maybe

may·be /ˈmeɪbi/ S1 W1 adverbadv [sentence adverbadv]

1 MAYBEused to say that something may happen or may be true but you are not certain 也许，大概，可能〔表示不肯定〕 SYN perhaps

Maybe it’s all just a big misunderstanding.

也许这只是一个很大的误会。

‘Do you think he’ll come back?’ ‘Maybe.’

“你认为他会回来吗？”“也许会吧。”

Maybe they’re right, but maybe not.

也许他们是对的，但也许不是。

You have talent, maybe even genius.

你很有才能，甚至可以说有天赋。

He said he’d finish the work soon – maybe tomorrow.

他说他很快就会完成那项工作——也许是明天。

In written English, people often prefer to use perhaps, because it is slightly more formal than maybe: 在书面英语中，人们往往更喜欢用perhaps，因为它比maybe略微正式一些

Perhaps this explains why the figure is so high.

也许这一情况可以说明为何数目如此之高。

2 spokenNOT SURE used to reply to a suggestion or idea when either you are not sure if you agree with it, or you do not want to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ 也许吧〔用于对某个建议或想法的回答，表示不置可否〕

‘I think Sheila would be an excellent manager.’ ‘Maybe.’

“我想希拉会是一位优秀的经理。”“也许是吧。”

3 MAYBEused to show that you are not sure of an amount or number 也许〔表示对某一数额或数目不能确定〕

The problems really started maybe two or three years ago.

这些问题可能是两三年以前真正开始出现的。

He looked like he was thirty, maybe thirty-five years old.

他看上去有30岁，也许35岁。

4 MAYBE spoken used to make a suggestion you are not quite sure about 或许〔用以提出不十分确定的建议〕

If the bill doesn’t seem right, maybe you should give them a call.

如果账单不对，你或许应该打个电话给他们。

Maybe I can ride the bicycle and follow you.

也许我可以骑自行车跟着你。

Examples from the Corpus

maybe• Kovitsky earned maybe $45,000, after taxes.• The machines made a factory din, like a stamping plant maybe.• And then maybe do the Leeds Salute to the crowd.• They may have measurable standards, some priorities and maybe even benchmarks and deadlines.• I would work for one of the major charities, perhaps, or maybe go for a job in publishing.• Maybe I'll buy myself a new dress.• From somewhere she could hear a lecturer droning; maybe it needed speeding up a little.• But it came to an end because of greed, or maybe over-altruism.• Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.• Or maybe we should hold out for a bid from Big Oil.• I thought maybe you could give Eddy's mom a call for me.• Maybe you should hire a bodyguard.

maybe even• She must have a family, maybe even a boyfriend, all of them frantic, imagining her missing, even drowned.• They are giving the Republican Party a second look, or maybe even a first look.• Hollis, Mark, Nigel and Clare at the office, maybe even Cam.• I seem to have done most of the talking, or maybe even lecturing, this evening.• She liked him very much maybe even more than that not just his striking good looks but what was inside.• The Tudorbury lads saw here an opportunity to get information, and maybe even new dealers.• He is one good round away from being in serious contention, maybe even winning.

may·be adverbadv →REGISTER1

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Corpus