Word · CEFR B2 · Frequency #13902
inflate
充气；使膨胀；膨胀
To enlarge by filling with air or gas; to swell or puff up.
- 1.
To enlarge an object by pushing air (or a gas) into it; to raise or expand abnormally
向(物体)充气使其膨胀；异常扩大
- 2.
To enlarge by filling with air (or a gas).
通过充气使膨胀
- 3.
To swell; to puff up.
膨胀；鼓起
- 4.
To decompress (data) that was previously deflated.
解压(先前压缩的数据)
- 5.
To represent something as being more important, better, or worse than it actually is; to exaggerate.
夸大；渲染
夸大；夸张；言过其实；解压缩（数据）；向(物体)充气使其膨胀；异常扩大；通过充气使膨胀；膨胀；鼓起
In use
The balloon inflated quickly when I blew air into it.
The company's CEO inflated the sales figures to impress investors.
The central bank's decision to print more money could inflate the economy's asset prices.
inflate sth with sth
with 后接充入的气体或物质。
She inflated the balloons with helium.
她用氦气给气球充了气。
sth inflates
主语是充气物本身，表示自动膨胀，不用被动语态。
The life raft inflates automatically when it hits the water.
救生筏一碰到水就会自动充气膨胀。
inflate sth into sth
此用法表示夸大、言过其实，常含贬义。
Connections
Collocations
- inflate a tire
- 给轮胎充气
- He stopped at the gas station to inflate the tires.他在加油站停下来给轮胎充气。
- inflate a balloon
- 给气球充气
- She helped the child inflate the balloon for the party.她帮孩子给聚会用的气球充气。
- inflate prices
- 抬高价格
- The war inflated the prices of basic goods.战争抬高了基本商品的价格。
- inflate one's ego
- 使某人自大
- Constant praise can inflate a young athlete's ego.不断的赞美会使年轻运动员变得自大。
- inflate figures
- 夸大数字
- The manager was fired for inflating the sales figures.这名经理因夸大销售数字而被解雇。
Idioms & figurative uses
Learner notes
Memory Tip
想象给瘪轮胎打气：气（in）进入后轮胎鼓起来，就是 inflate——充气、膨胀。
Context & Register
语域：mixed 常见场景：inflating a balloon or tire、inflating figures in formal writing、inflating data in computing 这个动词的语域会随义项变化：字面义“充气”多用于日常和说明性场合，语气比较中性；比喻义“夸大”或“抬高（价格）”则常见于正式或评价性语境；在计算机领域又指“解压缩”。学习时最好结合具体搭配和语境来判断语域。
Grammar Note
既可作及物动词（如：inflate a tire），也可作不及物动词（如：the tire inflates）。
Pronunciation & Spelling
以上单词均以 -ate 结尾，重读音节中读 /eɪt/，与 inflate /ɪnˈfleɪt/ 押韵。注意：并非所有以 -ate 结尾的单词都读 /eɪt/，如 climate /ˈklaɪmət/、private /ˈpraɪvɪt/ 的 -ate 读 /ət/ 或 /ɪt/，不要仅凭拼写类推。另外，拼写以 infl- 开头的 influx /ˈɪnflʌks/、inflict /ɪnˈflɪkt/ 发音也和 inflate 不同。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，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 ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.