英语中的连字符（hyphen）和破折号（dash）的用法

这是两种比较容易混淆的符号 ，这篇文章选取一些资料来 简单介绍下这两种标点符号的用法。

连字符（-）是用于连接单词或单词部分的标点符号，一般不能与其他类型的破折号互换。

破折号比连字符长，通常用于表示数字范围或某种停顿， 破折号最常见的类型是en dash和em dash。之所以这么叫，是因为en 其实就是字母n的读音，em 实际就是字母m的读音，所以 也就是一长一短两种破折号的意思。

A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes.

A dash is longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. The most common types of dashes are the en dash (–) and the em dash (—).

em dash 可以表示突然间的停顿，尤其是指对话中的停顿。

Em dashes can also signal a sudden interruption, particularly in dialogue:

看例子

“Wait! I forgot to tell you—” The door slammed shut between us and I missed whatever she was trying to say.

em dash可以用来替换句子结尾处的括弧。这样就可以省去标点凑在一起的麻烦局面。

Em dashes save the day when other punctuation would be awkward. For instance, em dashes can replace parentheses at the end of a sentence or when multiple commas appear in a parenthetical phrase.

看例子：

After a split second of hesitation, the second baseman leaped for the ball (or, rather, limped for it).

After a split second of hesitation, the second baseman leaped for the ball—or, rather, limped for it.

em dash 可以代替冒号的作用

冒号的后边一般可以直接引入一个从句，这个从句一般是用来详述冒前面所说内容。冒号比破折号更正式，但是破折号又比冒号更具有强调性。如果你的语气很强，或者说想让文风比较随意，那么你就可以使用破折号在这里。

Colons enable a writer to introduce a clause that amplifies whatever came before the colon. They are more formal than dashes. However, em dashes are more emphatic than colons. When you want to generate strong emotion in your writing or create a more casual tone, use em dashes. Compare these sentences:

看例子：

He is afraid of two things: spiders and senior prom.

He is afraid of two things—spiders and senior prom.

在写作的过程当中，一些未知的东西，一些经过审查无法被披露的东西，一些故意被省略掉的东西，都可以用em dash来代替。一般是成对使用或者三个三个使用。

Writers and transcriptionists replace unknown, censored, or intentionally omitted letters with em dashes. In these cases, em dashes appear in pairs or threesomes.

看例子：

A former employee of the accused company, ———, offered a statement off the record.

“H—— are all the same. They cause trouble wherever they go.”

Carved into the dresser drawer was a faded inscription: “Made for Kristina, by your de——ted sailor.”

en dash 长得比 em dash要短一些，看起来区别不大，但是起到的作用还是有很大区别。

Recall that en dashes are slightly shorter in length than em dashes. En dashes may look similar to em dashes, but they function in a much different way.

用来表示时间或者数字的范围

破折号通常用于表示时间跨度或数字范围，一般表示“从多少到多少”的含义。

The en dash is often used to indicate spans of time or ranges of numbers. In this context, the dash should be interpreted as meaning either “to” or “through.” Consider the examples below:

看例子：

The teacher assigned pages 101–181 for tonight’s reading material.

The scheduled window for the cable installation is 1:00–3:00pm.

The 2015–2016 fiscal year was the most profitable year for the new business.

表示连接

Using the En Dash to Denote a Connection

en dash 还可用来连接两个单词，如果你想要连接几个单词，并且这些单词当中已经含有连字符了，那么这个时候你可能就需要用到en dash。或者你想要用一个两个词的短语做一个修饰语，那么你就需要用到这个en dash，也就是说你这样用的话，你自己创造了一个复合形容词。

The en dash may also be used to indicate a connection between two words. Use an en dash when you need to connect terms that are already hyphenated or when you are using a two-word phrase as a modifier. When the dash is used in this way, it creates a compound adjective. See the following examples:

看例子：

The pro-choice–pro-life argument is always a heated one.

The Nobel Prize–winning author will be reading from her book at the library tonight.

什么时候需要使用连字符？

某些复合词（例如self-restraint）是带有连字符的。 当拼写21到99之间的数字的时候，也应加连字符。

但是，当您不确定复合词是否应带有连字符时，请查看词典或格式指南。 随着时间的推移，带连字符的单词往往倾向于成为封闭式复合词（没有连字符的单词，就像一个完整单词一样）。 例如，e-mail 慢慢就变成了 email。

Some compound words, such as self-restraint are hyphenated. Numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine should also be hyphenated when they’re spelled out. But when you’re not sure whether a compound word should have a hyphen or not, check a dictionary or style guide. Hyphenated words tend to become closed compounds (single words with no hyphens) over time. Email instead of e-mail, for example, is increasingly common.

在名词前面的复合修饰语也需要用一个连字符。

这里所说的复合修饰语（也可以叫做短语形容词）是由两个或者多个单词组成的，而这些单词必须要作为一个整体来理解。比如这个例子a big， bright hotel，实际上是不含有复合修饰语的，因为这里面的这两个形容词big 和 bright 并不能形成一个整体的意思。但是来看这个例子，a dog-friendly hotel，这里面就含有复合修饰语了，你必须要把a dog-friendly理解成一个整体的意思，你如果不这样理解的话，这个短语就没有任何意义。在这里连字符就表示了这个修饰语的整体性。一般情况下，复合修饰语是形容词和名词或者分词组成的，有的时候也会包括动名词。

You should also use a hyphen with a compound modifier before a noun. A compound modifier (also called a phrasal adjective) is made up of two or more words that must be understood as a unit. For example, “a big, bright hotel” does not contain a compound modifier becausebigandbrightdon’t form a unit of meaning. But “a dog-friendly hotel” does contain a compound modifier; unless you understand “dog-friendly” as a unit of meaning, the phrase doesn’t make sense. The hyphen shows the reader that the words should be taken together as a descriptor for the noun. Most often, compound modifiers are made up of an adjective plus a noun or participle. They’re also commonly composed of a noun plus a gerund.

看例子

a dog-friendly hotel

closed-door meetings

a book-loving student

an expensive, flower-filled vase (this means that the vase is expensive)

an expensive-flower-filled vase (this means that the vase is filled with expensive flowers)

但是有一点必须记住，只有当这种复合修饰语放在名词的前面的时候，才需要用一个连字符。当它放到名字后面的时候，就不需要用连字符了。是没必要要用，你用的话也当然不能算是错误。

But, remember, a compound modifier only needs a hyphen when it comes before a noun. If it comes after the noun, leave the hyphen out.

比如

the hotel is dog friendly

有一点也需要注意一下，当复合修饰词里面含有ly结尾的副词的时候，也就是说用这样的副词加上分词或者形容词组成了修饰语的时候，就不需要用连字符了，鬼都能看出来副词是修饰那个形容词的。如果这一点都不能理解的话啊，其实没有必要看这篇文章。

There’s one other caveat: don’t use a hyphen when you have a compound modifier that consists of an adverb ending in -ly plus a participle or adjective. The -ly is sufficient to show that the compound is a unit of meaning.

看例子

a highly respected scientist

an extremely embarrassing Facebook post

a superbly cooked steak

如果一个复合修饰语被其他的词打断的话，而在其他的词又不是修饰语的一部分，那么可以使用中断的连字符。

When you have a compound modifier that is interrupted by some other word that’s not really part of the modifier, use a suspended hyphen:

看例子

Take a five- or ten-minute break.

当然除了上述的各种用法之外，连字符还有一个非常非常常见的用法。那就是用来换行的时候打断一个单词，出版人经常会用这种方式。但是现在好像没有必要自己这样做，因为现在的编辑软件都可以自动对齐。当你必须要在换行的时候拆分一个单词，最好在两个音节之间拆分，也就是说连字符一定要用在音节之间。

Hyphens are also commonly used to divide words that fall at the end of a line of text and continue on the next line. Book and newspaper publishers still set type this way, but it’s rarely necessary to manually insert word breaks in your own writing because modern word processors automatically justify and align your text. If you do need to split a word at the end of a line, it’s best to break the word between syllables.

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