mean
verb
adj
noun
miːn verb
1
HAVE A PARTICULAR MEANING
有某种意思
to have or represent a particular meaning 意思是，表示…的意思 not in progressive 不用进行式
What does ‘patronizing’ mean ?
patronizing 是什么意思？
The red light means ‘Stop’.
红灯表示“停”。
The report fails to define what is meant by the term ‘key issues’.
报告没有明确“关键问题”一词指的是什么。
mean (that)
This light means you’re running low on fuel.
这个灯亮说明燃料不多了。
2
INTEND TO SAY STH
打算说某事
to intend a particular meaning when you say something 意思是说 not in progressive 不用进行式 | spoken spoken
mean (that)
I meant we’d have to leave early – that’s all.
我的意思是说我们必须早点走 — 没有别的。
It’s pretty obvious what she means .
她是什么意思很明显。
(do) you mean spoken (=used to check you have understood what someone intended to say) 【口】 你的意思是说
Do you mean you’ve changed or Chris has changed?
你是说你变了还是克里斯变了？
do/if you know/see what I mean?
I want to buy her something really special, if you know what I mean.
我想给她买一件很特别的东西，你明白我的意思吧。
We’re still married but living apart in the same house, if you see what I mean.
我们仍维持着婚姻关系，但在同一个房子里分开住，你懂我的意思了吧?
Oh yeah! I see what you mean (=I understand what you are trying to say) .
噢！ 我明白你的意思。
What I mean is , I don’t feel alone anymore (=used to explain more about what you have said) .
我的意思是我不再感到孤单了。
‘I didn’t really like him.’ ‘I know what you mean , I didn’t get on with him either (=used to say you understand and have had the same experience) .
“我不太喜欢他。”“我知道你的意思，我和他也合不来。”
‘In three hours’ time, I’ll be a free man.’ ‘ How do you mean ?’ (=used to ask someone to explain what they have just said)
“三个小时以后，我就是自由人了。”“你什么意思？”
3
INTEND TO DO STH
打算做某事
to intend to do something or intend that someone else should do something 意欲，打算 especially AmE :
mean to do sth
I’ve been meaning to ask you if you want to come for a meal next week.
我一直打算问问你，下个星期你要不要来吃饭。
I didn’t mean to upset you.
我并不是要让你不高兴。
mean sb/sth to do sth
I didn’t mean this to happen at all.
我并不想发生这样的事。
I never meant you to find out.
我根本没有打算要让你去搞清楚。
mean for sb to do sth
I didn’t mean for her to get hurt.
我并没有让她受到伤害的意思。
I’m sure she didn’t mean it (=you did not intend to upset or hurt someone) .
我肯定她不是故意的。
mean no harm/offence/disrespect (not intend to harm, offend etc someone) 并不想伤害/冒犯/不恭敬
I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm.
我确信他没有恶意。
He may sound a bit rude at times, but he means well (=intends to be helpful or kind, even if it does not seem like that) .
他讲话有时也许是粗鲁了一点，但用意是好的。
I wasn’t criticizing you, I really meant it for the best (=wanted to be helpful, although my actions had the wrong effect) .
我不是在批评你，我真的是出于好意。
4
RESULT IN STH
导致某事
to have a particular result or involve something 产生…结果; 意味着 not in progressive 不用进行式
The merger will mean the closure of the company’s Sydney office.
这次合并意味着公司在悉尼的办事处要关闭。
Don’t let him see you. It will only mean trouble.
别让他看见你。 那只会造成麻烦。
mean (that)
The high cost of housing means that many young people can’t afford to buy a house.
房价高意味着很多年轻人买不起房子。
mean doing sth
My new job will mean travelling all over the world.
我的新工作需要在世界各地到处跑。
Dieting also means being careful about which foods you buy.
节食还意味着买什么样的食物也很讲究。
5
BE FAMILIAR
熟识
if a name, word etc means something to you, you are familiar with it or you understand it 〔对某个名字、词语等〕十分熟识，能理解 not in progressive 不用进行式
He said his name was ‘Randall’ but it meant nothing to me (=I was not familiar with it) .
他说他的名字叫兰德尔，但我一点儿印象也没有。
Does the name Bryce mean anything to you?
你还记得布赖斯这个名字吗？
You need to use analogies which will mean something to the reader.
你要用读者能够理解的比喻。
6
SAY STH SERIOUSLY
严肃地说某事
to be serious about what you are saying or writing 当真，说到做到 not in progressive 不用进行式
With children, if you say ‘no’, you have to mean it .
对待孩子，你如果说了“不”，就要说到做到。
I meant what I said earlier.
我刚才说的话是算数的。
You don’t really mean that, do you?
你不会真的要那样，对吗？
7
HOW IMPORTANT SB/STH IS
某人/某事有多重要
used for saying how important someone or something is to you 重要，意义重大 not in progressive 不用进行式
mean sth to sb
I know how much your work means to you.
我知道你的工作对你有多重要。
The medal meant a lot to him.
那枚奖章对他意义重大。
mean the world to sb/mean everything to sb (be very important to someone) 对某人来说意味着一切
He meant the world to her.
他就是她的一切。
Time meant nothing (=it was not important) to me while I was travelling.
旅行时，时间对我就不重要了。
Of course the relationship meant something to me.
当然这种关系对我还是挺重要的。
8
SHOW STH IS TRUE/WILL HAPPEN
表明某事真实/会发生
to be a sign that something is true or will happen 表示; 预示 not in progressive 不用进行式
mean (that)
Finding a lump does not necessarily mean you have cancer.
发现有肿块并不一定意味着你就得癌症了。
Clear skies mean that it will be a cold night.
天空晴朗无云说明晚间会冷。
Just because he’s been in prison, it doesn’t mean that he’s violent.
进过监狱并不说明他就很暴力。
9
what do you mean ...?
a. used when you do not understand what someone is trying to say b. used when you are very surprised or annoyed by what someone has just said c. used when you are very annoyed by what someone has just done 你是什么意思〔某人的做法让你感到烦恼，生气〕
‘You’ll be careful won’t you?’ ‘What do you mean?’
“你会小心的，是吧？”“你是什么意思？”
What do you mean, you’ve cancelled the trip?
你什么意思，你把这次旅行取消了？
What do you mean by that?
你那样是什么意思？
What do you mean by calling me at this time of night?
你这么晚打电话给我是什么意思？
10
SAY WHICH PERSON/THING
说的是哪个人/物
used to say that a particular person or thing is the one that you are talking about, pointing to etc 意指，说的是
‘Hey you!’ ‘Do you mean me?’
“嗨，你！”“你说的是我吗？”
I meant the pink dress, not the red one.
我指的是那条粉红色的裙子，不是那条红的。
11
I mean
11. a. used when explaining or giving an example of something, or when pausing to think about what you are going to say next b. used to quickly correct something you have just said 我是说〔用以马上纠正刚说过的话〕
You’re more of an expert than me. I mean, you’ve got all that experience.
你比我更专业，我是说你有那么丰富的经验。
It’s just not right. I mean, it’s unfair isn’t it?
这就不对。 我是说这不公平，你说呢？
She plays the violin, I mean the viola, really well.
她的小提琴 — 我是说中提琴 — 拉得确实好。
12
see what I mean?
12. used when something that happens proves what you said before 我说得没错吧？〔表示发生的事恰好证实了你先前说过的话〕
See what I mean? Every time she calls me up she wants me to do something for her.
我说的没错吧？ 她每次给我打电话都是要我给她办事。
13
that’s what I mean
13. used when someone is saying the same thing that you were trying to say earlier 我就是这个意思〔用于表示某人说的话正是你刚才想说的〕
‘We might not have enough money.’ ‘That’s what I mean, so we’d better find out the price first.’
“我们也许钱不够。”“我也是这个意思，所以我们最好先弄清楚价钱。”
14
I mean to say
14. used when adding a reason or explanation for something you have just said, especially something you feel strongly about 我的意思是说〔用以为自己刚刚说的话补充理由或解释，尤指你抱有强烈感情的事〕
Of course she wants to see the children, I mean to say, it’s only natural, isn’t it?
她当然是想见孩子的，我的意思是说，这不过是人之常情，对吧？
15
mean business
15. to be determined to do something 是认真的
This decision shows the public that we mean business.
这个决定向公众表明我们是认真的。
16
be meant to do sth
16. a. if you are meant to do something, you should do it, especially because someone has told you to or because you are responsible for it b. to be intended to do something 意在 （旨在 ）做某事
Come on, Ellen, you’re meant to be helping me.
好了，埃伦，你是应该帮助我的。
I thought the police were meant to protect people.
我认为警察就是要保护人民的。
The diagram is meant to show the different stages of the process.
这个图表意在显示整个过程的各个不同阶段。
17
be meant to be good/excellent/bad etc
17. used to say that you have heard or read that something is good, bad etc 听说很好/极出色/很差等
The play is meant to be really good.
这部戏听说很好。
18
be meant for sb/sth
18. to be intended for a particular person or purpose 为某人 （某目的 ）而准备的
a book meant for children
专为儿童写的书
19
be meant for sb
19. if two people are meant for each other, they are very suitable as partners for each other 适合某人
They were meant for each other.
他们很般配。
She’s meant for him.
她很适合他。
20
sb was never meant for sth/to be sth
20. used to say that someone is not at all suitable for a particular job or activity 某人根本不是从事某种工作 （活动 ）的料
I was never meant for the army.
我完全不是当兵的料。
21
sth was meant to be/happen
21. used to say that you think a situation was certain to happen and that no one could have prevented it 某事注定要发生
Dan left me after a month so I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.
丹一个月后就离开了我，所以我想我们注定不能在一起。
22
know/understand what it means to be sth
22. to have experienced a particular situation, so that you know what it is like 知道/理解某事的滋味
I know what it means to be alone in a foreign country.
我知道独自一人在国外是什么滋味。
adj
23
CRUEL
残酷的
cruel or not kind 残酷的; 不善良的; 刻薄的
That was a mean thing to do.
那件事做得可真刻薄。
I felt a bit mean asking him to help.
我觉得让他来帮忙有点残忍。
It’s a mean trick to play on someone.
跟人玩这样的恶作剧够损的。
It was mean of him not to invite her.
他很刻薄，没有邀请她。
[+ to ]
Don’t be so mean to her!
不要对她如此刻薄！
24
NOT GENEROUS
吝啬的
not wanting to spend money, or not wanting to use much of something [英] 吝啬的; BrE AmE
He’s too mean to buy a present for his wife.
他很吝啬，给他妻子买件礼物都不肯。
[+ with ]
He’s always been mean with his money.
他对钱总是很吝啬。
It was supposed to be garlic bread, but they’d been a bit mean with the garlic.
应该是蒜香面包，但他们用蒜很吝啬。
25
no mean feat/achievement/task etc
something that is very difficult to do, so that someone who does it deserves to be admired 不小的业绩/成就/任务等
They sold 1 million cards in the first year of business – no mean feat, given the problems many businesses are facing.
考虑到许多公司面临的种种问题，他们在开张的第一年就卖出了一百万张卡 — 真是很不错的业绩。
26
be no mean performer/player etc
to be very good at doing something 是一位了不起的演员/球员等
Kinnock is no mean performer on the rugby field.
金诺克在橄榄球场上是个了不起的运动员。
27
a mean sth
used to say that something is very good or that someone is very good at doing something [非正式] 很好的某事物; 很拿手的某事 informal
He plays a mean game of poker.
他打扑克很行。
They serve a mean Sunday brunch at the restaurant on Fourth Street.
第四大街的那家饭店提供丰盛的周日早午餐。
28
AVERAGE
平均
average [术语] 平均的 only before noun 仅用于名词前 | technical
The study involved 60 patients with a mean age of 58.2 years.
这项研究涉及到 60 个病人，平均年龄为 58.2 岁。
The mean annual rainfall was 852 mm.
年平均降雨量为 852 毫米。
29
POOR
破旧的
poor or looking poor [文] 简陋的，难看的，破旧的 only before noun 仅用于名词前 | literary
She walked briskly through the mean and dirty streets.
她快步穿过一条条穷街陋巷。
noun
30
the mean
the average amount, figure, or value [术语] 平均数，平均值 technical
The mean of 7, 9 and 14 is 10.
7，9 和 14 的平均数为 10。
31
the/a mean between sth and sth
a method of doing something which is between two very different methods, and better than either of them 中庸之道，折中办法〔指介于两种不同办法之间而比两者都好的一种办法〕
It’s a case of finding the mean between firmness and compassion.
要在强硬和同情之间找出折中的办法。