rent, hire, let
这组词共同的意思是“租”“租用”“雇用”。它们的区别是:
1.就租进、租出来说, let是租出, rent和hire则既可以是租进,也可以是租出。例如:
Will you rent me your boat for the weekend?小船租给我度周末好吗?
The house lets for 80 yuan a month.这房子出租,租金一个月80元。
2.就租期长短来说, hire强调临时性, let强调长期性,而rent既可以是长期的,也可以是临时的。例如:
During the holidays we hired a boat and went fishing.假期我们租了一条船去钓鱼。
We're hoping to let this field.我们希望把这块地租出去。
She rents out rooms to students.她把房间出租给学生。
3.就宾语来说, hire多用于对人的雇用, let和rent则着重于租物。例如:
The store hired two clerks for the sale.这家商店为了这次廉价销售雇了两名店员。
The farmers near cities are working part of their land themselves and are letting the rest.城区附近的农民自己耕种一部分土地,出租其余的部分。
He rented a colour TV soon after moving in.搬进后不久他就租了一台彩色电视机。
4.hire在表示租某物时,在英国,一般指租汽车、船只等; let指出租房屋、地产; rent在英式英语中指较长时间租入或租出房屋、商店或土地,在美式英语中可指长时间或短时间租用各类资本或日用品,这一意义现已影响到英国。例如:
Why don't you hire out your car to your neighbours while you're away, and earn some money?你不在家时为何不将你的汽车租给你的邻居,挣点钱呢?
I asked her if she had any room to let.我问她有没有房间出租。
I'm thinking of renting out my house while I'm away.我正在考虑在我离家期间把房子租出去。
5.hire有时可表示“受雇”,而let和rent无此义。