In this first set of sentences, the word “figure” is used as a verb and it means to think about something or to calculate:
在第一组例句中,“figure”用作动词,意为“想出”或“计算”:

He was able to figure out a solution to the problem. (Notice the preposition “out”is often used with “figure.”)
他能为这个问题想出解决方案。(注意“figure”常与介词“out”连用。)

I can’t figure this out. Can you help me?
我不知道该咋办。你能帮帮我吗?

Mary thinks she has a good chance of getting the job, but how does she figure? She’s not qualified.
玛丽觉得她有个得到这份工作的绝佳机会,但是该怎么拿下这份工作呢?她不够格呀。

I have to buy a new transmission for my car after I just spent money to fix the engine. That figures. (This is an expression that means that’s the way it goes, or the odds are against me.)
在我花钱修了引擎后,我必须给我的爱车买个新的变速器。那得好好想一想。(这个短语的意思是事情在意料之中,或者事情不大可能成功。)

There are many different ways to use the word “figure” as a noun:
“figure”作为名词时有多种不同的意思和用法:

That’s a very large figure. (figure = number数字)
这可是个大数字。

She has a nice figure. (figure = body shape身材)
她有个好身材。

That’s just a figure of your imagination. (figure = a perception; a thought想法)
那只是你的臆想。

Elvis Presley was a notable figure in the development of rock’n’roll. (figure = important person重要人物)
埃维斯·普里斯利在摇滚史上是个名声显赫的人物。

This is just a figure of speech. (figure = an arrangement of words or an expression that has a particular meaning. 修辞)
这只是演讲的一种修辞。

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