jump

Compared meaning: to jump or leap up suddenly (verb).

比较义项：突然跳起，跃起（动词）。

• spring

  Spring highlights a sudden, quick movement triggered by surprise or reaction, moving from stillness to motion in an instant; it doesn't focus on distance or height.

  spring 强调动作发生得突然、迅速，通常是受到惊吓或刺激后从静止瞬间转为行动；它并不侧重跳跃的距离或高度。

  The dog sprang forward the instant it spotted a squirrel in the yard.

  那只狗一看到院子里的松鼠，就立刻向前扑了过去。

• jump 本词

  Jump is the plain, everyday verb for pushing off the ground with the legs; it is neutral in tone and fits ordinary actions like hopping repeatedly or jumping over something.

  jump 是最普通、日常的说法，指用腿蹬地离开地面；语气中性，适用于反复蹦跳或跳过某物等普通动作。

  The kids jumped up and down with excitement when they won the game.

  孩子们赢得比赛后，兴奋地又蹦又跳。

• leap

  Leap emphasizes covering a long distance or reaching a great height in one powerful bound, sounding more dramatic or literary than the plain word jump.

  leap 强调一跃之间跳得很远或跳得很高，动作有力，语气比普通的 jump 更具戏剧性、更书面化。

  The salmon leaped high out of the water to swim upstream.

  那条鲑鱼从水中高高跃起，逆流而上。

All three words mean to jump up suddenly. Spring means a quick, sudden movement. Jump is the plain word for pushing off the ground. Leap means covering great distance or height, sounding dramatic. Not compared: spring's water/coil/season senses, jump's price-rise sense, leap's 'risky attempt' idiom.

这三个词都表示身体突然离地跳起，但侧重点不同：jump 是最普通、日常的说法；spring 强调动作发生得突然、迅速，常带有反应性；leap 则强调跳得远或跳得高，语气更有力、更书面化。这里不比较 spring 的“泉水、弹簧、春天”等义项，也不比较 jump 的“（价格、数量）骤增”义项，以及 leap 的“冒险尝试（leap of faith）”等比喻义。

Compared meaning: to move suddenly from fright (verb).

比较义项：因受惊而猛地一动／吓到某人（动词）。

• start

  Intransitive; a sudden involuntary jerk of one's own body from surprise, often followed by 'at' + the cause; somewhat formal or literary, less common in casual speech than 'jump'.

  不及物动词；指自己的身体因受惊而猛地一动，常接“at + 引起惊吓的事物”；用法偏正式或文学化，在日常口语中不如 jump 常用。

  She started at the sound of the door slamming shut.

  她听到门砰地关上的声音，吓了一跳。

• jump 本词

  Intransitive; the everyday, informal word for a startled movement, often with a small hop; very common in casual speech, and pairs with 'jump out of one's skin' for emphasis.

  不及物动词；是日常口语中最常用的说法，指因受惊而突然一动，常带有轻微跳动的意味；常用 jump out of one's skin 来加强语气。

  The sudden knock at the window made him jump.

  窗户上突然的敲击声吓得他跳了起来。

• startle

  Usually transitive: the cause of fright is the subject and the frightened person is the object (often passive 'be startled by'); stronger and more sudden than 'jump', with no sense of physically hopping.

  通常是及物动词：引起惊吓的事物作主语，受惊的人作宾语（常用被动式 be startled by）；语气比 jump 更强烈、更突然，并不含“身体跳起”的意味。

  The fire alarm startled everyone in the office.

  火警警报把办公室里所有人都吓了一跳。

Start, jump, and startle describe a sudden reaction to fright. Start and jump mean the person's body moves; jump is everyday, start more formal. Startle is different: the cause is the subject, and the frightened person is the object. Start's 'begin' sense is not compared.

这三个词都与因受惊吓而产生的突然反应有关，但 start 和 jump 描述的是受惊者自己身体猛地一动，而 startle 通常是及物动词，主语是引起惊吓的事物，宾语才是受惊的人（常用被动式 be startled by）。这里不比较 start 更常见的“开始”义项。