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illustrate sth
The teacher illustrated the concept with a diagram.
老师用图表说明了这个概念。
给…配插图；加插图于
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
给…配插图；加插图于
to supply (a book, article, etc.) with illustrations
The teacher illustrated the concept with a diagram.
老师用图表说明了这个概念。
通过举例或比较来阐明某事。
To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
为书籍或其他出版物提供插图、图表或其他说明性或装饰性特征。
To provide a book or other publication with pictures, diagrams or other explanatory or decorative features.
illustrate
Base
原形
illustrates
3rd person
第三人称单数
illustrating
-ing
现在分词
illustrated
Past
过去式
illustrated
Past participle
过去分词
She illustrates her point with examples.
她用例子阐明观点。
The teacher asked us to illustrate our reports with simple drawings.
老师要求我们用简单的图画为报告配插图。
The book is beautifully illustrated with photographs of wild animals.
这本书配有精美的野生动物照片作为插图。
She illustrated the recipe with step-by-step photos so beginners could follow.
她用分步照片为食谱配图，这样初学者也能跟着做。
The teacher illustrated the concept with a diagram.
老师用图表说明了这个概念。
This example illustrates that honesty is the best policy.
这个例子说明诚实为上策。
注意：介词用 with，表示使用的手段或工具。
He illustrated his point with a story.
他用一个故事阐明了他的观点。
Not this
The teacher illustrated with many charts.
Use this
The teacher illustrated the lesson with many charts.
“illustrate”作为及物动词时必须直接跟被说明的对象，不能省略宾语。加上宾语“lesson”使句子完整。
Not this
She illustrated a beautiful landscape.
Use this
She drew a beautiful landscape.
“illustrate”主要用于通过例子或图表阐明观点，或为书籍等配插图；单纯绘画艺术应使用“draw”或“paint”。
Not this
The speaker illustrated about the economy.
Use this
The speaker illustrated the economy.
“illustrate”是及物动词，后面直接接宾语，不需要介词“about”。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
阐明观点
He used a graph to illustrate his point.
他用图表阐明了他的观点。
说明概念
The teacher drew a diagram to illustrate the concept of gravity.
老师画了图来说明引力的概念。
说明过程
The manual illustrates the process step by step.
手册一步一步地说明了这个过程。
用例子说明
She illustrated her theory with several real-life examples.
她用几个现实生活中的例子说明她的理论。
给书配插图
The artist was hired to illustrate the children's book.
这位艺术家受雇为这本儿童书配插图。
阐明区别
This chart illustrates the difference between the two models.
这张图表阐明了两种型号之间的区别。
说明一个观点
She used a graph to illustrate her point.
她用图表来说明她的观点。
有助于说明
These examples serve to illustrate the problem.
这些例子有助于说明问题。
正如……所示
As illustrated by the chart, sales increased.
正如图表所示，销售额增长了。
Use illustrate naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
将illustrate与illustration（插图）关联，想象一幅插图就是为了阐明某个观点。
常见场景：academic writing、teaching demonstration、book illustration 通常用于正式或教学语境，在日常对话中较少使用。
Words ending in /streɪt/ or /treɪt/ with stress on the first syllable (demonstrate, prostrate, frustrate, orchestrate) share a similar sound pattern with illustrate. Watch out for castrate (often stressed on first syllable but varies) and strait (different spelling).
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.