fewest

no fewer than, not fewer than

这两个词的意思表示的主观意愿不同:no fewer than表示“几乎一样多”; not fewer than则表示“最少一样多或更多”。试比较:

There were no fewer than 1000 people at the meeting. 到会人数竟达一千人之多。

There were not fewer than 1000 people at the meeting. 到会人数至少也有一千人。

few, a few

few的意思是“很少的…,几乎没有的…”,表示“虽然有,但很少”,强调“少”,表示否定的意思; a few的意思是“少数的…,几个…,一些…”,表示“虽然少,但还有”,强调“有”,表示肯定之意,两者之间的差别主要是主观上的,而不是实际数字上的差别。例如:

There are few people in the room.

房间里没有几个人。(虽有但少)

There are a few people in the room.

房间有几个人。(虽少但有)

few, little

这两个词都有“很少”“没多少”的意思,都表示否定含意。few用于可数名词前,与many相对; little用在不可数名词前,与much相对。