区别辨析branch、limb、bough与shoot

branch、limb、bough与shoot这些名词均含有“枝”之意。

branch : 普通用词,泛指树木比bough小一些的大枝或小枝,也可用于引申意义。

  • bare/leafy/flowering branches
    光秃秃/叶子茂密/开满花的树枝
  • The fruit on the lower branches was protected from the sun.
    下边树枝上的果子见不到阳光。
  • Watch out for overhanging branches.
    小心下垂的树枝。

limb : 多指主枝或大枝。

  • An 18-year-old student at California State University died yesterday when she was struck by a falling limb from a large oak tree.
    昨天,一位18岁的加州州立大学的学生被一棵大橡树上落下的粗树枝打中身亡。

bough : 指主枝或粗大强壮的枝。

  • I rested my fishing rod against a pine bough.
    我把钓鱼竿靠在一棵松树的大树枝上。

shoot : 指植物或灌木刚长出的新枝、嫩枝或嫩芽。

  • Two weeks after we'd planted the seeds, little green shoots started to appear.
    我们撒下种子两周后,绿色的小苗开始钻出来。
  • The first green shoots (= hopeful signs) of economic recovery have started to appear.
    经济复苏的迹象已开始显现。