说明
It never rains but it pours
核心问题
It never rains but it pours. 中的 but, 是什么词类?
词典解答
这里的 but 是 but that 的省略形式。but that = except that(若不是,除非)。因此 but (that) 是个从属连词,引出例外从句。
当主句为否定句时,往往表达“如果不……就不会”“若……,就一定”的意思,而且在固定格式里常常省略 that。在这种情况下,but(that)相当于 without + v-ing。
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It never rains but it pours. (=It never rains without pouring.) 不下雨则已，一下雨就是倾盆大雨。
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You cannot look out but you will see it. (= You cannot look out without seeing it.) 你只要往外看, 就能看见它。
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He never reads a book but he digests. 他读书必融会贯通。
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I never hear such a story but I laugh. 我一听到这种故事就发笑。
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I never think of summer but I think of my childhood. 每当我想起夏天,我就想起我的童年。
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I never hear Gigli records but I think of my childhood singing-teacher. (RWRT) 每当我听吉格里的唱片时,我就会想起我童年时的唱歌教师。
[参见 never(never...but)]