Ask & Learn闻问切英语口语:Nothing Less Than No More Than
读者 Edmund 问:Nothing less than 和 no more than 均翻译作「只不过是」,但两者有何分别?
不错,no more than 可译作「只不过」,或者更直接的「不超过」。但 nothing less than(或 no less than)的意思却刚刚相反,应译作「不少于」、「不低于」或者「至少」。
我们可以从字面看出来,no more than 是设了上限,而 nothing less than 则设了下限。
Tom在 facebook 上朋友满天下,常常向家人吹嘘;但当他遇上困难时,只有三个愿意帮助他,而且都是他从小学就认识的朋友,他感慨地说:
I have no less than 5,000 friends on facebook, but no more than three would help me when I am in trouble.
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