motive

Compared meaning: a reason or drive to do something (noun).

比较义项：促使人做某事的动机或热情（名词）。

• motivation

  The inner drive, desire, or enthusiasm that pushes someone toward a goal or effort; abstract and often uncountable; typical in contexts like study, work, or sport, and can take an infinitive (motivation to do something).

  指推动人朝目标或努力方向前进的内在动力、渴望或热情；较为抽象，常作不可数名词；常见于学习、工作、运动等语境，可接不定式（motivation to do something）。

  She lost her motivation to exercise after the long holiday.

  长假过后，她失去了锻炼的动力。

• motive 本词

  A specific, identifiable reason behind a particular action, often examined in contexts of crime, suspicion, or investigation; countable, usually one clear motive per act.

  指某一具体行为背后可查明的确切原因，常见于犯罪、怀疑或调查等语境；为可数名词，通常一个行为对应一个明确的动机。

  Police could not determine the motive behind the robbery.

  警方无法查明这起抢劫案背后的动机。

Both words relate to reasons for acting. Motivation is the inner drive or enthusiasm that pushes someone toward a goal, often uncountable, common in study, work, or sport. Motive is a specific, identifiable reason behind one action, examined in crime investigations, and is usually countable.

这两个词都可译为「动机」，含义相近但用法不同：motive强调某一具体行为背后可查明的原因，常用于调查、怀疑或犯罪语境，是可数名词；motivation强调推动人努力实现目标的内在动力或热情，语气更积极，常见于学习、工作、运动等语境，且常作不可数名词。