English → Chinese
early
/BrE ˈəːli 
, AmE ˈərli /
A adjective
1 (before usual time) 提早的 ‹arrival, retirement, holiday›;
the early death of his mother 他母亲的早逝;
daffodils are early this year 今年黄水仙开得早
2 (in period of time) 早的;
in the early hours (of the morning) 在清晨;
the early bus 早班公交车;
in the early morning/evening/spring/summer etc. 在清晨／傍晚／早春／初夏等
3 (near beginning) 初期的;
(in) early January/the early thirties （在）1月／30年代初;
in early pregnancy 在妊娠早期;
it's early days (yet) British 为时尚早
4 attrib (in life) 早期的;
in early childhood 在幼年;
at an early age 在早年;
in one's early twenties 在20岁出头;
the author's early novels 该作家的早期小说
5 attrib (happening soon) 不久的;
at an early date 早日;
at the earliest 最早;
at the earliest possible opportunity 一有机会
6 attrib Farming 早熟的 ‹crop, vegetable, variety›
B adverb
1 (before expected time) 提早;
the strawberries ripened early this year 草莓今年成熟得早;
to do sth three weeks early 提前3个星期做某事
2 (in period of time) 早地;
as early as possible 尽早;
early next year 下一年年初;
early on 早先;
five minutes/three years earlier 5分钟／3年以前;
as I said earlier, … 正如我先前所讲的，…;
as early as 1736 早在1736年
3 (near beginning of event, process) 初期;
early in the war/match 在战争／比赛初期;
early in the book/meeting 在书／会议的开头
4 (in life) 早期;
early (on) in life 在早年;
early (on) in one's career 在职业生涯之初
5 (referring to future) 早于;
not earlier than 10 o'clock/Monday/next week 不早于10点钟／星期一／下周;
I can't get there earlier than five 我5点钟以前赶不到那里