1.difficult的基本意思是“难的”,指难以做到的、难以解决的、难以理解的、难以承受的事物,多用于智力或情感方面,侧重需付出大量思考或运用技巧方能解决。引申用于修饰人时表示“难以对付的,不易取悦的”; 用于指境遇时表示“尴尬的”。
2.difficult可用作定语、表语或宾语补足语。
(1)用作定语 ~+ n.
English is a difficult language to learn.
英语是一门难学的语言。
Mathematics is regarded as a difficult subject.
数学被人认为是难科目。
(2)作表语时,后面可接介词of或to引起的短语,也可接动词不定式,句子的主语是动词不定式的逻辑宾语。
We had hoped that we would be able to leave tomorrow, but it's beginning to look difficult.
我们原希望明天可以出发,但是这事开始显得困难起来。
Nothing is difficult to a man who wills.
世上无难事,只怕有心人。
(3)用作宾语补足语
I found English difficult at first.
起初我发觉英语难学。
That made the subject difficult of investigation.
那使这问题不易探讨。
3.difficult的意思是“使人感到困难的”,而不是“人感到困难的”,因此一般不以“人”作主语,而如以动词不定式作主语,则常用于形式主语结构。