这些形容词均含有“首要的、主要的”之意。
chief : 指人时，表同类中职位最高，权力最大；指物时，表同类中最重要，价值最高。
- the chief fire officer/accountant
消防局局长／首席会计师 - The chief problem we have in the area now is the spread of disease.
目前我们在这一地区面临的首要问题是疾病的蔓延。 - The weather was our chief reason for coming here.
天气是我们来这里的主要原因。
principal : 用于人时，指地位优于其他人；用于物时，指该物在大小、重要性等方面优于他物。
- Iraq's principal export is oil.
伊拉克最重要的出口商品是石油。 - He was principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
他是哈莱姆舞剧院的头牌舞蹈演员。 - That was my principal reason for moving.
那是我搬家最主要的原因。
main : 通常只用于物。指在一定范围内，某物的重要性、体积或力量等超过其它物。
- The main thing is not to worry.
最重要的是不要担心。 - One of the main reasons I came to England was to study the language.
我到英格兰的主要原因之一是学习语言。 - You'll find the main points of my proposal in the report.
你们可以在这份报告中看到我计划的要点。 - Our main aim/objective is to improve the company's productivity.
我们的主要目的是提高公司的生产力。 - The main problem is a lack of resources.
主要问题是缺少资金。 - My main concern about moving to San Fransisco is the cost of housing.
我对移居旧金山的主要担忧是房价。
major : 指同其他人或其它物、问题等相比较，显得更加重要和突出。
- All of her major plays have been translated into English.
她的主要剧本都被译成了英文。 - Sugar is a major cause of tooth decay.
糖是造成蛀牙的主要原因。 - There are two problems with this situation, one major, one minor.
这一情况牵涉到两个问题，一个主要的，一个次要的。 - Citrus fruits are a major source of vitamin C.
柑橘类水果是维生素C的重要来源。 - There has been a major change in attitudes recently.
态度近来有重大改变。 - The United States is a major influence in the United Nations.
美国是联合国中有重要影响的国家。
leading : 侧重指具有影响力或凝聚力。从而有主导和引导的作用。
- a leading expert on the country's ecology
研究该国生态的顶级专家 - the world's leading manufacturer of audio equipment
世界顶级音响制造商
capital : 着重指因重要性、意义、优越或重大而名列同类之首。
foremost : 侧重指在行进或发展过程中居首位。
- the world's foremost authority on the subject
该学科全世界首屈一指的权威 - The Prime Minister was foremost among those who condemned the violence.
首相带头谴责暴力行为。 - This question has been foremost in our minds recently.
近来我们的心目中一直认为这个问题最重要。 - This is one of the country's foremost arts centres.
这是全国最重要的艺术中心之一。 - She's one of the foremost experts on child psychology.
她是儿童心理学领域最顶尖的专家之一。
primary : 通常不用于人。用于物时，指在重要性方面占第一位。
- The primary aim of this course is to improve your spoken English.
这门课的主要目的是提高英语会话能力。 - Our primary concern must be the children.
我们首先要关心的必须是儿童。 - Good health care is of primary importance.
良好的医疗保健是重中之重。 - The Red Cross's primary concern is to preserve and protect human life.
红十字会最关心的是维护人的生命安全。 - The primary responsibility lies with those who break the law.
主要的责任在于那些违法者。
