hair or hairs? 有什麽區別？

hair or hairs

問：(1) She has grey hair.
(2) She has grey hairs.
請問上面兩個句子有什麼區別?

答：hair 用於指整個頭髮或毛髮時, 是集合名詞, 不能採用複數形式。

1. He had his hair cut. 他理了髮。
2. My dog has a good coat of hair. 我的狗長了一身好毛。

但是當hair 用於表示一根根(一縷縷) 頭髮時, 則是可數名詞。

1. The very hairs of your head are numbered. 你頭上的頭髮沒有幾根了。
2. She found two hairs. 她找到了兩根頭髮。

由上面的例子可以看出, 名詞的複數形式有時候是表示整體一個部分, 因此其數量(或概念的外延) 比單數形式少。

She has grey hair.是指“她滿頭白髮”, 而She has grey hairs .則是指“她有幾縷白髮。”或“她長白頭髮了”。

小練習：請選出正確的答案。(留言作答)
Ten years had elapsed, I found she had ________.
A. a little white hair
B. much white hair
C. a few white hair
D. a few white hairs.
(攻讀碩士學位研究生入學考試英語試題, 81A)