区别辨析kind、sort、type、class、classification、category、species与variety

kind、sort、type、class、classification、category、species与variety这些名词均有“种、类、类型”之意。

kind : 指性质相同,而且特征很相似,足以归为一类的人或东西。

  • Today's vehicles use two kinds of fuel - petrol and diesel.
    当今的交通工具使用两种燃料——汽油和柴油。
  • What kind of (a) job are you looking for?
    你在找什么样的工作?
  • I just don't have that kind of money (= I don't have so much money).
    我确实没有那么多钱。

sort : 普通用词,文体较kind随便,指对人或对事物进行的大概分类,有时含贬义。

  • We both like the same sort of music.
    我们俩喜欢同一类音乐。
  • I'm going to have a salad of some sort.
    我想吃一些色拉。
  • What sort of shoes will I need?
    我需要什么样的鞋子呢?

type : 指客观界限比较清楚,有相同本质特点的同类事物,或指大致相似的同类事物。

  • There were so many different types of bread that I didn't know which to buy.
    面包种类繁多,我不知该买哪一种。
  • What type of clothes does she wear?
    她穿什么类型的衣服?
  • It was dark so I didn't notice what type of car it was.
    天太黑,我没有注意到是什么车型。
  • He's the type of man you could take home to your mother.
    他是那种你可以带回家见母亲的男人。

class : 正式用词,指门类、种类或优劣等级;用于指动植物的分类时,表示“纲”。

  • Whenever I travel by train, I always travel first class.
    我每次乘火车旅行都坐头等车厢。
  • first/second class mail
    一类/二类邮件
  • a business/economy class ticket
    商务舱/经济舱的机票
  • When it comes to mathematics, he's in a different class to his peers.
    说到数学,他和他的同龄人不在一个级别上。

classification : 指根据已经确定的类型对某一实物作鉴别和归类。

  • a style of music that defies classification (= is like no other)
    独特的音乐风格
  • Its tariffs cater for four basic classifications of customer.
    它的价目表适合4个基本类别的顾客。

category : 书面用词,特指有确切定义的群体。

  • There are three categories of accommodation - standard, executive, and deluxe.
    有3种住宿标准——标准房、公务房和豪华房。
  • Students over 25 fall into a different category .
    25岁以上的学生属另一类。
  • The results can be divided into three main categories .
    结果可分为三大类。

species : 书面用词,单复数同形。指生物分类上的种。

  • Mountain gorillas are an endangered species.
    山地大猩猩属于濒危物种。
  • Over a hundred species of insect are found in this area.
    这一地区有上百种昆虫。

variety : 强调有各自的特点,形式不同,品质不同的种类。

  • This variety of rose is especially hardy and drought-resistant.
    这种玫瑰特别耐寒及耐旱。
  • Our supermarket stocks apples in several different varieties.
    我们超市有几个不同品种的苹果。