Direct Answer
Prey on sb means to hunt, attack, or take advantage of someone, usually in a harmful way. It is often used to describe animals or people who exploit others.
快速信息框
- 短语动词：捕食某人
- 类型：及物动词（需要宾语）
- 水平：B2
- 简短含义：猎取或利用某人
Meaning in Detail
The prey on sb meaning involves taking advantage of or causing harm to someone. This can be literal, like an animal hunting its prey, or figurative, such as a person exploiting another’s weakness. It often has a negative sense, implying unfair or cruel behavior.
For example, criminals may prey on vulnerable people, meaning they take advantage of them to commit crimes.
结构（语法规则）
“Prey on sb” 是一个不可分离的短语动词，意思是你不能通过将宾语放在中间来分开“prey”和“on”。
- Correct: They prey on the weak. (他们欺凌弱者。)
- Incorrect: They prey the weak on. (错误：他们捕食弱者。)
它遵循这个模式：
-
Prey + on + somebody/something
例子
以下是一些“Prey on sb”在句子中的例子：
- Owls prey on small rodents at night. (猫头鹰在夜间捕食小型啮齿动物。)
- Scammers often prey on elderly people. (骗子经常利用老年人的弱点进行诈骗。)
- In the wild, lions prey on zebras. (在野外，狮子以斑马为食。)
- Some companies prey on customers’ lack of knowledge. (有些公司利用客户的无知来牟取利益。)
- Fear can prey on your mind and make you anxious. (恐惧会侵蚀你的心灵，让你感到焦虑。)
常见错误
- Incorrect: They prey the poor people on.
- Correct: They prey on poor people.
- Incorrect: The tiger preys a deer.
- Correct: The tiger preys on a deer.
差异 / 同义词
类似的短语动词包括 take advantage of 和 feed on。然而，prey on sb 特指伤害或剥削，通常带有捕食者与猎物的关系。
- Take advantage of:: 可以是中性或负面的，意思是利用某种情况或某个人来谋取利益。
- Feed on:: 更字面上的意思是吃或消耗。
- Prey on sb:: 总是带有负面含义，指的是猎取或剥削。
常见搭配
- Prey on the weak (欺凌弱者)
- Prey on the vulnerable (掠夺弱势群体)
- Prey on fear (以恐惧为食)
- Prey on ignorance (利用无知为生)
- Prey on animals (捕食动物)
相关短语动词
以下是相关短语动词 prey on sb:
现实生活对话
Anna: Did you hear about those scammers?
安娜：你听说过那些骗子吗？
Ben: Yes, they prey on elderly people who don’t know much about technology.
本：是的，他们专门欺骗那些对科技了解不多的老年人。
Anna: That’s terrible. People should be more careful.
安娜：那真糟糕。人们应该更加小心。
练习
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of prey on:
- Some animals _______ small insects for food.
- Fraudsters often _______ people who are lonely.
- Fear can _______ your thoughts and make you worried.
常见问题解答
What does “prey on sb” mean?
It means to hunt or take advantage of someone, usually in a harmful way.
Is “prey on sb” separable?
No, you cannot separate “prey” and “on” by placing the object in between.
Can “prey on sb” be used for people?
Yes, it is often used to describe people exploiting others.
What is a synonym for “prey on sb”?
“Take advantage of” is a common synonym but may have a less negative meaning.
Can “prey on sb” be used in positive sentences?
No, it usually has a negative or harmful meaning.
