"by" 读作 [baɪ],在英语中有许多不同的用法。
作为介词,"by" 表示通过某种方式或途径,例如:
I'll send the package by express mail. (我会用快递邮寄包裹。)
She travels by train. (她乘坐火车旅行。)
作为连词,"by" 表示在某个时间之前或之后,例如:
The meeting will be over by 5 o'clock. (会议将在五点之前结束。)
He should be home by now. (他现在应该已经回家了。)
作为副词,"by" 表示通过,例如:
The door was opened by him. (门是他打开的。)
The cake was eaten by the children. (蛋糕被孩子们吃了。)
"by" 来源于古英语中的 "be" 或 "by",最初是一个复合词,
意思是 "在...旁边" 或 "靠近"。在现代英语中,它仍然保留着这些
意思,但是也有了更多的用法。
下面是一些其他例句:
The company was founded by him in 2010. (公司是他在2010年创立的。)
The book was written by Jane Austen. (这本书是简·奥斯汀写的。)
The game was won by the home team. (比赛是主队获胜的。)