repine作“向往”解,金山词霸举例:To yearn after something( 想往渴望某物):
Immigrants who repined for their homeland.
渴望回到故土的移民们
repine 表示因对现状不满意而向往, 想望...要与for连用,是不及物动词。
yearn作“向往”解,金山词霸解释,它包含有怀旧的含义,对那些曾经有过的经历的渴望,向往曾经有过的生活。yearn后常与for [after] sth.; to [towards] sb. 连用,是不及物动词。
yearn for rest.渴望休息。
yearn towards
long是yearn的同义词,但是long强调的“向往”是有真挚的、由衷的愿望的“向往”,尤指对力不能及之物的向往,与for,after,to + 及物动词连用,long是不及物动词。
I longed for a bicycle.
我特想要辆自行车。
These young lads are longing to go to watch the football match.
这几个小伙子极想去观看足球赛。
You don't really long for another country. You long for something in yourself that you don't have, or haven't been able to find?(John Cheever).
“你并不是真正向往另一个家园。你向往的是你内心中没有或还未找到的东西” (约翰·奇弗)。
Hunger和 thirst也是“向往”但用于象需要食物或饮料一样的“向往,渴望”:
The child hungered for approval.
孩子渴望赞同。
Actors thirst for acclaim.
演员渴望喝彩。
look forward to是“期望,期待,盼望”之意,look是及物动词,forward是副词,意思是“In or toward the future(至将来,在将来)”。
I'm looking forward to your reply soon.我期待您的快速答复。
所以,我理解“我向往西方的文明和发达”这句话应该这样译:I repine for the west culture and advancement.
