区别辨析people、masses、crowd、throng与mob

这些名词均有“人们,人群”之意。

people : 最普通用词,不带任何色彩,泛指不确定数量的人们。

  • Many people never do any exercise.
    许多人从来不做任何运动。
  • We've invited 30 people to our party.
    我们邀请了30个人来参加聚会。
  • People will think you've gone mad.
    人们会以为你疯了。
  • People like to be made to feel important.
    人们都喜欢被别人看重。
  • Now that we've discussed our problems, are people happy with the decisions we've made?
    我们既已讨论完存在的问题,大家对所作的决定还满意吗?

masses : 指群众或平民,在西方国家含贬义指“与领导或受过高等教育的人相对的普通民众”,在我国含褒义。

  • He was popular with the rich but failed to win the support of the masses.
    他很受贵族阶层的欢迎,但没有赢得民众的支持。
  • His music is commercial. It is aimed at the masses.
    他的音乐走商业化路线,针对的是一般大众。

crowd : 本义指一大群紧紧聚集在一起的人群,现指群众整体,由个体结合的人群或大众。

  • A crowd of about 15,000 attended the concert.
    大约有15000人出席了音乐会。
  • She goes around with a friendly crowd.
    她常和一群朋友结伴外出。
  • "Who was there?" "Oh, the usual crowd."
    “那儿都有谁?”“噢,还是往常那伙人。”

throng与crowd含义很接近,常可换用,但侧重指向前运动的群众。

  • A huge throng had gathered around the speaker.
    演讲者周围聚集了一大群人。
  • An official pushed through the throng.
    一名官员费力地挤过人群。
  • The jubilant throng is like the waves of the sea.
    欢腾的人群宛如大海的波涛。

mob : 含贬义,指乌合之众、暴民。

  • The angry mob outside the jail was/were ready to riot.
    监狱外愤怒的暴民准备闹事。
  • a lynch mob
    行私刑的暴民
  • 50 people were killed in three days of mob violence.
    3天的暴乱中有50人丧生。