One's sun is set
英 /wʌnz sʌn ɪz sɛt/美 /wʌnz sʌn ɪz sɛt/
短语
某人的全盛时期已过;某人的希望破灭
含义详解
该短语本义指太阳落下,白昼结束,引申为某人的全盛时期已过、辉煌不再,或某人的希望破灭。两个引申义都基于日落象征结束的隐喻:全盛时期如日中天,日落则代表衰落;希望如光芒,日落则代表破灭。
词根溯源
该短语由 one's(某人的)、sun(太阳)和 set(落下)构成,源自古英语 sunne(太阳)和 settan(放置)。日落象征结束或衰落,因此引申出全盛时期结束或希望破灭的含义。可联想日落景象记忆:太阳落下,光芒消失,代表辉煌不再或希望落空。
常见语境
该短语多用于文学或正式语境,如小说、诗歌、演讲,表达个人命运衰落或希望破灭,语气庄重或悲观。日常口语中较少使用,若用则带夸张或讽刺意味。新闻报道中可用于描述政治人物或明星的失势。商务邮件和法律文本中几乎不用,因过于文学化。
语法要点
该短语为系表结构,sun 前需用物主代词(如 my, his, their),set 为过去分词作表语。常用句型为“One's sun is set”,时态多用一般现在时或现在完成时(One's sun has set)。易错点:sun 前不可用定冠词 the 代替物主代词;set 不可改为 setting,因表示状态而非动作。
同义词区别
与“one's day is done”相比,后者更口语化,强调结束;与“one's star has set”相比,后者更强调命运或运气衰落;与“one's goose is cooked”相比,后者俚语化,强调陷入困境。当需文学性表达衰落或希望破灭时,用“one's sun is set”;正式场合可用“one's day is done”;俚语语境用“one's goose is cooked”。
常见误区
该短语语域较高,属文学或修辞表达,褒贬色彩偏中性或悲观。常见误用包括:误写为“one's sun has set down”(set 本身含落下义,无需 down);误用于描述自然日落(应说 the sun is set 但较少用,通常说 the sun has set)。使用时需确保语境适合文学性或庄重表达。
高频搭配
| one's sun is set | 某人的全盛时期已过 |
| one's sun has set | 某人的辉煌已逝 |
| feel one's sun is set | 感到希望破灭 |
| when one's sun is set | 当某人衰落时 |
| lament that one's sun is set | 哀叹自己辉煌不再 |
句子示例
| After the scandal, the politician's sun was set, and he retired from public life. | 丑闻之后,这位政客的辉煌时期已过,他退出了公共生活。 |
| She felt her sun was set when she lost the competition, but she soon found new hope. | 输掉比赛时,她感到希望破灭,但很快又找到了新的希望。 |
| In the novel, the old king laments that his sun is set and his heir is too young. | 小说中,老国王哀叹自己的全盛时期已过,而继承人尚年幼。 |
| The once-famous singer's sun has set, and few remember her now. | 那位曾红极一时的歌手的辉煌已逝,如今很少有人记得她。 |
| He spoke with melancholy, as if his sun were set forever. | 他说话带着忧郁,仿佛他的希望永远破灭了。 |