revenge 的音标为 英 /rɪˈvendʒ/、美 /rɪˈvendʒ/，核心含义是“通过伤害或惩罚他人来回应自己所受的伤害”，可作名词或动词使用 。作为名词时，它指报复行为或复仇的欲望，如“复仇是人类最原始的情感之一”；作为动词时，表示“为自己或他人实施报复”，例如“她发誓要向背叛者复仇” 。

用法与例句

1. 作名词：表示报复行为或心理

The attackers claimed they were taking revenge on the school bully.
袭击者称他们是在报复那个校园恶霸。

He spent years planning his revenge against those who framed him.
他花了数年时间策划对诬陷者的报复。

Revenge often leads to a cycle of violence.
复仇往往会引发暴力循环。

2. 作动词：表示实施报复

She revenged herself on her ex-lover by exposing his secrets.
她通过揭露前任的秘密来报复他。

The team revenged their earlier defeat by winning the final match.
这支队伍在决赛中获胜，报了之前失利的一箭之仇。

He vowed to revenge the death of his brother.
他发誓要为哥哥的死报仇。

常见短语搭配

take revenge on sb：向某人报复
The victim’s family took revenge on the murderer.
受害者家属向凶手报了仇。

have one's revenge：获得雪耻机会（尤指比赛中）
After losing the first round, she had her revenge in the rematch.
首轮失利后，她在重赛中成功雪耻。

revenge for sth：为某事报复
This attack was revenge for last week’s bombing.
这次袭击是对上周爆炸事件的报复。

in/out of revenge：出于报复
He destroyed the painting in revenge for her criticism.
他因她的批评而毁掉了画作，纯粹是出于报复。

易混词辨析：revenge vs. avenge

两者都与“报复”相关，但侧重点不同：

revenge：多含个人情感，强调“为自己出气”，可作名词或动词；

avenge：侧重“为正义或他人复仇”，仅作动词，语气更正式。
例如：The prince avenged his father’s murder（王子为父亲的被害报仇，强调正义），而 He revenged his humiliation（他为所受的屈辱报复，强调个人情绪）。

复仇是一把双刃剑——它或许能带来短暂的满足，却可能让复仇者陷入更深的痛苦。正如西西里谚语所说：“Revenge is a dish best served cold”（复仇这盘菜，冷了才好吃），暗示耐心等待时机往往比冲动报复更有效 。你认为在现实中，“以牙还牙”真的能解决问题吗？