Word · Frequency #107
tell
告诉；说
to let someone know something by speaking or writing; to say
- 1.
Mental senses related to determining, reckoning, or perceiving
心理层面的含义,涉及判断、计算或感知
- 2.
Social senses of communicating
社交层面的含义,涉及沟通交流
- 3.
Abstract senses related to showing or revealing
抽象层面的含义,涉及展示或揭示
吩咐；讲述；断定；知道；泄密；告发；表明
In use
Please tell me your name.
She told us a funny story about her trip.
He always tells the truth, even when it is hard.
tell sb sth
通常用于直接传递信息。
Tell me the truth.
告诉我真相。
tell sb to do sth
表示指示或命令，语气较强。
He told me to wait.
他让我等。
Verb forms
base tell · third person tells · -ing telling · past told · past participle told
不规则动词，注意过去式与过去分词相同。
Common mistakes
I want to tell something.I want to say something.
Connections
Collocations
- tell a story
- 讲故事
- She told a story about her childhood.她讲了一个关于她童年的故事。
- tell the truth
- 说实话
- You should always tell the truth.你应该总是说实话。
- tell a lie
- 说谎
- He told a lie to avoid punishment.他说谎以避免惩罚。
- tell someone about something
- 告诉某人某事
- Can you tell me about your trip?你能告诉我你的旅行吗？
- tell someone to do something
- 吩咐某人做某事
- The teacher told the students to be quiet.老师吩咐学生们安静。
- tell the difference
Learner notes
Memory Tip
tell谐音'太哦'，想象对别人说'太哦，告诉你一件事'。
Context & Register
通常用于日常对话，表示告知或讲述信息，语气中性，适用于各种非正式和正式场合。
Pronunciation & Spelling
All these words share the '-ell' spelling and rhyme with /ɛl/, just like 'tell'.
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 ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.