个人隐私：private的用法精讲

It's with the most profound sense of joy that I write to inform you your son, Private James Ryan, is well and at this very moment, on his way home from European battlefields. Reports from the front indicate James did his duty in combat with great courage and steadfast dedication, even after he was informed of the tragic loss your family has suffered in this great campaign to rid the world of tyranny and oppresion. 

——Saving Private Ryan

我亲爱的瑞恩太太，我怀着万分愉悦的心情通知您的儿子，士兵詹姆斯·瑞恩毫发无损，此时，他正在从欧洲战场返回家中的路上。从前线传来的报告称詹姆斯英勇而坚定的履行了自己的职责，即使他得知了家人在这场推翻专治和压迫的伟大战争中遭遇不幸。

——《拯救大兵瑞恩》

一、下面我们来看看private有几种含义

adj.

1.私人的；私有的；私用的；个人的 belonging to or for the use of a particular person or group; not for public use

They murder their evenings in private parties.

他们把晚上浪费在私人的社交聚会上。

2.不公开的；秘密的 for people in general or for others to know about

Factual information, especially of a private nature.

内幕消息与事实相关的消息，尤指具有秘密性质的消息。

3.（指谈话、会议等）保密的 preferring to keep personal affairs to oneself

Are all transactions encrypted and private?

所有的交易都是加密和保密的吗？

4.（指场所）清静的，不受侵扰的 where you are not likely to be disturbed; quiet

We must either find some place more private or stop talking.

我们要么找个清静一点的地方去谈谈，要么停止说话。

5.个体（经营）的；私营的；民办的；不受国家控制的 working or acting for yourself rather than for the state or for a group or company

Individual and Private Sector Contributes 18.3% Of China's GDP.

个体私营经济创造全国GDP总量的18.3%。

n.

1.士兵；列兵 [C] a soldier of the lowest rank in the army

He was broken from sergeant to private.

他从军士降为列兵。

2.私下，不公开 [U] private parts

I asked him to desist from abusing me in private to newspaper editors.

我要求他不再在私下向报馆编辑毁谤我。

二、含有private的常见短语 

in private

私下地,在不公开的场合

private detective

n.私人侦探

private eye

n.私家侦探

private property

私有财产

private school

n.私立中小学

三、最后，来做个填词游戏吧

They started up in the business as a ______ detective after he left the police.

在他辞掉警察工作后，他们开始从事私人侦探业务。