worth、worthy、worthwhile的用法区别

worth、worthy、worthwhile的用法区别


这三个词都是形容词，都有“值得的”的意思，但用法或搭配关系不同。

1. worth是一个只能作表语的形容词，意思为“值……的”、“相当于……的价值的”、“有……价值的”、“值得……的”。后接名词、接动名词的主动形式。例如：

This second-hand car is worth $2000 at the most.

The exhibition is worth a visit/visiting.

It’s not worth getting angry with him.

The question is not worth discussing again and again.

2. worthy可作表语，也可作定语。作定语时意思为“有价值的”、“值得尊敬的”、“应受到赏识的”；用作表语时意思为“值得……的”、“应得到……的”，其后接of sth.，也可以后接to do sth.，例如：

①That is worthy of note. 那件事值得注意。

②This phenomenon is worthy of being studied. 这种现象值得研究。

③This problem is worthy to be considered. 这个问题值得考虑。

④The film is worthy to be seen again. 这部电影值得再看一遍。

⑤This is a worthy English-Chinese dictionary. 这是一本有价值的英汉词典。

⑥This is a worthy article. 这是一篇值得一看的文章。

⑦He said he was not worthy to accept such honour

⑧The school has educated many worthy young people.

⑨The question is not worthy to be discussed again and again.

作后置定语时，必须用“worthy of +名词”结构。例如：

⑩There is nothing worthy of mention. 没有值得一提的事情。

②This is behavior worthy of praise. 这是值得称赞的行为。

③ Something find and rare --- something worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

(S3 Unit 10 P84)

注：“worthy of+动名词”与“worth+动名词”在形式上完全不同：worthy of后面接被动式的动名词；而worth后面接主动式的动名词，虽然在形式上是主动的，但其意义仍然是被动的。试比较：

The second-hand house is worthy of being bought. = The second-hand house is worth buying.


3. worthwhile与worthy一样，既可作表语，又可作定语。表示某事因重要、有趣或受益大而值得花时间、金钱或努力去做，一般做“值得的”、“值得做的”、“有意义的”解。用作表语时，可接动名词或动词不定式。例如：

The Summer Palace is worthwhile going / to go to have a visit.

Helping old people is a worthwhile activity.

Thank you for your worthwhile suggestion.

I really feel I am doing something worthwhile and I am having a great time doing it.