词汇对比与辨析
核心差别
undermined 强调undermined 是 undermine 的过去分词，weaken 则侧重weaken 指使某物或某人变得不那么强大、有效或坚固
使用场景对比
| 对比方面 | undermined | weaken |
|---|---|---|
| 核心含义 | undermined 是 undermine 的过去分词，指暗中或逐渐地削弱、破坏某事物（如权威、信心、基础等），常导致其失效或崩溃。 | weaken 指使某物或某人变得不那么强大、有效或坚固，常用于描述力量、结构、决心或影响的减弱。 |
| 词性 | 形容词 | 动词 |
| 使用语域 | 常用于被动语态或完成时态，表示某事物已被破坏。句型如：be undermined by sth（被某事物破坏），have undermined sth（已经破坏了某事物）。 | weaken 可作为及物动词（后接宾语）或不及物动词（不接宾语）。及物时表示“削弱某物”，不及物时表示“自身变弱”。 |
对比例句
His confidence was undermined by constant criticism from his boss.
老板不断的批评削弱了他的自信心。
The heavy rains have undermined the foundation of the old house.
大雨已经破坏了这座老房子的地基。
The heavy rain weakened the old roof, causing it to leak.
大雨削弱了旧屋顶，导致它开始漏水。
If you skip meals, your body will weaken over time.
如果你不吃饭，你的身体会逐渐变弱。
常见误用提醒
使用 undermined：The bad weather undermined to finish the project. → The bad weather undermined the completion of the project. (错误：误用 undermine 后接不定式 to do。正确：undermine 是及物动词，后直接接名词或名词短语，表示破坏的对象。应改为 undermine + 名词结构。)
使用 undermined：He undermined his health by eat too much junk food. → He undermined his health by eating too much junk food. (错误：在 by 后用动词原形 eat。正确：by 是介词，后应接动名词 eating 表示方式。这是中文学习者常犯的介词搭配错误。)
使用 weaken：The illness weakens his body very much. → The illness weakens his body significantly. (中文学习者常误用“very much”修饰weaken，但英语中weaken通常与程度副词如significantly、greatly搭配，避免使用very much，以更符合母语习惯。)