may
/meɪ; me/
modal v (neg 否定式 may not, rare contracted form 罕, 缩约式 mayn't / meInt; ment/; pt might / maIt; maIt/, neg 否定式 might not, rare contracted form 罕, 缩约式 mightn't / 5maItnt; `maItnt/)
1 (indicating permission 用以表示允许、许可)
*You may come if you wish. 你要来就来吧.
* May I come in? 我可以进来吗?
* Passengers may cross by the footbridge. 乘客可使用步行桥. =>Usage
1 见所附用法第1项.
2 (indicating possibility 用以表示可能)
*This coat may be Peter's. 这件大衣可能是彼得的.
* That may or may not be true. 那可能是实情, 也可能不是.
* He may have (ie Perhaps he has) missed his train. 他可能没赶上火车.
* This medicine may cure your cough. 这药也许能治你的咳嗽. =>Usage
2 见所附用法第2项.
3 (indicating purpose 用以表示目的)
*I'll write today so that he may know when to expect us. 我今天就写信好让他知道我们什么时候到. =>Usage
3 见所附用法第3项.
4 (dated 旧) (asking for information 用于询问情况)
*Well, who may `you be? 喂, 你是谁呀?
* How old may `she be? 她有多大年纪了? =>Usage
4 见所附用法第4项.
5 (used to express wishes and hopes 用以表示愿望和希望)
*May you both be very happy! 祝你们俩幸福!
* Long may she live to enjoy her good fortune! 愿她长寿幸福!
NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*
1 PERMISSION (can2, could1, may1, might1) 许可（can2、could1、may1、might1）
(a) British speakers normally use can to give or request permission 英国人一般用can字来表示准许或请求许可
*You can come if you want to. 你想来就可以来.
* Can I come too? 我也可以来吗? Could is more polite but is only used in questions 用could一词更客气些, 但只用于疑问句中
*`Could I use your telephone?' `Yes, of course.' ｀我可以借用你的电话吗?＇｀当然可以.＇ May is formal *may是较郑重的词
*You may come if you wish. 你愿意来就可以来. However, US speakers often use may where British English has can 但是美国人常用may, 英国人多用can
*May I sit down? 我可以坐下吗? Both British and US speakers use could or might to suggest doubt, shyness, etc 英美两国的人都用could或might来表示怀疑、羞怯等
*Might I suggest another time? 我可以建议另找个时间吗?
* Could I arrange a meeting with the director? 我可以约见负责人吗?
(b) In indirect questions, can becomes could and may becomes might 在间接问句中, 要把can改成could, 把may改成might
*John asked if he could/might come too. 约翰问, 他是否也可以来.
2 POSSIBILITY (can2, could1, may1, might1) 可能性（can2、could1、may1、might1）
(a) Could or might express more doubt or hesitation than may *could或might比may更含怀疑或犹豫之意
*That may be our taxi now! 那辆可能就是我们的计程车了.
* That could/might be our taxi (but I doubt it). 那辆有可能是我们的计程车（但我有所怀疑）.
(b) In questions and negative sentences can replaces may. 在疑问句和否定句中, 用can代替may. *Compare 试比较
*It may be Bill's. 那可能是比尔的.
* Can it be Bill's? It can't be Bill's. 那可能是比尔的吗? 不可能是比尔的.
(c) Could have, may have or might have are used to show the possibility of something having happened in the past *could have、may have或might have用以表示过去发生过某事的可能性
*She could have forgotten to tell him. 她可能忘记告诉他了.
* He may have lost his way. 他可能迷路了.
* He might just possibly have lost his keys. 他有可能把钥匙丢了.
3 PURPOSE (may1, would1) 目的（may1、would1）
(a) May can be used after so that, in order that, to express present purpose *may可用于so that、in order that之後, 表示现在的目的
*I'll write so that he may know when to expect us. 我要写信好让他知道我们什么时候到.
(b) to indicate a purpose in the past, might or would are used 要表示过去目的, 则用might或would
*I wrote so that he might/would know when to expect us. 我写信好让他知道我们什么时候到.
* He died so that others might/would live. 他为别人能够活着而牺牲了自己.
4 ASKING FOR INFORMATION(may1, might1) 询问情况（may1、might1）
(a) May(rather dated) and might are used to request information in an uncertain or a superior way *may（较陈旧）和might用以询问情况, 含无把握或高傲的语气
*Well, and who may/might `you be? 那么, 你是谁呢?
(b) In indirect questions, only might is used 在间接问句中, 只用might
*Bill asked who `she might be. 比尔问她是谁.
/meɪ; me/
n [U] hawthorn blossom 山楂花.
modal v (neg 否定式 may not, rare contracted form 罕, 缩约式 mayn't / meInt; ment/; pt might / maIt; maIt/, neg 否定式 might not, rare contracted form 罕, 缩约式 mightn't / 5maItnt; `maItnt/)
1 (indicating permission 用以表示允许、许可)
*You may come if you wish. 你要来就来吧.
* May I come in? 我可以进来吗?
* Passengers may cross by the footbridge. 乘客可使用步行桥. =>Usage
1 见所附用法第1项.
2 (indicating possibility 用以表示可能)
*This coat may be Peter's. 这件大衣可能是彼得的.
* That may or may not be true. 那可能是实情, 也可能不是.
* He may have (ie Perhaps he has) missed his train. 他可能没赶上火车.
* This medicine may cure your cough. 这药也许能治你的咳嗽. =>Usage
2 见所附用法第2项.
3 (indicating purpose 用以表示目的)
*I'll write today so that he may know when to expect us. 我今天就写信好让他知道我们什么时候到. =>Usage
3 见所附用法第3项.
4 (dated 旧) (asking for information 用于询问情况)
*Well, who may `you be? 喂, 你是谁呀?
* How old may `she be? 她有多大年纪了? =>Usage
4 见所附用法第4项.
5 (used to express wishes and hopes 用以表示愿望和希望)
*May you both be very happy! 祝你们俩幸福!
* Long may she live to enjoy her good fortune! 愿她长寿幸福!
NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*
1 PERMISSION (can2, could1, may1, might1) 许可（can2、could1、may1、might1）
(a) British speakers normally use can to give or request permission 英国人一般用can字来表示准许或请求许可
*You can come if you want to. 你想来就可以来.
* Can I come too? 我也可以来吗? Could is more polite but is only used in questions 用could一词更客气些, 但只用于疑问句中
*`Could I use your telephone?' `Yes, of course.' ｀我可以借用你的电话吗?＇｀当然可以.＇ May is formal *may是较郑重的词
*You may come if you wish. 你愿意来就可以来. However, US speakers often use may where British English has can 但是美国人常用may, 英国人多用can
*May I sit down? 我可以坐下吗? Both British and US speakers use could or might to suggest doubt, shyness, etc 英美两国的人都用could或might来表示怀疑、羞怯等
*Might I suggest another time? 我可以建议另找个时间吗?
* Could I arrange a meeting with the director? 我可以约见负责人吗?
(b) In indirect questions, can becomes could and may becomes might 在间接问句中, 要把can改成could, 把may改成might
*John asked if he could/might come too. 约翰问, 他是否也可以来.
2 POSSIBILITY (can2, could1, may1, might1) 可能性（can2、could1、may1、might1）
(a) Could or might express more doubt or hesitation than may *could或might比may更含怀疑或犹豫之意
*That may be our taxi now! 那辆可能就是我们的计程车了.
* That could/might be our taxi (but I doubt it). 那辆有可能是我们的计程车（但我有所怀疑）.
(b) In questions and negative sentences can replaces may. 在疑问句和否定句中, 用can代替may. *Compare 试比较
*It may be Bill's. 那可能是比尔的.
* Can it be Bill's? It can't be Bill's. 那可能是比尔的吗? 不可能是比尔的.
(c) Could have, may have or might have are used to show the possibility of something having happened in the past *could have、may have或might have用以表示过去发生过某事的可能性
*She could have forgotten to tell him. 她可能忘记告诉他了.
* He may have lost his way. 他可能迷路了.
* He might just possibly have lost his keys. 他有可能把钥匙丢了.
3 PURPOSE (may1, would1) 目的（may1、would1）
(a) May can be used after so that, in order that, to express present purpose *may可用于so that、in order that之後, 表示现在的目的
*I'll write so that he may know when to expect us. 我要写信好让他知道我们什么时候到.
(b) to indicate a purpose in the past, might or would are used 要表示过去目的, 则用might或would
*I wrote so that he might/would know when to expect us. 我写信好让他知道我们什么时候到.
* He died so that others might/would live. 他为别人能够活着而牺牲了自己.
4 ASKING FOR INFORMATION(may1, might1) 询问情况（may1、might1）
(a) May(rather dated) and might are used to request information in an uncertain or a superior way *may（较陈旧）和might用以询问情况, 含无把握或高傲的语气
*Well, and who may/might `you be? 那么, 你是谁呢?
(b) In indirect questions, only might is used 在间接问句中, 只用might
*Bill asked who `she might be. 比尔问她是谁.
/meɪ; me/
n [U] hawthorn blossom 山楂花.
may
May
n [U and C]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French;Origin: mai, from Latin Maius, from Maia Roman goddess]
the fifth month of the year, between April and June
next/last May
She started work here last May.
in May
The theatre opened in May.
on May 6th
We don't have any meetings on May 6th, do we?
on 6th MayBrE
An agreement was signed on 6th May 1977.
May 6AmE
Michael's getting married May 6.
n [U and C]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French;Origin: mai, from Latin Maius, from Maia Roman goddess]
the fifth month of the year, between April and June
next/last May
She started work here last May.
in May
The theatre opened in May.
on May 6th
We don't have any meetings on May 6th, do we?
on 6th MayBrE
An agreement was signed on 6th May 1977.
May 6AmE
Michael's getting married May 6.
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