"unlock secret"是一个动宾短语,字面直译为“解锁秘密”,实际引申为“揭开秘密、破解奥秘、发现(隐藏的)真相”。
其中:
unlock:及物动词,本义是“用钥匙/密码打开(锁)”,引申为“解开、揭示(隐藏的事物)”;
secret:名词,指“秘密、奥秘、秘诀”(可数或不可数,常用单数形式加定冠词the表特指)。
该短语通常需要补充具体的“秘密内容”,常见结构为:
(of强调“…的本质/来源”;to强调“…的方法/关键”,可互换)
unlock the secret of sth:揭开某事物的奥秘(侧重“本质”);
unlock the secret to sth:破解某事物的秘诀(侧重“方法”)。
通过不同语境的例子,更清晰理解用法:
Scientists have been working for decades to unlock the secret of DNA.
(科学家们数十年来一直致力于破解DNA的奥秘。)
The new research may help unlock the secret of how the universe began.
(这项新研究可能有助于揭开宇宙起源的秘密。)
After years of trial and error, she finally unlocked the secret to perfect bread-making.
(经过多年试错,她终于找到了制作完美面包的秘诀。)
The psychologist helped him unlock the secret of his childhood trauma.
(心理医生帮他揭开了童年创伤的秘密。)
The secret of the ancient pyramid was unlocked by a team of archaeologists last year.
(这座古金字塔的秘密去年被一队考古学家揭开了。)
unlock是及物动词:后面必须接宾语(secret不能省略),不能说He tried to unlock(需补充what he wants to unlock);
secret的特指性:通常用定冠词the修饰(the secret),表“特定的某个秘密”,而非泛指;
搭配灵活性:除了of/to,有时也可接定语从句,如unlock the secret that has puzzled us for years(揭开困扰我们多年的秘密)。
简言之,"unlock secret"是一个聚焦“揭示隐藏信息”的实用短语,适用于描述从“未知”到“已知”的过程,无论是科学探索、生活技巧还是心理剖析,都能准确传达“破解秘密”的动作。