work 、job 、labour和 toil 用法区别

1、work n. 工作,劳动

〔辨析〕

最普通用词,含义广泛,既可指体力劳动也可指脑力劳动,通常都以挣钱为目的,有时也指机器干的工作。work指人们日常生活和工作中从事的体力或脑力劳动,是不可数名词。“一件工作”用“a piece of work”。

例如:I have a lot of work to do today. 我今天有许多工作要做。

注:works是“著作,作品,工厂工程;[机] 工厂,工场;所有的事物;全套物品;作为( work的名词复数 )”。

〔例证〕

We have more work than we can deal with.

我们的工作多得做不完。

Work can bring you pleasure.

工作能给人带来快乐。

He started work when he was just 15.

他15岁就开始工作了。

Only those who love their work can enjoy the delight in work.

只有热爱工作的人才能享受到工作中的乐趣。

2、job n. 工作,活儿;指具体的职业或零工,是可数名词,复数为jobs.

例如:I heard you had changed jobs. 我听说你换了几个工作。

〔辨析〕

多用于口语,侧重指受雇用的、以谋生为目的的工作。

〔例证〕

Peter does odd jobs for his neighbours.

彼得给邻居们打零工。

Sorting these reports out is going to be a hard job.

整理这些报告是件很辛苦的事。

Her daughter has a job in a bank.

她女儿在银行里有份工作。

The job requires much hard labour.

这项工作要付出很多艰苦的劳动。

3、labour (美亦作labor) n. 劳动,工作

〔辨析〕

尤指艰苦的体力劳动。

〔例证〕

All wealth comes ultimately from human labour.

一切财富归根到底来源于人类的劳动。

There is a clear division of labour in ants.

蚂蚁间有明确的分工。

In return for his labour, he receives food and shelter.

他以他辛苦的劳动换取食物和栖身之所。

4、toil n. [正式]苦工,辛苦

〔辨析〕

指十分累人的苦活。

〔例证〕

A life of toil is generally the price of fame and success.

劳苦的一生通常是声望和成功的代价。

I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.

我无可奉献,除了鲜血、辛劳、泪水和汗水。

知识拓展

work在上面情况下有单复数行呢?

1.表示“工作”时,为不可数名词。如:

He advised me not to take too much work. 他劝我不要做太多的工作。

若要表示可数的“工作”,可根据情况使用job, task之类的词。如:

Steve has finally found a job. 史蒂夫最后找到一份工作。

Gifts performed most of the tasks. 姑娘们负责干大部分的工作。

2.表示“作品”时,有时可数有时不可数,其区别是:若表示人们用手工制作的东西(what is produced by work, esp of the hands),如工艺品、针钱活、刺绣品等,不可数;若表示文学家、艺术家、音乐家等的“作品”“著作”等,则可数。如:

What a wonderful piece of work! It must have taken months to make. 多么精制的一件工艺品啊! 一定花了好几个月才制成。

He has published several works of great scientific importance. 他出版了好几本重要的科学著作。

3. 表示“著作”时,是可数名词,若表示某个作家或艺术家的全部作品,通常要用复数。如:

Do you like The Complete Works of Shakespeare? 你喜欢这套《莎士比亚全集》吗?

4. 表示“工厂”时,无论是单数还是复数,均要用works;用作主语时,其谓语动词需根据具体语境来确定。如:

A large steel works was built here in the thirties. 30年代这里建了一座大钢铁工厂。

A number of steel works were built here in the thirties. 30年代这里建了一些钢铁工厂。

若没有特定的上下文,谓语用单数或复数均可。如:

The glass works is [are] near the station. 玻璃工厂在车站附近。

work 、job 、labour和 toil 用法区别