“happy”常用来作庆贺新年或亲朋的生日，或作为一些节目(如情人节、感恩节等)的贺词。然而 "happy" 的其他字义也不少，有

1. 幸福的、快乐的、愉快的、开心的、高兴的
2. 满足的、满意的
3. 幸运的、凑巧的
4. 合适的、适当的
5. 乐意的

在本文我们将讨论范围限定于字义 1 及 5，请看下面例句：

You will be happy in future if you follow my advice.
(如果你听我的忠言，你将来会幸福的。)

Their marriage is a happy one.
(他们的婚姻美满。)

I am very happy that you will come to our dinner tonight.
(我非常高兴你会参加我们今晚的晚餐。)

You may bring up with your boss about your salary raise because he seems to be in a happy mood today.
(你大概可以向你老板提出加薪的事，因为他今天似乎心情愉快。)

I shall be happy to help you if you have any problem during your stay in Taipei.
(你在台北停留期间如果有什么问题，我将乐意帮忙。)

I shall be happy to meet you at the Capital Airport whenever you come to visit us.
(不管你什么时候来看我们，我都乐意到首都机场去迎接你。)

"happy"的定义中有"(of person )feeling pleasure and contentments "(「感到心满意足」之意；反过来说"pleasure"也就是"the state or feeling of happiness or satisfaction resulting from an experience that one likes."(Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English).

谈到"pleasure"，其快乐或愉快的程度并不强烈，甚至于有时候仅仅用于表示客气而已。但是"pleasure"一字用处相当广泛；在日常会话、演讲、书信中都常常用到。在这里，我们分为两部分来谈：

A. 用做「开心、愉快、快乐；游乐」等意时:

"pleasure"为不可数名词(uncountable noun)，不取复数形，不用不定冠词，如：

It gave me much pleasure to hear of your brilliant achievements.
(听到你的辉煌成就，我非常安慰。)

He takes genuine pleasure in listening to the classic music.
(他从听古典音乐得到真正的快乐。)

The compliment gave her pleasure.
(恭维使她高兴。)

Are you going to visit Los Angeles on business or for pleasure?
(他将访问洛杉矶，是为了业务或游乐？)

但在有些场合以及请柬上所用的"pleasure"大都仅仅表示客气而无实质上的意义，如：

May I have the pleasure of your company for dinner？
(你今晚能不能和我共进晚餐？)

I am looking forward to the pleasure of meeting you on the Chinese New Year's eve.
(我盼望着和您在除夕见面。)

It is with great pleasure that I extend to you an invitation to teach at our university for one year.
(兹送上聘书聘请您在本大学任教一年。)

下面是正式的请柬范例：

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lin
request the pleasure of your company
at dinner
on Saturday, February the second
at six o'clock
1050 Chung-Shan Road
Taipei

在商业信函也常用"pleasure"以表示客气；下面举出各种不同的句型及例句，供各位参考：

1. To have(much) pleasure in doing
2. To have much pleasure to do
3. To have the pleasure of doing
4. To have the pleasure in doing
5. To take (a) pleasure in doing
6. To take (a) pleasure in something

As requested, we have the pleasure in sending you several samples of our toys.
(遵嘱送上若干我们的玩具样品。)

We have much pleasure to send you an order in confirmation of our telephone conversation this morning.
(兹寄上订单以确定今晨我们的电话洽谈。)

We have the pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 1, 1997.
(一九九七年二月一日尊函敬悉。)

I take pleasure in the "Consumer Report."
(我是「消费者报导」(杂志)忠实读者。)

I take (a)pleasure in working with you in this construction project.
(我在此一建设工程和您一起工作感到愉快。)

We have much pleasure in stating that they are a small but highly respectable company.
(兹证明该公司规模虽小，商誉极佳。)

B."pleasure"用作「愉快或开心的事物；乐事；乐趣」等义时:

就变成可数名词(countable noun)，使用时或取不定冠词，或取复数形，请看下面例句：

It is a pleasure to meet you.
(和您见面是件愉快的事。)

It is a pleasure to inform you of your selection for the position of secretary.
(兹通知台端被录取担任秘书职位。)

That kind of work is a pleasure to him.
(这种工作对他是个愉快的差事。)

Reading good books and listening to good music seem to be his chief pleasure.
(阅读好书及听听好音乐，似乎是他的主要乐趣。)

In the annual get-together, we all enjoyed the pleasure of friendship.
(在一年一次的聚会里，我们大家共享友谊的乐趣。)

下面我再举出几个演讲时常被做为开头词有关"pleasure"的若干说法[例句中的"pleasure"可以换成"honor"(荣幸)]：

It is a pleasure for me to be here to speak to such a distinguished group from all over the island.
(我能在此地向全岛各地来参加的各位杰出人士演讲感到愉快。)

It's a real pleasure to be here and to have a chance to contribute to your conference.
(有机会在此地向各位的会议贡献意见真感愉快。)

It is a great pleasure to address this convention on the subject of China's economic progress.
(能为各位谈一谈有关中国在经济上的进步，甚感愉快。)

"pleasure"与"happy"一样，常用做「高兴；快乐」等意之外，还用来表示「乐意、愿意」。比如见人伸手寒喧时，或有人邀请吃饭、喝酒、跳舞，或答应帮忙时，都用得到这个字；请看下列例句：

1. It's a pleasure to meet(with) you!
   见到您非常高兴!
   －My pleasure!
   －The pleasure is mine.
2. Could you come to join us at dinner tonight？
   今晚跟我们一起吃饭好吗？
   －Thank you, with pleasure.
3. Will you join us for a drink？
   你跟我们一起来喝一杯酒好不好？
   －Thank you, with pleasure.
4. May I have the pleasure of the next dance with you？
   我可以跟你跳下一支舞吗？
   －My pleasure.
   －With pleasure.
5. Will you please explain this paragraph for me？
   请您把这一段解释给我听听好吗？
   －Yes, with pleasure.
6. Would you please mail this letter for me at a nearby post office？
   请您替我把这封信在附近的邮局寄一寄好吗？
   －Yes, with pleasure.
7. Thank you very much for your help to make my brief stay in Taipei so pleasant and memorable.
   谢谢您的帮忙，使得我在台北短暂的逗留如此地愉快和难忘！
   My pleasure.
   －The pleasure's mine.

上面例句的回答部份中，第 2 句表示「幸会」之意；第2，3，4 句可翻为「荣幸之至」；第 5, 6 句意谓「当然」或「没有问题」；第 7 句则表示「没有什么」的意思。使用这些词句作答，会给人温文尔雅的印象。

"pleasure"也可以用做及物动词与不及物动词([使]高兴，〔使〕欢喜)，但都属于古老用法，在此不再赘述。

表示各种程度的快乐、高兴，或心满意足的同类字汇。pleasure, delight, joy等字之中，"pleasure"一字比起其他字汇的含义，其快乐的强度较弱。

谈到"delight"，我们先来看一看若干英文辞典的解释：

American Heritage Dictionary(Second College Edition):

1. great pleasure; gratification; joy
2. something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment

Webster's Dictionary(College Edition):

1. great joy or pleasure
2. something giving great joy or pleasure

Random House Dictionary(College Edition):

1. a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy
2. something that gives great pleasure

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English:

1. a high degree of pleasure or satisfaction; joy
2. something or someone that gives great pleasure

从上面的字义看来，显然"delight"是比较"pleasure"在快乐的强度上要高，在满意的程度上要大得多；同时Longman Dictionary可以了解用做第(1)义时的"delight"为不可数名词，而当第(2)义使用的话就变成可数名词。从下面的例句，读者可以了解其用法：

1. 用做「不可数名词」的例句：

   I read your new novel with real delight.
   (我拜读您的新[出版的]小说看得津津有味。)

   To my real delight, I received a cash award.
   (我获得了奖金真高兴。)

   She looks a dream of delight.
   (她美得看起来舒服极了。)

   To my unexpected delight, I received a letter from my old friend about whom I hadn't heard for years.
   (收到久无音讯的老朋友一封信使我意想不到的高兴。)

   The concerts of the New York Symphony Orchestra gave great delight to thousands of the classical music lovers in Taipei last year.
   (去年纽约交响乐团的演奏会带给了数以千计的台北古典音乐爱好者莫大的喜悦。)

2. 用做「可数名词」的例句：

   Music is always a delight to him.
   (音乐始终是他的嗜好。)

   Reading and swimming are his chief delights.
   (读书及游泳是他的主要乐趣[嗜好]。)

   To her grandparents, that little girl is a real delight.
   (那小女孩是她祖父母的开心果。)

   Living in a large city like Taipei, many people frequently miss the delights of country life.
   (居住于像台北的大都市的人们时常怀念乡村生活的乐趣。)

   The scenery along the northern coast of Taiwan is a delight to every visitor.
   (台湾北部海岸的景色，对每一位观光客来说是大开眼界。)

"Delight"也可以用做动词；当「及物动词」使用时，其字义为「给与乐趣；使极为高兴或喜悦」：

Her performance delighted everyone.
(她的表演使人人喜欢。)

We were delighted to hear the news of his recovery.
(我们听到他的痊愈极为高兴。)

I am delighted to see you.
(我见到您非常高兴。)
[注]上句的"delighted"也可以换用"pleased"或"happy"等字。

用做「不及物动词」时，常与"in"或"to do"连用，意指「引以为荣；喜欢」：

He delights in jazz music. (= He takes delight in jazz music.)
(他喜爱爵士音乐。)

That little boy delights to tease cats.
(那个小男孩喜欢逗弄猫。)

She always delights to prove herself right.
(她总是喜欢证明她自己是对的。)

如果我们再来看一看前面引用的 "delight" 的解释，不难发现大部份的字义都将"delight"与"joy"列为同义字；只有 Webster's New World Dictionary解释为 "great joy or pleasure" 现在我们不妨钻一下牛角尖，来查一查这本辞典替 "joy" 所下的定义：

joy:

n. a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight
也就是说：delight = great joy; great pleasure
joy = great pleasure , delight

如此一来，不是变成 joy = great joy了吗？由此可见，辞典的定义，要使其周延而不发生矛盾，有时也是相当困难的一件事。为了补救字义解释的不周延，这些辞典在「在同义字」栏内加以详细的说明各字不同之点。根据这些说明，"joy "似乎是高兴的程度较为强烈持久。但是解释较为明确者为Reader's Digest的"Use the Right Word"："Joy is sometimes used interchangeably with pleasure, delight, ecstasy or rapture, but it implies greater intensity than does pleasure, longer duration than does delight,..."也就是说，"joy"可以当pleasure, delight等的同义字使用，但是比起"pleasure"，高兴的程度较为强烈，比起"delight"的快乐，时间要较为长久。下面举出若干例句，供作参考：

1. He showed joy at being promoted.
   (他因升级[升官]而显得非常高兴。)

   He has been a good friend to me, both in joy and sorrow.
   (他是与我同甘共苦的好朋友。)

   They jumped for joy at the unexpected good news.
   (每一个人听到想不到的好消息而手舞足蹈。)

   Her heart leaped with joy at the sight of her husband's safe return.
   (她看到她丈夫安全归来而欣喜雀跃。)

2. He went through the joys and sorrows of life.
   (他经历人生的悲欢。)

   A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
   (美的东西是永远的快乐。)

上面第(1)项的例句是用做「不可数名词」，第(2)项例句当做「可数名词」使用。

为了使读者更加了解"joy "与“delight”的不同，再举两个例子。

Helen Keller是一位美国著名的女盲人作家及社会运动家，她的启蒙老师 Anne Sullivan 小姐教她 "water(水)" 一字时，把井水一直滴在她的手上，同时重复地把"water"念给她听。Keller女士后来说，"I knew then that w-a-t-e-r meant the cool something that was flowing over my hand. That living word awakened my soul, gave it light , hope, joy, set it free. "这一种深刻的印象带给她终生难忘的「喜悦」就是"joy"，而用"delight"是无法表达其真情的。再说有一首圣诞赞美诗，开头就是：

Joy to the world! The Lord has come; Let earth receive her king;.....

耶稣降临给基督徒所带来的无比的 "joy"，这种喜悦可以用"delight"来代替吗？我想从这二个例子，读者可以了解"joy"和"delight"的不同之处吧！