burden

Compared meaning: a heavy thing that must be carried (noun).

比较义项：负担，重物（名词）。

• burden 本词

  Emphasizes the weight as a hardship or strain, often figurative (emotional, financial, or physical strain); rarely used for objects being transported or loaded onto vehicles.

  强调这份重量是一种艰辛或压力，常用于比喻义（情感、经济或体力上的负担）；很少用于描述被装运到交通工具上的物品。

  Caring for her sick mother alone became an emotional burden she could barely carry.

  独自照顾生病的母亲成了她几乎无法承受的情感负担。

• load

  Neutral term for something heavy being carried, transported, or placed onto a vehicle or machine; common in physical, mechanical, or logistical contexts, with no emotional connotation.

  中性词，指被搬运、运输或装到车辆或机器上的重物；常用于实际的、机械的或物流相关的语境，不带情感色彩。

  The truck driver checked that the load was secured before hitting the highway.

  卡车司机在上高速前检查了货物是否固定好。

Burden and load both mean something heavy that must be carried. Burden stresses hardship or strain, often figurative, like emotional strain, rarely used for objects on vehicles. Load is neutral, for something heavy carried or placed on a vehicle or machine, with no strong feeling.

两者都指沉重的、需要搬运或承受的东西，但 burden 更强调心理或体力上的“负担”，常带比喻或情感色彩；load 更中性，多指实际装载或运输的重物，也常用于机械、车辆等语境。

Compared meaning: add weight to something, making it heavy (verb).

比较义项：给某物加上重量，使其变得沉重（动词）。

• weight

  Neutral, technical word: it means to physically add weight to an object for a purpose, such as to keep it down or balanced; typically used with objects, not people, often paired with down.

  语气中性、偏技术性：指为了某种目的（例如使物体下沉或保持稳定）而给物体加上实际的重量；通常用于物体而非人，常与「down」搭配使用。

  Fishermen weight their nets with small lead sinkers so they sink properly.

  渔民们会给渔网加上小铅坠，让渔网能够顺利下沉。

• burden 本词

  Stronger and often negative: it means to load someone or something heavily until it becomes hard to carry or bear; typically used with people or animals, and often figurative, as with debts or worries.

  语气更重、常带负面色彩：指给人或动物加上沉重的负担，使其难以承受；也常用于比喻意义，例如债务或忧虑。

  The mule was burdened with sacks of grain for the long journey up the mountain.

  这头骡子驮着一袋袋谷物，走上漫长的山路，负担十分沉重。

Weight and burden both mean to make something heavier by adding weight. Weight is neutral, mainly for objects. Burden is stronger and often negative, meaning to load someone heavily, often figuratively, as with debts or worries. Their noun meanings are not compared.

这两个词在「使变重」这个意义上比较接近，但语气不同：weight 语气中性，多指为了某种实际目的给物体加上重物（如使渔网下沉）；burden 语气更重，常带负面色彩，多指给人或动物加上沉重的负担，也常用于比喻意义（如债务、忧虑）。这里不比较 weight 作名词表示「体重」或「重量」的用法，也不比较 burden 作名词表示「负担」的用法。