raise

Compared meaning: move something higher or increase it (verb).

比较义项：把某物移到更高的位置或提高程度、水平（举起、提高、提升）（动词）。

• raise 本词

  The most common and neutral word for moving something up or increasing an amount; used for hands, voices, salaries, prices, and taxes, and works as easily with abstract quantities as with physical objects.

  最常用、最中性的词，表示举起某物或提高数量；可用于举手、提高音量、加薪、涨价、加税等，既能用于具体动作，也能用于抽象数量的增加。

  The company decided to raise everyone's salary this year.

  公司决定今年给所有员工加薪。

• lift

  Stresses physical effort against gravity, especially with heavy or bulky objects; figuratively it can mean to boost someone's mood or remove a restriction, but it rarely means a simple increase in amount, like a price or a salary.

  强调克服重力的体力动作，尤其用于搬动沉重或体积大的物体；比喻用法可表示提振心情或解除限制，但很少用于表示价格、薪水等简单数量的提高。

  Can you help me lift this heavy box onto the shelf?

  你能帮我把这个沉重的箱子抬到架子上吗？

• elevate

  A more formal or technical word, common in medical, professional, and literary contexts; it means to raise something to a higher position and keep it there, rather than a quick physical action or an everyday increase.

  语气更正式、更专业的词，常见于医学、职场和书面语境；表示把某物提升到更高的位置并保持在那里，而不是快速的体力动作或日常的数量提高。

  Doctors recommend that patients elevate their legs to reduce swelling.

  医生建议患者抬高双腿以减轻肿胀。

Raise, lift, and elevate mean to make something higher. Raise is the most common and neutral. Lift stresses physical effort and can mean to boost mood. Elevate is more formal, used in medical writing. Raise can mean "to bring up a child," not compared here.

raise、lift、elevate 都表示「使某物升高」，但语气和场合不同：raise 最常用最中性，可用于具体动作也可用于抽象数量的增加；lift 强调克服重力的体力动作，也可比喻提振心情或解除限制；elevate 语气更正式，多见于医学、专业或书面语境。这里不比较 raise 的「抚养、饲养」义，也不比较 lift 作名词表示「电梯」或俚语中「偷窃」的用法。

Compared meaning: to increase or improve something (verb).

比较义项：提高、增加（动词）。

• raise 本词

  Used for measurable, quantifiable things like money, prices, levels or standards; concrete and everyday in register. Not typically used for improving the quality of something.

  用于工资、价格、标准等可量化的具体事物，语域朴实、日常；通常不用于表示提升某物的质量。

  The company decided to raise everyone's salary this year.

  公司决定今年给每个人加薪。

• enhance

  Focuses on improving quality, value or appeal rather than a countable amount; used with abstract nouns like flavor, mood, experience or reputation; sounds more formal and polished.

  侧重提升质量、价值或吸引力，而非增加可数的数量；常与风味、氛围、体验、声誉等抽象名词搭配，语气更正式、精致。

  New lighting can enhance the mood of a room.

  新的灯光可以提升房间的氛围。

• heighten

  Means to intensify an existing feeling, sensation or effect, such as tension, awareness or suspense; common in descriptive or literary writing, not used for numbers.

  指加强已经存在的某种感觉或效果，如紧张感、警觉性、悬念，常见于描写性或文学性文字，不用于数字。

  The dark music helped heighten the tension in the movie.

  阴暗的音乐有助于加强电影中的紧张感。

All three mean to make something greater. Raise is used for measurable things like money or prices, not its meanings 'lift up' or 'bring up children'. Enhance means improving quality or value, like flavor. Heighten means making a feeling or effect stronger, like tension.

这三个词都可以译为“提高”，但用法不同：raise 用于可量化的具体事物（如工资、价格），enhance 强调提升质量或价值，heighten 强调加强某种已有的感觉或效果（如紧张感）。这里不比较 raise 表示“举起”或“抚养”的义项。

Compared meaning: an increase in amount, price, or level (noun).

比较义项：上升、增长（名词）。

• raise 本词

  AmE noun for an increase, especially in pay; typically used with 'give/get a raise'; neutral in tone and not necessarily sudden or large.

  美式英语名词，尤指加薪，常与 give/get a raise 搭配使用；语气中性，不一定是突然或大幅的变化。

  She got a nice raise after her performance review last month.

  上个月绩效评估之后，她加了不少薪。

• rise

  General word for an increase in amount, price, or level; in BrE it is the everyday word for a pay increase, and often describes gradual or steady change.

  泛指数量、价格或水平的上升；在英式英语中也是“加薪”的日常说法，常用来形容逐渐或稳定的变化。

  There has been a steady rise in vegetable prices this year.

  今年蔬菜价格持续稳步上涨。

• hike

  Informal, often journalistic word for a sudden, sharp increase, typically in prices, taxes, or rates imposed by an authority; implies the change is large and often unwelcome.

  非正式、常见于新闻报道的说法，指由当局施行的价格、税率等的突然大幅上涨；暗示变化幅度大，且往往令人不悦。

  The government announced a hike in fuel taxes to fund new roads.

  政府宣布上调燃油税以资助新道路建设。

All three mean an increase. Raise is American for a pay increase; the verb 'raise' meaning 'lift up' is not compared. Rise means any increase, also British for a pay rise. Hike means a sudden, large price increase, not the verb 'go hiking'.

这三个词都能表示数量、价格或水平的“上升”，但语气和典型搭配不同：raise 常用于美式英语中的“加薪”，rise 是更通用的说法，在英式英语中也常表示加薪，两者语气都比较中性；hike 则强调“突然且大幅”的上涨，多用于价格、税率等，语气较随意，常带有不满的意味。此处不比较 raise 作动词表示“举起、提高”，也不比较 hike 作动词表示“徒步、远足”等其他义项。