在英语中,表达受到“伤害,损伤”的词汇有很多,且用法也较广。其中经常使用的词汇hurt, injure, harm ,damage和 wound 都有"伤"的意思。在具体运用中,他们有相同之处,但是,它们有时在表达含义上却有着细微的差异,现分述如下:
①hurt最常用的一个词,尤指肉体上和精神上、感情上的创伤如:
Tom hurt his leg when he fell down to the ground. 汤姆摔地上时,一条腿受了伤。
The traveller hurt himself badly in the accident. 那位旅行家在这次事故中伤得很重。
She felt hurt at your words.你对她说的话让她感到很难过。
注意:指肉体上的伤害时,hurt可与badly, slightly, seriously等连用;但若指精神上的创伤,要用very much/rather/deeply hurt。
②injure比hurt正式,hurt 多指伤痛。而injure则指损害健康、成就、容貌等,强调功能的损失。还指不公正对待或者冤屈某人,有意识的侵害别人权益,损害别人健康。如:
Smoking can injure one's health. 吸烟对人的健康有害。
A bullet injured the soldier's left eye. 一颗子弹伤了士兵的左眼。
One should enjoy his property in such a manner as not to injure that of another person.
享有自已的财产应以不损害他人的利益为限。
③harm用于肉体或精神上的伤害均可,有时可指引起不安或不便。还可用于抽象事物,尤其是指不道德的事情。如:
We cannot shut our eyes to things that harm the interests of the people.
对于损害群众利益的事情, 我们不能听之任之。
I have never harmed anybody.我从未伤害过任何人。
④damage指部分"损坏"、"损害"、"破坏"或指使用价值有所降低。例如:
Hundreds of houses in the area were damaged by the storm. 暴风雨毁坏了这个地区数以百计的房屋。
The accident did a lot of damage to his car. 这次车祸使他的车受到很大的损坏。
⑤wound 主要指枪伤、刀伤、刺伤等皮肉之伤,是出血的、严重的伤,特指战场上的受伤。它可以指肉体上的伤害。也可比喻指人们精神上的创伤。如:
The bullet wounded his arm. 子弹打伤了他的一只胳膊。
Many soldiers were wounded in the war. 很多士兵在战争中受伤了。
You have wounded his pride. 你伤害了他的自尊心。