more than 与more …than 短语在英语中使用得十分广泛。但其用法和意义并不简单，一不留神就可能用错。因为more than 与more …than 除了具备其基本用法外，还有些特殊用法。理解和翻译时要特别小心，不能一看到more than就简单地按照字面上的意思将其理解为“比……更……”或“超过”等，而是要根据上下文出more than 短语的确切含义，只有这样才不至于贻笑大方。
more than 相当于一个形容词或副词短语，在句中作定语或状语，修饰其后的动词、副词、数词或名词等。
less is more 翻译
一.  more than 的用法
1. more than 后跟数词，相当于over，翻译成“……多、超过……”等，强调某物数量上超出某一范围。
    More than 1,500 people were killed in the earthquake. 地震中有一千五百多人遇难。
    I have collected more than 3 hundred stamps so far. 到目前为止，我已收集了300多张邮票。
    I’ve known him for more than 20 years. 我认识他已经二十多年了。 
    Their college enrolled more than five hundred new students this year. 他们学院今年招收了五百多名新生。
2. more than 后跟名词或动名词，相当于over, not just, not only，表示“不只是、不仅仅是”等。例如：
She is more than a teacher to us, she is our friend. 他不只是教师，她还是我们的朋友。
Hibernation is more than sleep. 冬眠不仅仅是睡眠。
Wood is used for more than building. 木头不仅仅用于建筑。
Blood is much more than the simple fluid it seems to be. 血液不仅仅是一种外表似乎简单的液体。
My trip to Beijing is more than sightseeing. 我去北京不仅仅是旅游观光。
I like autumn more than summer. 我喜欢秋天胜过夏天。
He is more than a soldier. He is simply a hero. 他岂止是个战士，简直是个英雄。
注：more than one意为“不止一个”，若用作主语，谓语用单数；more +复数名词+than one做主语时，谓语用复数。例如：
More than one teacher has been to Australia in this college. 这所学院的教师中，不止一人去过澳大利亚。
More ships than one were damaged in the storm. 不止一艘轮船在这次暴风雨中受损。
More than one book has been translated into foreign languages. 不止一本书被译成了外语。
More than one student likes to play football after school. 不止一个学生喜欢放学后踢足球。
3. more than后跟动词、形容词、副词、或介词，相当于very, much, not only, especially，表示“不仅、十分、非常、很、更加、非但”等。例如：
She was dressed more than simply. 她的穿着简朴得近乎寒酸。
You have already more than repaid me. 你回报我的已大大超过我对你的帮助。
You must be more than careful with the precision instruments in doing experiments. 做实验时对精密仪器你要十分小心。
Her performance was more than good; it’s perfect. 她的表演十分精彩，简直就是完美无缺。
I was more than surprised; I was astonished. 我不是一般的吃惊，而是震惊。
She speaks French more than fluently. 她法语讲得十分流利。
The teacher was more than pleased with what you’ve said. 老师对你的回答非常满意。
I’m more than glad to hear the good news. 听到这个好消息，我非常高兴。
He more than kept his promise. 他严格遵守自己的诺言。
4. more than后跟从句，相当于not only, over等，表示“不仅仅是……、超过……、难以……、，简直不能……”等，从句中常用can或could。例如：
The hurt and pain were more than he could stand. 他无法承受那些伤害和痛苦。
The cold was more than the children could bear. 天气冷得孩子们受不。
How he manages to live is more than I can tell. 他是如何生活的，我猜不透。
It’s more than flesh and blood can bear. 此非血肉之躯所能忍受。
二. more than的否定结构
more than的否定结构是no more than和not more than，但两者意义和用法各不相同。no more than后跟名词或数词，相当于only，表示“仅仅、只有”，含有嫌少的感情彩；而not more than后跟名词或数词，相当于at most, no less than，表示“至多、不超过”，不含嫌少的感情彩。例如：
We’ve learned no more than 9 lessons this term. 本学期我们只学了9课课文。（含有嫌少的感情彩）
We haven’t learned more than 9 lessons this term. 本学期我们至多学了9课课文。（客观叙
述，不含嫌少的感情彩）
There were not more than 70 students in the classroom then. 当时教室里至多有70个学生。
We haven’t studied more than 3 English books. 我们至多学了3本英语书。
He has no more than 5 pounds. 他只有5英镑。
The theatre was no more than a painted barn. 所谓戏院，不过是一个刷了漆的仓库而已。
三. more … than的用法　
1. more … than的基本用法
在more … than结构中，more是much或many的比较级，修饰形容词、副词、介词、动词或名词，相当于greater, in a greater degree，表示“比……更”，其前可以受a lot, much, many, far, by far, a little, a bit, still等修饰，比较的两部分并不要求用完全相同的词类。例如：
 Sound travels much more slowly than light. 声音比光的传播慢得多。
 You get more tired when you lift a heavy load than a light one. 挑东西多比挑东西少累人。
 Iron is more useful than gold. 铁比金子更有用。
 The emperor cares more for new clothes than for anything else. 皇帝喜欢新衣服胜过其它任何东西。
She is more of a poet than he is. 她比他更有诗人气质。
2. more … than的特殊用法
2.1 more … than后跟形容词、副词、动词、名词等，一般情况下，要求more后部分和than后部分词类相同，但偶尔也有例外。表示“与其说……不如说、是……不是、是……更是、有……无……”等。例如：
He is more dead than alive. 与其说他还活在人世，不如说他是行尸走肉。
She is more shy than unsocial. 她是害羞而不是不爱交际。
George is more intelligent than aggressive. 与其说乔治言语放肆，不如说他聪颖过人。
John is more daring than quick-witted. 与其说约翰脑子灵活，不如说他胆大妄为。
She is more a singer than an actress. 与其说她是个演员，不如说是个歌唱家。
The boy is more diligent than clever. 与其说这男孩聪明，不如说他勤奋。
Dogs bark more for custom than fierceness. 狗叫主要是因为习惯，而不是生性凶狂。
The book seems to be more a dictionary than a grammar. 这本书看起来与其说是一本语法书，不如说是一本词典。
It was more a cross-examination than an interview. 与其说这是一次面试，不如说是审讯。
The child was more frightened than hurt. 这孩子没受什么伤，只是受到了惊吓。
It’s even more a poem than a picture. 与其说它是一幅画，不如说是一首诗。