character 的用法及固定搭配

character

1.character和characteristic意思不同。character是“性格”,characteristic是“性格里的特质”。一个人只有一个character,却有多个characteristics,这多个characteristics合成一个character。

2.注意下面第一句里有a,第二句里没有a:

  • He is of a fine character.
  • He is a man of fine character.

of ... character在表语用法里习惯有a(或an),在定语用法里习惯没有a(或an)。注意这里的of ... character指人。假使不指人,不论在表语用法或定语用法里都通常有a(或an),如This book is of a literary character和This is a book of a literary character。在定语用法里也有不用a(或an)的。例如:This is a book of literary character.但很不普通。of a(或an)... character用得太多,往往可以避免。例如:

  • The weather was then of a showery character.(可以改作The weather was then showery。)
  • They offered us some suggestions of a practical character.(可以改作They offered us some practical suggestions。)

3.a man of character, a person of no character等表达方式里的character作“好的character”解。of character和of no character两种表达方式没有表语用法,如不说He is of (no) character。

4.说“某民族的性格”用the或不用the都可以,如(the)German character。

5.说“汉字”通常用character。注意character指写的或印的字,不指口头说的字,口头说的字该用word。