Word · Frequency #189
few
少量；几个
a small but indefinite number; not many
不带a时表示“很少”，含否定意味；a few 表示“几个”。
- 1.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `a'; a small but indefinite number
与可数名词连用的数量词,常前接a,表示少量但不确定的数量
与可数名词连用的数量词,常前接a,表示少量但不确定的数量；很少的；不多的；少数的
In use
Few students answered the difficult question correctly.
I need a few minutes to finish this report.
There are few seats left, so please hurry.
a few weeks ago
a few more wagons than usual
an invalid's pleasures are few and far between
few roses were still blooming
few women have led troops in battle
few + plural noun
few 表示“很少，几乎没有”，含否定意义。
Few people know about this problem.
几乎没有人知道这个问题。
a few + plural noun
a few 表示“几个，一些”，含肯定意义；与 few 含义不同。
I have a few questions.
我有几个问题。
few of + the + plural noun
of 后接限定词（如 the）加复数名词或代词，强调整体中的少数。
Few of the students passed the exam.
这些学生中没几个通过了考试。
quite a few + plural noun
quite a few 是固定搭配，意为“相当多”，不是“很少”。
There were quite a few people at the party.
聚会上有相当多的人。
Common mistakes
I have few friends in this city, so I am grateful for them.I have a few friends in this city, so I am grateful for them.
few 含否定意义，意思是“几乎没有”；a few 含肯定意义，意思是“有几个、有一些”。想表达“有一些朋友”时要用 a few，不能用 few。
I have few money.I have little money.
few 只能修饰可数名词复数；money 是不可数名词，表示“钱很少”要用 little。
Connections
Collocations
- a few
- 几个；一些
- I have a few questions.我有几个问题。
- quite a few
- 相当多
- Quite a few people came to the meeting.相当多的人来参加了会议。
- few and far between
- 稀少；难得
- Good restaurants are few and far between in this town.这个镇上像样的餐馆寥寥无几。
- every few days
- 每隔几天
- We water the plants every few days.我们每隔几天给植物浇一次水。
- few people
- 很少有人
- Few people know this secret.很少有人知道这个秘密。
- fewer than
- 少于
Learner notes
Memory Tip
few（/fjuː/）可联想“非优”：好东西不多，所以寥寥无几。记住few表“少”，a few才表“几个”。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：日常对话、书面写作、正式场合 该词为中性语体，在日常对话、书面写作和正式场合中都比较常见。与可数名词连用时，多表示数量不多；a few 强调“有一些”，few 则侧重“很少”。使用时可根据上下文和语体自然选用，没有明显的正式或非正式限制。
Grammar Note
修饰可数名词复数，与a few区别：few表示否定，a few表示肯定。
Pronunciation & Spelling
These words all contain the same final sound /juː/ as 'few' when pronounced with the /j/ glide (as in British English). Note that 'flew' /fluː/ looks like 'few' but has no /j/, and 'sew' /soʊ/ is a spelling lookalike that does not rhyme. In some American accents the /j/ after n, d, t may be dropped, so 'new' can be /nuː/ and 'due' /duː/.
High-value vocabulary
该词属于 Oxford 核心词汇，值得优先掌握常见搭配和句型。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 5，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.