Word · CEFR A2 · Frequency #1386
prefer
更喜欢；宁愿
核心释义
to like or choose one thing over another
- 1.
习惯于选择某事物而非其他；偏爱；更喜欢。
To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
- 2.
向当局提交或呈递(某事)(现常用于“提出指控”)。
To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").
提出（控告）；习惯于选择某事物而非其他；偏爱；更喜欢。；向当局提交或呈递(某事)(现常用于“提出指控”)。；宁可；较喜欢
用法In use
I prefer tea to coffee in the morning.
用法提示：动词 prefer 后接名词，使用 prefer A to B 结构表示‘更喜欢A而不喜欢B’。
She prefers to walk rather than take the bus.
用法提示：动词 prefers 后接不定式，使用 prefer to do rather than do 结构表示‘宁愿做某事而不做另一事’。
They preferred staying at home during the holidays.
用法提示：动词 preferred 后接动名词，表示‘更喜欢做某事’。
prefer + noun/pronoun
I prefer coffee.
我更喜欢咖啡。
prefer + to-infinitive
She prefers to walk to work.
她更喜欢走路去上班。
相关词与表达Connections
搭配Collocations
- prefer to do
- 更喜欢做
- I prefer to walk to work.我更喜欢步行上班。
- prefer A to B
- 比起B更喜欢A
- She prefers tea to coffee.比起咖啡，她更喜欢茶。
- prefer over
- 优于；更喜欢
- Many people prefer online shopping over in-store.许多人更喜欢网购而非实体店购物。
- strongly prefer
- 强烈偏好
- He strongly prefers working from home.他强烈偏好在家工作。
- would prefer
- 更愿意；更喜欢
学习提示Learner notes
记忆技巧Memory Tip
联想：pre（前）+ fer（带），把喜欢的放在前面，表示更喜欢。
语境与语域Context & Register
Prefer 在表达‘更喜欢’时，通常用于日常生活和一般书面语，语体中性，不特属正式或非正式场合。
发音与拼写Pronunciation & Spelling
Words in -fer (refer, infer, defer, transfer) rhyme with prefer, sharing the same stressed vowel and final consonant. Words like better and teacher also end with -er but have different vowel sounds and stress patterns; they are useful as spelling lookalikes but not rhymes.
高价值词汇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。
用法优先级Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 4，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.