倍数翻译的陷阱很多，而且每个陷阱都是绵里藏针，针针见血，见血封喉！要想在倍数翻译上不出错，除了基本的语法过关外，还要仔细检查，认真思考，一点点小小的差异都有可能造成误译、错译。所以，让我们一起认真学习钻研数字翻译、倍数翻译的方法，攻克重重堡垒，到达胜利彼岸！

1.A是B的N倍大/长……(或者A比B大/长……N-1倍)

一般有以下两种英语表达方法;

(1) A is N times as large/long (形容词/副词原形) as B.

Eg: Asia is four times as large as Europe.

(2) A is N times larger/longer（形容词/副词比较级）than B.

Eg: Asia is four times larger than Europe.

(3) A is N times the size/length (形容词/副词的名词形式) of B.

Eg: Asia is four times the size of Europe.

以上三句例句的中文翻译均为：亚洲是欧洲的四倍大，或者亚洲比欧洲大三倍。

2. by 和to

(1) 动词+ by + 倍数/百分数/数词

Eg: The production of grain has been increased by four times this year.

今年粮食产量增加了四倍。

(2) 动词+ to + 数词

Eg: Last year profits rose to $201 million.

去年利润增长到2亿零100万美元。

3. by a factor of

词组by a factor of 在《朗文双解》中的解释为"if something increases or decreases by a factor of N, it increases or decreases by N times."以N倍的系数增加或减少。这个解释表达不是很明确，现在把它分成以下两种情况来分析：

(1)表示增加含义时

Increase/grow...by a factor of N times 增加到N倍，或者增加了N-1倍

Eg: The output of diesel oil for farm use has been increased by a factor of five times these years.

这些年来，用于农业生产的柴油产量增加了四倍。

(2)表示减少含义时

Decrease/fall...by a factor of N times 减少到1/N，或者减少了(N-1)/N。

Eg: The production has decreased by a factor of three times as against 1977.

总产量减少到1977年的三分之一。

相关阅读

数字翻译技巧篇

笔译中对词的色彩的把握

有关房价的翻译

关于“慈善”的正误翻译

（来源：沪江英语 编辑：Rosy）