1. to force someone to do something or to behave in a particular way
強迫(某人)做某事或表現出特定行為
The company is constrained by strict regulations.
這家公司受到嚴格法規的約束。
He felt constrained to accept the offer.
他覺得自己被迫接受了這個提議。
指透過限制、強制或施加壓力來控制或限制某人或某事物。
限制行動或選擇
EN: to limit someone's freedom or options
翻譯: 限制某人的自由或選擇
強制遵守
EN: to force someone to act in a particular way
翻譯: 強迫某人以特定方式行事
抑制或束縛
EN: to hold back or restrict something
翻譯: 抑制或束縛某事物
施加外部壓力
EN: to be limited or pressured by external factors
翻譯: 受外部因素限制或壓迫
小提醒:注意:"constrain" 通常指來自外部規則、環境或壓力的限制,而非自願的克制。它比 "restrict" 更強調強迫性或壓迫感。
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Constrain" from YouTube Videos
Charles Leadbeater: The era of open innovation
TED
“The reason why -- despite all the efforts to cut it down, to constrain it, to hold it back -- why these open models will still start emerging with tremendous force is that they multiply our productive resources, And one of the reasons they do that is that they turn users into producers, consumers into designers.”
1. to force someone to do something or to behave in a particular way
強迫(某人)做某事或表現出特定行為
The company is constrained by strict regulations.
這家公司受到嚴格法規的約束。
He felt constrained to accept the offer.
他覺得自己被迫接受了這個提議。
2. to limit or restrict the development, size, or scope of something
限制或約束(某事物的發展、規模或範圍)
Lack of funding constrained the project's progress.
資金不足限制了該項目的進展。
Our choices are constrained by the available time.
我們的選擇受到可用時間的限制。
3. to make someone feel that they cannot do or say what they want
使(某人)感到拘束、不自在
She felt constrained in the formal atmosphere.
在正式的氛圍中,她感到非常拘束。
His presence constrained everyone's conversation.
他的在場讓每個人的談話都變得不自在。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| constrain + noun | 限制、約束(某事物) | The new regulations will constrain the company's operations. (新法規將限制該公司的營運。) |
| constrain + noun + to + verb | 迫使、強制(某人/某物)去做某事 | The tight deadline constrained us to work overtime. (緊迫的截止日期迫使我們加班。) |
| be constrained by + noun | 受到…的限制 | Our options are constrained by the available budget. (我們的選擇受到可用預算的限制。) |
| feel constrained to + verb | 感到不得不做某事 | She felt constrained to apologize, even though it wasn't her fault. (她感到不得不道歉,儘管那不是她的錯。) |
| constrain + noun + from + V-ing | 阻止、限制(某人/某物)做某事 | The law is meant to constrain corporations from polluting the environment. (這項法律旨在阻止企業污染環境。) |
EN:The tight budget will constrain us to focus on only one project.
翻譯:緊縮的預算將迫使我們只能專注於一個項目。
EN:The law is designed to constrain corporations from polluting the environment.
翻譯:這項法律旨在限制企業污染環境。
EN:The law is designed to constrain corporate pollution.
翻譯:這項法律旨在限制企業污染。
建議使用「constrain + 名詞」或「constrain + 名詞 + to/from doing」的結構,避免單獨使用「constrain to do」。
constrain vs restrict
「constrain」強調因外部壓力、規則或條件而被迫限制;「restrict」則更廣泛地指設定界限或減少範圍,不一定有被迫感。
constrain vs compel
「constrain」指施加限制以阻止或控制;「compel」指施加壓力以強迫某人採取某種行動。
constrain vs limit
「constrain」帶有更多外部強制、束縛的負面意涵;「limit」較中性,指設定一個不可逾越的界線。
在對話中,當引述或轉述他人的限制、規則或要求時,常用「constrain」來表達。 EN: He said the budget really constrains what we can do. 翻譯: 他說預算真的限制了我們能做的事。
EN:They feel constrained by the new company policy.
翻譯:他們覺得被公司的新政策給束縛住了。
在口語中,常與「really」、「so」、「too」等副詞連用,以強調限制的程度或表達不滿。 EN: I feel so constrained by all these deadlines. 翻譯: 我覺得被這些截止日期壓得喘不過氣。
EN:The lack of funding is really constraining our progress.
翻譯:資金不足真的嚴重阻礙了我們的進展。
在思考或組織語句時,有時會用「constrain」相關的短語作為填充,帶出後續的解釋或例子。 EN: The main thing that constrains us... is time, honestly. 翻譯: 主要限制我們的東西…老實說,就是時間。
EN:Well, if you're constrained by the rules... then maybe we need to change them.
翻譯:嗯,如果你被這些規則所限…那或許我們需要改變規則。
注意:在正式書寫中(如報告、論文),應避免使用上述口語中的停頓填充結構,並確保主詞與動詞的搭配更精確、完整。
constrain by
be constrained by [noun]
受到...的限制或束縛
constrain from
constrain [sb/sth] from [gerund/noun]
限制...使其不能做某事
constrain growth
constrain [growth/development/expansion]
限制增長/發展/擴張
tightly constrained
tightly constrained
受到嚴格限制的
constrain the ability
constrain the ability to [verb]
限制...的能力
constrain choices
constrain [choices/options/decisions]
限制選擇/選項/決定
feel constrained
feel constrained to [verb]
感到被迫或有義務做某事
×The budget is constrained to increase.
✓The budget is constrained from increasing.
使用 "constrain" 時,表示限制或阻止某事發生,通常搭配 "from + V-ing" 來表示被阻止的動作,而非 "to + V"。"to + V" 通常表示目的或結果,與限制的語意不符。
×We are constrained by time is short.
✓We are constrained by time. / We are constrained because time is short.
"constrain by" 後面應直接接名詞或名詞片語,表示限制的來源。若想表達原因,應使用 "because" 引導子句,或將原因轉為名詞片語(如 "time constraints")。
×He constrained his anger.
✓He restrained his anger. / He suppressed his anger.
"Constrain" 通常指外在條件、規則或力量迫使某人採取或不採取某行動,或用於抽象事物(如選擇、成長)。控制個人情緒或身體動作,更常用 "restrain"(克制)或 "suppress"(壓抑)。
×The law constrains to protect the environment.
✓The law constrains activities that harm the environment. / The law is designed to protect the environment.
"Constrain" 是及物動詞,後面必須有受詞(被限制的事物)。它不能直接接不定詞(to V)來表示目的。若要表達法律的目的,應使用 "is designed to" 或 "aims to"。
×I feel very constrained.
✓I feel very constrained in this job. / I feel very restricted.
單獨使用 "I feel constrained" 語意不完整,聽者會不清楚在哪方面或被什麼限制。應補充受詞或使用介系詞 "in" 說明情境。口語中,"feel restricted" 可能更為自然。
×The tight deadline constrained us work faster.
✓The tight deadline constrained us to work faster. / The tight deadline forced us to work faster.
"Constrain someone to do something" 是正確結構,表示外在壓力迫使某人做某事,不定詞 "to work" 不能省略。注意,此用法帶有「被迫、不得不」的語意,與單純限制(limit)稍有不同。