puff

Compared meaning: to breathe quickly and with effort (verb).

比较义项：喘息、急促地呼吸（动词）。

• gasp

  Gasp describes one sudden, sharp intake of breath, usually triggered by shock, pain, or a lack of air — not the ongoing repeated breathing that pant and puff describe.

  gasp指因惊吓、疼痛或缺氧而突然倒吸一口气，是单次的动作，而不是pant和puff所指的持续、反复的呼吸。

  She gasped for air when she finally reached the surface of the pool.

  她终于浮出水面时，倒吸一口气拼命呼吸。

• pant

  Pant describes fast, loud, repeated breathing, especially from physical exertion or heat; it is the standard word for how a dog breathes after running.

  pant指因剧烈运动或炎热而急促、响亮、反复地呼吸，是描述狗奔跑后喘气的标准用词。

  The dog was panting heavily after chasing the ball around the yard.

  那只狗追着球在院子里跑了一圈后，气喘吁吁地喘着气。

• puff 本词

  Puff also describes repeated heavy breathing from exertion, but sounds more informal and is typically used for someone visibly out of shape while climbing or exercising.

  puff同样指因体力消耗而反复、沉重地喘气，但语气更口语化，通常用来形容爬楼梯、运动后气喘吁吁、明显体力不支的人。

  He was red in the face and puffing after climbing all those stairs.

  他爬完那些楼梯后满脸通红，气喘吁吁。

All three describe fast, effortful breathing. Gasp means one sudden breath, from shock, pain, or lack of air. Pant means fast, repeated breathing, from exercise or heat. Puff means repeated breathing, but sounds informal. Puff's 'smoke' and gasp's 'speak breathlessly' senses are not compared here.

这三个词都表示因情绪或体力消耗而呼吸急促，但语气和情境不同：gasp通常指因惊讶、疼痛或缺氧而突然倒吸一口气，是单次的动作；pant和puff则指因运动或炎热而持续、响亮地喘气。此处不比较puff表示“吸一口烟”的用法，也不比较gasp表示“倒抽一口气说话”的用法。