朋友直到她停止哭泣。)
4、 日常场景:
The little girl asked her grandma to hold her in her arms so she could reach the cookies on the shelf.
(小女孩让奶奶把她抱在怀里,这样她能拿到架子上的饼干。)
hold sb. tight:强调“紧紧抱”(侧重力度),如:He held her tight and didn't let go.(他紧紧抱着她不肯松开。)
cuddle sb.:强调“依偎着抱”(更亲昵,如情侣/家人间的贴贴),如:They cuddled on the sofa watching a movie.(他们依偎在沙发上看电影。)
综上,“hold sb. in one's arms”是描述“怀抱着某人”的经典表达,核心是“用自己的双臂给对方温暖或保护”,需注意主语与物主代词的一致性,结合语境使用更自然。