The word play is a commonly used word. As a noun, it means a production or a live show.
单词play是一个常用词。作为一个名词，它意味着一个作品或一个现场表演。

As a verb, it usually means to do something related to sports and games. It can also be used to describe playing instruments. However, there are also several other situations in which English speakers use the word play. Here are some collocations with it!
作为动词，它通常意味着做一些与体育和游戏有关的事情。它也可以用来描述演奏乐器。然而，也有其他几种情况下，英语使用者们会使用单词play。这里有一些搭配！

In case you do not know, collocations are phrases of words that are more commonly used than you might expect. They often have a specific meaning when the words are used together.
以防你不知道，搭配是比你想象的更常用的词语短语。当和单词一起使用时，它们通常有特定的含义。

Expressions, phrases and idioms with Play
游戏中的表达、短语和习语

1. To play a role (in)
1.发挥作用，扮演角色

One of the most common uses of play is the phrase to play a role. This means that a person, thing, company, event, etc. had a part in something.
play最常用的用法之一是扮演角色。这意味着一个人、一件事、一个公司、一件事等在某件事中占有一席之地。

In this phrase, the word role can be preceded by words that show how important this role was to whatever is being described. Common adjectives include important, major, key, crucial, significant, large, and vital.
在这个短语中，“play”一词的前面可以是表示这个角色对所描述的内容有多重要的词。常用形容词包括重要的、主要的、关键的、关键的、重要的、大的和重要的。

All of these adjectives mean that the role played was very important – perhaps meaning that the result could not have been possible without the thing.
所有这些形容词都意味着所扮演的角色非常重要——也许意味着没有这件事，结果就不可能实现。

Examples
例子

Deciding to travel instead of going straight to college after high school played a major role in my life.
高中毕业后决定去旅行而不是直接去上大学，这在我的生活中起了很大的作用。

You might not think it if you don’t know how it works, but the secretary of the office actually plays a vital role in making almost all the decisions at this company.
如果你不知道它是如何运作的，你可能不会这样想，但是办公室秘书实际上在公司的几乎所有决策中扮演着至关重要的角色。

Ronald played a key role in helping the team win today.
罗纳德在帮助球队赢得今天的比赛中发挥了关键作用。

2. To play a part (in)
2.扮演一个角色

Playing a part is similar to playing a role. They both can be used to describe how something works.
扮演类似角色扮演的一部分。他们的技术都可以用来描述工作如何进展。

The difference is that playing a role is usually used to describe someone or something that has a large role. Playing a part can also be more important, but if someone or something wasn’t important, they usually play a part, not a role.
不同的是，扮演一个角色通常被用来描述一个角色很大的人或事物。扮演一个角色也可能更重要，但如果某人或某物不重要，他们通常扮演一个部分，而不是一个角色。

That means that adjectives that go before part can include small, insignificant, and fleeting, as well as those such as key and crucial.
这意味着在前面部分的形容词可以包括小的、不重要的和转瞬即逝的，以及那些诸如“关键的”和“重要的”的形容词。

Examples
例子

It’s good to make any kind of progress, but cutting coupons only plays a small part in helping you stay under budget.
取得任何进展都是好事，但削减优惠券在帮助你保持预算内的作用不大。

Bobby only played a fleeting part in working on the project, but he’s trying to take all the credit.
博比在这个项目的工作中只扮演了一个短暂的角色，但他正在努力获得所有的荣誉。

Sandra keeps saying she only played an insignificant part in the company’s success, but she is seriously downplaying how important she was.
桑德拉一直说她在公司的成功中只扮演了一个微不足道的角色，但她严重低估了自己的重要性。

3. Play your cards right
3.行为得体，办事得当

Playing your cards right is an idiom that comes from the various card games that are out there. It means that regardless what you have, you can win or be successful if you use your resources wisely.
Playing your cards right是一个成语，来自于各种各样的纸牌游戏。这意味着，无论你拥有什么，如果你明智地使用你的资源，你都可以赢得或成功。

It can also mean behaving appropriately. This expression can be used in any situation.
这也意味着行为得体。这个表达式可以在任何情况下使用。

Examples
例子

If you play your cards right, we might be able to turn this in to a $10 million investment.
如果你做得对，我们可能会把它变成1000万美元的投资。

If you play your cards right, I will buy you a chocolate bar when we leave the store.
如果你办事得当，我们离开商店时我会给你买一块巧克力。

I didn’t think it was possible but I was able to get a well-paying job and ace my classes when I played my cards right!
我认为这是不可能的，但当我行为得体时我能够得到一份高薪的工作！

4. Play the system
4.暗箱操作

This means to take advantage of the rules of a specific system for your own benefit. Even though you are not technically breaking the law or the rules, you are using them in a way that isn’t fair for most other people.
这意味着为了你自己的利益而利用特定系统的规则。即使你没有在技术上违反法律或规则，你使用它们的方式对大多数人来说是不公平的。

Playing the system has a negative feeling attached to it, so someone who plays the system takes full advantage of the weaknesses of that set of rules.
暗箱操作会有一种负面的感觉，所以暗箱操作的人会充分利用这套规则的弱点。

Examples
例子

Politicians often play the system by changing the laws in their favor.
政治家们经常通过暗箱操作来操纵体制。

It sounds dirty but sometimes you have to play the system to get what you want.
这听起来很肮脏，但有时你必须暗箱操作才能得到你想要的。

Don’t be afraid to play the system if you want to be successful.
如果你想成功，就不要暗箱操作。

5. Play for time
5.故意拖延时间

Playing for time means that you deliberately try to delay something. It doesn’t matter what you do to try to delay it, but usually, if you play for time you are trying to delay a difficult decision of some sort.
玩时间意味着你故意拖延时间。不管你怎么做来拖延时间，但通常情况下，如果你拖延时间，你会试图拖延一些困难的决定。

Examples
例子

His excuses were terrible for continuing to delay the meeting so I could tell he was just playing for time.
他的借口是可怕的继续拖延会议，所以我可以说他只是在故意拖延时间。

Tom was too pushy so he left me no choice but to play for time.
汤姆太急于求成了，所以他让我别无选择，只能故意拖延时间。

When it is almost election season, some politicians in the minority party like to play for time to see if they can delay the laws that the current majority party want to pass.
在大选即将来临的时候，少数党的一些政客喜欢故意拖延时间，看看他们是否能推迟目前多数党想要通过的法律。

6. Play it safe
6.谨慎行事

If you would rather be conservative than take risks, you can play it safe. Regardless of the benefits that you might get from trying different things, play it safe to avoid losses.
如果你宁愿保守而不冒险，你可以稳妥行事。不管你从尝试不同的事情中获得什么好处，都要小心避免损失。

Examples
例子

He played it safe by not gambling when he went to Las Vegas.
他去拉斯维加斯时不赌博，这是为了谨慎行事。

Sometimes playing it safe pays off; sometimes it doesn’t.
有时谨慎行事会有回报；有时没有。

The thief escaped by playing it safe and waiting for the police to lose his trail, even though he might have been able to rob more shops in the meantime.
小偷逃走了，他装出一副谨慎行事的样子，等着警察找不到他的踪迹。尽管与此同时他可能抢劫了更多的商店。

7. Play with fire
7.铤而走险

The opposite of playing it safe is playing with fire. When you play with fire, you take a very big risk, often risks that are unnecessary.
铤而走险的反面意义是：当你铤而走险的时候，你会冒很大的风险，通常是不必要的风险。

While what you can gain from taking risks is considerable, it is also extremely risky. Think of a performer who performs with fire. They are appealing because what they do includes a lot of danger.
虽然冒险可以获得相当大的收益，但风险也非常大。想想一个用火表演的表演者。他们之所以吸引人，是因为他们所做的事情包含了很多危险。

Examples
例子

Are you sure? It sounds like you might be playing with fire on that one.
你确定？听起来你好像在铤而走险。

Playing with fire can really pay off if it works out.
铤而走险真的能奏效。

Not everyone likes to play with fire, but those who do often have really interesting stories to tell even if they fail!
不是每个人都喜欢铤而走险，但那些即使失败了也有趣的故事要讲！

8. Play it cool
8.故作镇定

When they go on a date, a lot of people try to play it cool! Instead of showing any signs of nervousness, they will pretend they are perfectly calm and even unaffected.
当他们去约会的时候，很多人都想表现得故作镇定！他们不会表现出任何紧张的迹象，而是假装他们非常平静，甚至没有受到影响。

Playing it cool usually means that someone is setting up a façade, or showing a part of themselves that is not genuine. Along with playing it cool at dates, you can play it cool during interviews, business transactions, at a doctor’s appointment, etc.
故作镇定常意味着有人在做一个假象，或者表现出不是真实自己的一部分。除了在约会时保持冷静，你还可以在面试、商务交易、医生预约等过程中保持冷静。

Examples
例子

He tried to play it cool as much as he could but with the sweat running down his face, it’s obvious that he is very nervous.
他尽量保持冷静，但汗流满面，显然他很紧张。

A lot of dating coaches will tell you to play it cool, but sometimes showing that you are nervous and excited can be very sweet!
很多约会教练会告诉你要冷静，但有时表现出紧张和兴奋是非常甜蜜的！

Don’t force yourself to play it cool – only do it if you really feel it!
不要强迫自己故作镇定——只有当你真正感觉到的时候才这么做！

9. Play it by ear
9.见机行事

When you don’t know how to prepare for something, you should play it by ear. This means that you take the situation into consideration and adjust as it develops – perfect for times that you can’t or don’t know what to do!
当你不知道如何准备一些事情时，你应该见机行事。这意味着你要考虑到形势的发展，并在事态发展的过程中进行调整——这是你无法或不知道该做什么的时候的最佳选择！

This expression can be used for any situation; it doesn’t only apply to situations that you can hear.
此表达式可用于任何情况；它不仅适用于您可以听到的情况。

Examples
例子

The spies were used to playing it by ear.
间谍们习惯于见机行事。

I really don’t like to play it by ear but I really have no time to prepare for the meeting tomorrow.
我真的不喜欢见机行事，但我真的没有时间为明天的会议做准备。

Sometimes playing it by ear can get you really incredible results.
有时见机行事得到令人难以置信的效果。

10. Play up
10.强调，夸大

To play something up means to make the situation seem bigger, more important, more dramatic, or more extreme than it really is.
把事情夸大意味着让情况看起来比实际情况更大、更重要、更戏剧性或更极端。

While it doesn’t mean deliberately lying about it, the term does mean exaggerating something – highlighting the details of it and making them seem more noteworthy.
虽然这并不意味着故意撒谎，但这个术语确实意味着夸大某些东西——强调细节，使它们看起来更值得注意。

Examples
例子

If you want this plan to work, you really have to play up the skill of your teacher!
如果你想让这个计划奏效，你真的必须夸大你老师的技能！

Did he try just try to play up his success? He forgot that I have been with him every step of the way!
他是不是只是想夸大自己的成功？他忘了我在他身边的每一步！

Playing up your weaknesses is a surefire way to get your application rejected.
强调你的弱点是让你的申请被拒绝的一个可靠的方法。

11. Play down
11.贬低

The opposite of playing up is to play down. Instead of making something bigger, playing down means to try to keep something on the down low, to keep it small, and to make it seem like a smaller deal than it really is. If someone is very humble, they are probably trying to play down their accomplishments.
夸大反面是贬低。不是把事情做得更大，而是把事情放在低处，把事情放在小的地方，让事情看起来比实际情况要小。如果有人非常谦虚，他们可能会贬低自己的成就。

Examples
例子

Wow, he really played down your qualifications! Your experience and education make you the perfect candidate for this job.
哇，他真是贬低了你的资历！你的经验和教育使你成为这份工作的完美人选。

Don’t play down your skills if you are trying to pitch your services to a potential client.
如果你试图向潜在客户推销你的服务，不要贬低你的技能。

I don’t understand why Theresa would want to play down her scholarship. It’s a really big deal!
我不明白特蕾莎为什么要贬低她奖学金的事。这真是一件大事！

12. Play ball
12.合作

Playing ball means to go with the flow, give in, or do what the other person wants you to do. Even if you would rather do something your own way, you might choose to give in because someone else, such as your boss or parents, insist on something else.
愿意合作意味着随波逐流，屈服，或者做别人想让你做的事。即使你宁愿做自己想做的事情，你也可能选择让步，因为其他人，比如你的老板或父母，坚持要做别的事情。

Note that play ball also has the literal meaning of playing a sport, so do not get confused if you see it used in that context!
请注意，play ball也有做运动的字面意义，所以不要混淆，如果你看到它在那个上下文中使用！

Examples
例子

It looks like the boss wants us to do things her way. Alright then, let’s play ball!
看来老板想让我们按她的方式做事。好吧，那我们去遵从指令吧！

Play ball! The materials that we need to start working have finally arrived.
合作开始吧！我们开始工作的材料终于到了。

What else do you want me to do? I already said I would play ball!
你还想让我做什么？我已经说过要打球了！

13. Play the innocent
13.假装无辜

When you want to fool someone else, you can play the innocent. This means that you pretend that you do not understand what is happening, and that it has nothing to do with you.
当你想愚弄别人时，你可以扮演无辜者。这意味着你假装不明白发生了什么，而这与你无关。

In this case, you are most likely guilty for something, but don’t want to be blamed for it. Instead, you pretend to be innocent like the spies do in the movies.
在这种情况下，你很可能对某件事感到内疚，但不想为此受到指责。相反，你假装像电影里的间谍一样清白。

Examples
例子

Do you think you can get away with this by playing the innocent? Think again!
你认为你可以通过扮演无辜者来逃避这个吗？再想一想！

When I was caught, I didn’t know what I should do so I tried to play the innocent.
当我被抓到的时候，我不知道该怎么做，所以我试着扮演无辜者。

I don’t think this bystander is playing the innocent but it’s never easy to tell if someone is telling the truth or not
我不认为这个旁观者是在装无辜，但要知道某人说的是不是真的从来都不容易。

14. Play straight into someone’s hands
14.做对某人有利的事

Playing straight into someone’s hands means to help them without meaning to or do exactly what they want you to do, especially if you don’t want to.
做对某人有利的事意味着不求回报地帮助他们或做他们想要你做的事情，特别是如果你不想这样做的话。

This is a term used a lot when talking about tricks and manipulation; having played straight into someone’s hands is usually something that is accompanied by a feeling of betrayal or being tricked.
这是一个在谈论技巧和操纵时经常使用的术语；做对某人有利的事通常是伴随着背叛或被欺骗的感觉。

It often is a negative feeling, even if it does not actually harm you.
它经常是一种消极的感觉，即使它实际上并不伤害你。

Examples
例子

The policemen set up a trap to catch the thief, who played straight into their hands by falling for the trap right away.
警察设下了一个陷阱来捉住小偷，小偷直接落入了他们的手中，立刻落入了陷阱。

Patrick knew that you would react with anger before trying to think things through, so he was banking on that reaction from you. By getting angry and yelling at the clients, you played straight into his hands.
帕特里克知道你在想问题之前会生气，所以他指望着你的反应。你生气了，冲着客户大喊大叫，这是对他有利的事。

If I play my cards right, I think I can get him to show up late to the test on purpose and play straight into my hands.
如果我行为得体，我想我可以让他故意迟到参加考试，这是对我有利的事。

Sports
运动类

When it comes to sports, there are a number of words that you can use to describe them. While we generally say playing sports, some sports, such as running, ballet, or swimming, use different words. We go running, do ballet, and go swimming.
谈到体育，你可以用许多词来形容它们。虽然我们一般说运动，但有些运动，如跑步、芭蕾舞或游泳，会使用不同的词。我们去跑步、芭蕾舞和游泳。

For play, we usually talk about sports that need a ball or something similar (shuttlecock for badminton, disc for Frisbee, puck for hockey, etc.) to play. Below are some sports that we play rather than go or do.
在比赛中，我们通常谈论需要球或类似的运动（羽毛球、飞盘、曲棍球等）。下面是一些我们去玩而不是去做的运动。

Play badminton
打羽毛球

Play ping pong
打乒乓球

Play football
踢足球

Play soccer
踢足球

Play baseball
打棒球

Play tennis
打网球

Play hockey
打曲棍球

Play chess
下象棋

Play squash
打壁球

Play volleyball
打排球

Play basketball
打篮球

Play cricket
打板球

Play board and card games
玩棋盘和纸牌游戏