区别辨析compare、compare to、compare with与contrast

compare、compare to、compare with与contrast这些动词(短语)均含“比较”之意。

compare : 侧重比较两个或更多东西的异同优劣,强调相同或类似之处。

  • If you compare house prices in the two areas, it's quite amazing how different they are.
    如果比较一下两个地段的房价,你会惊讶地发现它们的差别竟如此之大。
  • That seems expensive - have you compared prices in other shops?
    那好像很贵——你有没有比较一下其他店里的价格?

compare to : 指两物有类似或相似之处,从而“把(一物)比作(另一物)。”

  • The poet compares his lover's tongue to a razor blade.
    诗人把他恋人的舌头比作剃须刀刀片。
  • Still only 25, she has been compared to the greatest dancer of all time.
    她才25岁就被誉为有史以来最伟大的舞蹈家。

compare with : 指“把……用……作比较”以便找出差异或好坏。

  • Compare some recent work with your older stuff and you'll see how much you've improved.
    把你近来的作品与以前的对照一下,你就会知道你的进步有多大。
  • Children seem to learn more interesting things compared to/with when we were at school.
    与我们上学时相比,孩子们现在学的有趣的东西似乎更多一些。

contrast : 指比较两个或更多东西之间的差异,侧重不同点。

  • If you contrast some of her early writing with her later work, you can see just how much she improved.
    如果你对比一下她的早期作品和后期的作品,就会看出她进步有多大。