很少，罕见，难得　not often; rarely

　～ eat breakfast　很少吃早餐
　～ get angry　很少生气
　～ go out　不常外出
　～ hear　很少听到
　～ read　难得读书
　～ see　很少看到
　～ stay in　很少呆在家里
　～ succeed　很少会成功
　～ write　很少写

　He very seldom eats breakfast.　他很少吃早餐。
　Lazy people seldom succeed.　懒惰的人很少会成功。
　I seldom write a letter.　我很少写信。
　He is a gentle man and seldom gets angry.　他是个生性温顺的人，很少生气。
　She seldom showed her feeling.　她不常表露自己的情感。
　Such cases are seldom brought before court.　此类案件很少提交法院处理。
　She goes out very seldom.　她不常外出。
　Seldom have I met him recently.　最近我很少见到他。
　He was seldom late for school, was he?　他上学很少迟到，不是吗?
　You seldom go home, do you?　你很少回家，是吗?
　She seldom goes out, does she?　她很少出门，是吗?
　When she lost her temper, which was seldom, she wouldn't touch any food for a long time.　她不常发脾气，但是一旦她发脾气就长时间不吃任何东西。
　Whenever he went to Beijing, and that was seldom, he would take a photo before the Tian An Men.　他不常去北京，但当他去北京时都要在天安门前拍张照片。
　It is seldom that we hear such a strange news as this.　我们难得听到像这样一个离奇的新闻。
　It is seldom that it rains at such a time in winter.　在冬天这个时候很少下雨。
　It was seldom that she missed the school bus.　她错过学校的班车的情况不多见。

 ♣ seldom(，)if ever
　难得地，很少　rarely
　She seldom if ever goes to the pictures.　她很少去电影院。
　After she had a baby, she seldom if ever went to the movies.　有了小孩之后，她难得去看场电影。
 ♣ seldom or never
　极少；极难得；简直不　rarely; very difficultly
　He seldom or never gets a letter.　他极少收到信。
　He seldom or never gives his wife a present.　他可以说从未送过礼物给妻子。

 ♣ seldom if ever, seldom or never
　这两个短语意思相近，其区别只在于seldom or never语气更强烈。

1. 他很少在午夜前睡觉。
　［误］ Seldom he goes to bed before midnight.
　［正］ Seldom does he go to bed before midnight.
　［析］ 当seldom放在句首时，句子的主谓必须部分倒装。类似的词还有never, hardly, scarcely等等。
2. 她很少午夜之前回家，是吗?
　［误］ She seldom arrives home before midnight, doesn't she?
　［正］ She seldom arrives home before midnight, does she?
　［析］ seldom本身带有否定意义，构成附加疑问句时不用否定词not.
3. 他讲课很少按时到。
　［误］ He is seldom ever on time for his lectures.
　［正］ He is seldom if ever on time for his lectures.
　［析］ 表示“很少”“难得”解时， seldom不与ever连用，应用seldom(，)if ever.

　not seldom　属古英语的残留现象，表示“否定之否定”的意思，相当于often. 例如：
　It not seldom happens that the telephone rings when we are busy.　当我们忙时常有电话打来。

　［同义词］ infrequently, rarely, scarcely
　［反义词］ often
　［词源］　古英语seldan（稀奇，少有）