knack

英 [næk] 美 [næk]

n.技巧；诀窍

◉词源

14世纪中叶进入英语，可能源自中低地德语模仿“尖锐敲击声”的拟声词，原指“小伎俩”或“巧计”，1580年起发展为“特殊技能”或“天生本领”。构词成分：拟声词根 knack（敲击、裂开声） + 无明显前后缀（核心形式）。

◉外刊例句

① 《The New York Times》，2024）

How a Knack for Provocation Fueled Mark Robinson’s Rise.

挑衅的本领如何推动马克·罗宾逊的崛起。

② 《The Guardian》，2024）

She had a knack for making people smile.

她有让人们微笑的本领。

◉经典名著

① 《Pride and Prejudice》，1813

He has a knack of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

他有在错误时机说错话的诀窍。

② 《Oliver Twist》，1838

The boy had a knack for getting into trouble.

这个男孩有惹麻烦的本领。

◉ Usage Examples

(1) There is a knack in tying ropes together.

(2) He has a knack of teaching mathematics.

(3) There's a knack in/to locking this door which takes a while to master.

(4) She has a knack of making friends.

(1) 把绳子绑在一起有点技巧。

(2) 他教数学有点技巧。

(3) 锁这门要有窍门，得用些时间才能学会。

(4) 她有一套交朋友的诀窍。

◉ Usage Notes

If you have a knack for doing something, you do it well. You may have a knack for baking cakes or a knack for cracking jokes. These things come easy to you.

Although the noun knack refers to a special talent, the sense is that is a more innate talent — as opposed to a certain technique. So if someone instinctively has a talent for fixing plumbing, for example, you can say they have a knack for it. If, however, they unclog a sink by having a wrench in one hand and a how-to book in the other, then they may have the technique, but they probably don't have the knack.

◉柯林斯词典

1. [N-COUNT 可数名词]诀窍；本领 A knack is a particularly clever or skilful way of doing something successfully, especially something which most people find difficult. [usu sing]

He's got the knack of getting people to listen.

他有使人倾听的本领。