① not so much as意為“甚至……都沒(méi)有,甚至……不”,相當(dāng)于 without even。
He cannot so much as write his own name. 他甚至連自己的名字都不會(huì)寫。(=He cannot even write his own name.)
She went away not so much as saying good-bye. 她甚至不辭而別。
She went straight ahead not so much as looking back. 她徑直向前走,甚至連頭也沒(méi)有回一下。
② not so much…as意為“與其說(shuō)是……不如說(shuō)是”,相當(dāng)于 rather than。
He is not so much a scholar as an artist. 與其說(shuō)他是個(gè)學(xué)者,不如說(shuō)他是個(gè)藝術(shù)家。
I like his brother not so much because he is clever as because he is honest. 我喜歡他的兄弟,與其說(shuō)是由于他聰明,不如說(shuō)是由于他誠(chéng)實(shí)。
His success in writing is not so much by inspiration as by diligence. 他在寫作方面的成功,與其說(shuō)是靠靈感,毋寧說(shuō)是靠勤奮。
③ not so much…as還可表示“少于,沒(méi)有像……一樣多”。
He has not so much money as you. 他不像你那么有錢。
I am not so much fond of jazz as my classmates think. 我不像我的同學(xué)想象的那樣喜歡爵士樂(lè)。