每日一词 | occasionally

英英释义：happening sometimes but not often or regularly 

“occasional”意思比较单一，是“偶尔的”，常用、好用，值得掌握。它的副词“occasionally”（“偶尔地”）也可以顺便收入囊中。当我们想表达某个现象偶然才出现或某个事件偶然才发生时，除了使用 sometimes, from time to time, every now and then 之外，还可以使用 “occasional”和“occasionally”，尤其是在书面表达中。 

例子：

1 华裔美国德州扑克高手 Johnny Chan 胜率极高，偶尔才会输给对手，就可以说： 

Johnny Chan is a formidable poker player and only loses very occasionally. 

2 我去过不少地方，但很多都是国内的各个省份，时不时才去国外旅行一次，就可以说： 

Although I am well traveled, I have mostly visited different parts of my own country. I have traveled abroad only occasionally. 

或 

Although I am well traveled, I have mostly visited different parts of my own country and have made only occasional overseas trips. 

3 《经济学人》在一篇写纽约的 Christmas special 文章中有这么一句： 

An occasional plane passes overhead, perhaps to La Guardia, perhaps to JFK.（La Guardia 和 JFK 是纽约市的两大机场。） 

4 《经济学人》有一篇讣告写的是一个暴徒，里面有这么一句： 

He occasionally regretted the shame he had brought on his family, but for his victims and their relatives he felt nothing. 

翻译

露西擅长山水画，偶尔也画画油画。 

Lucy is good at landscape painting and draws oil painting occasionally.

参考翻译：Lucy is especially good at traditional Chinese landscape painting, but occasionally she does oils too. 或 Though an expert on traditional Chinese landscape painting, Lucy does occasional oil painting too. 

造句：

场景：我基本上每天有七个小时的睡眠时间，但是偶尔只有4到5个小时的休息时间

Most of the time, I get about eight hours' sleep, but occasionally, I might only sleep for four to five hours.

场景二：我花大量的时间学习英语，但是偶尔也学习日语。

I spent considerable time learning English, but occasionally I learn Japanese.

场景三：即使我意识到锻炼身体很重要，但是我却很少锻炼。

Although I realize physical exercise helps people keep fit and gives us a mood boost, I work out occasionally.