suggest

Compared meaning: to offer an idea for someone to think about (verb).

比较义项：提出想法或计划供人考虑（动词）。

• suggest 本词

  Neutral, everyday word for offering an idea; does not imply special knowledge or authority. Common pattern: 'suggest (that) / suggest doing sth', never 'suggest somebody to do sth'.

  中性、日常用语，表示提出一个想法，不暗示说话者有专业知识或权威。常见搭配是「suggest (that)」或「suggest doing sth」，不能说「suggest somebody to do sth」。

  My friend suggested trying the new noodle shop downtown.

  我朋友建议尝尝市中心那家新开的面馆。

• advise

  Implies the speaker has relevant expertise or authority and directs the opinion at a specific person; typically 'advise somebody to do sth / advise somebody on sth', stronger and more personal than suggest.

  暗示说话者具备相关专业知识或权威，并把意见直接说给某个人听；常见搭配是「advise somebody to do sth」或「advise somebody on sth」，语气比 suggest 更强、更针对个人。

  The doctor advised her to cut down on sugar.

  医生劝她少吃糖。

• propose

  More formal; used for a definite plan, idea or course of action, especially in meetings, business or official settings; the same word in a different sense also means to ask someone to marry you.

  更正式，用于提出一个明确的计划、想法或行动方案，常见于会议、商务或正式场合；同一个词在另一义项中还可以表示向某人求婚。

  The committee proposed a new schedule for next semester.

  委员会提议为下学期制定新的课程表。

Suggest, advise, and propose all mean to offer an idea, but formality differs. Suggest is common and neutral. Advise means the speaker has expertise and speaks to a person directly. Propose is more formal, for meetings or business. Not compared: propose (marriage), advise (to inform).

这三个词都表示提出想法或计划供人考虑，但语气和正式程度不同：suggest 最普通、随意；advise 强调说话者具有专业知识或权威，并直接针对某人给出意见；propose 更正式，常用于会议、商务或正式场合提出方案。这里不比较 propose 的“求婚”义项，也不比较 advise 的“通知”义项。

Compared meaning: to show something indirectly, without saying it clearly (verb).

比较义项：暗示，间接地表示某事（动词）。

• suggest 本词

  More neutral and often formal; used when evidence, behavior, or reasoning points to a conclusion, frequently in the pattern 'X suggests that...'. Common in objective, evidence-based statements.

  更中性，常用于正式场合；用于证据、行为或推理指向某个结论时，常用句型为“X suggests that...”，多见于客观、基于证据的陈述。

  The data suggests that students who read daily improve faster.

  数据表明，每天阅读的学生进步更快。

• hint

  Implies dropping a subtle, often deliberate clue, usually about something meant to stay secret or be discovered gradually; commonly paired with 'at' and used in personal, informal situations.

  指故意透露一点微妙的线索，通常涉及想保密或让人慢慢发现的事情；常与介词“at”连用，多用于私人、非正式的场合。

  He kept hinting at what he'd bought her for her birthday.

  他一直在暗示他给她买的生日礼物是什么。

Suggest and hint both mean to show something indirectly. Suggest is more neutral, often used when evidence or reasoning points to a conclusion. Hint means giving a subtle clue about something kept secret, common in informal talk. Not compared: suggest meaning to propose doing something.

这两个词在“间接表示”这个意义上很接近，但语气和使用场合不同：suggest 更中性、正式，常用于根据证据或迹象进行推断；hint 更随意、带有故意透露一点线索的意味，常见于口语和人际交流中。此处不比较 suggest 的另一个常见义项“提议，建议做某事”。