taller

tall, high, lofty

这三个词都可表示“高的”,指高度上超过一般。它们的区别是：

1.high既可修饰具体的东西,也可修饰抽象的事物; tall既可修饰人,也可修饰无生命的物; 而lofty是文语,可引申指态度、样子、神情等“高傲”“傲慢”。例如:

The cost of living is high.生活费用很高。

There are some very tall buildings in Hong Kong.香港有些很高的建筑物。

I didn't like her lofty treatment of her visitors.我不喜欢她那样傲慢地对待来访者。

2.high多指离开地面的高度或距离; tall多指由顶到底的长度,常用于比较狭窄的东西,如人、树等; lofty有时也指思想、感情、情操等是“高尚的”“崇高的”。例如:

It is a very high building.

这是一座很高的楼房。

The ship is too tall to go under the bridge.

这艘船太高,桥下驶不过去。

Those sentiments are lofty but not very practical.

那种思想感情是高尚的,但是不太现实。

3.high可以表示程度或强度“高”,而tall不可。例如:

I can't sing at so high a pitch.我无法把音调唱得这么高。

4.指“山高”只能用high,不能用tall。例如:

Mount Jolmo Lungma is the highest in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界最高峰。

下面两句意思相同:

He is a head taller than his brother.

He is taller than his brother by a head.

他比他弟弟高出一头。