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Jealousy vs Envy

發佈時間: 2018/05/04

Jealousy vs Envy

十歲女童疑因妒忌父親的同居女性朋友,而盜竊女事主500萬元的首飾。年幼子女視父母為至親的人,不願與他人分享,父母邀友人同住之前,必定要事先與子女好好溝通。

「妒忌」的英文是jealousy還是envy?是jealousy!Jealousy解「妒忌、吃醋」,擔心別人拿走自己的東西,而感到生氣和心煩意亂;envy則解「羨慕」,希望自己有別人擁有的東西。Jealousy是擔心失去(lose)某東西的反應,envy是對缺乏(lack)某東西的反應。Jealousy牽涉三人,但envy牽涉兩人便可。另外,jealousy是名詞,jealous是形容詞,envy則可用作名詞或動詞。

例句︰The manager was consumed by jealousy when he learnt that another manager had been given a promotion.(聽說另一經理升職了,他妒忌得要命。)I couldn't help feeling jealous every time my boyfriend looked at his ex.(每當我的男朋友看着他的前女友,我都忍不住嫉妒。)When I got married and had a child, I started envy my friend's single lifestyle.(當我結婚生子時,我開始羨慕我朋友的單身生活。)

(本欄逢周一、三、五刊登)

撰文: Ally Dean's List級英文老師
欄名: WordDiscovery