pawn

英 [pɔːn] 美 [pɔːn]

n. 典当；抵押物；人质；(国际象棋中)卒 vt. 典当；以 ... 为担保

◉Etymology

“Pawn”一词源自中古英语“poun”，意为“以物作抵押”，这个词又来自古法语“pan”，意为“抵押品”。在国际象棋中，pawn代表最底层的棋子，其移动和捕获规则与其他棋子不同，常被比喻为被操纵的小角色。

◉外刊例句

① 《金融时报》, 2023-11-10

The city became a pawn in the political negotiations between the two countries.

这座城市成为了两国政治谈判中的棋子。

② 《国家地理》, 2024-01-15

In the game of politics, many feel they are just pawns being moved by powerful interests.

在政治游戏中，许多人觉得自己只是被强大的利益集团操纵的棋子。

◉经典名著

① 《悲惨世界》（Les Misérables）, 维克多·雨果, 1862

The poor villagers were pawns in the larger game of poverty and oppression.

贫困的村民是贫困和压迫这盘大棋中的棋子。

② 《傲慢与偏见》（Pride and Prejudice）, 简·奥斯汀, 1813

In the marriage market, women were often treated as pawns by their families.

在婚姻市场上，女性经常被家人当作棋子对待。

◉Usage Examples

(1) He tried by every means to redeem the pawn.

(2) He had nothing left that he could pawn.

(3) To make matters worse, Tien is used as a pawn in the battle.

(4) This was sacrificing a pawn to save a rook.

(5) When promoting a pawn, the player must announce which piece is chosen.

(6) He tried by every means to redeem the pawn.

(1) 他千方百计要赎回典当物。

(2) 他再也没有什么可以典当的东西了。

(3) 更糟糕的是，天津饭也被抓来当作了人质。

(4) 这是丢卒保车。

(5) 当卒走到对方阵营，棋手必须宣告下一步走哪个棋。

(6) 他千方百计要赎回典当物。

◉Colins

1. [VERB]典当；抵押 If you pawn something that you own, you leave it with a pawnbroker, who gives you money for it and who can sell it if you do not pay back the money before a certain time. [V n]

He is contemplating pawning his watch.

他正在考虑抵押他的手表。

2. [N-COUNT 可数名词]（国际象棋中的）兵，卒 In chess, a pawn is the smallest and least valuable playing piece. Each player has eight pawns at the start of the game

3. [N-COUNT 可数名词]马前卒；走卒；爪牙 If you say that someone is using you as a pawn, you mean that they are using you for their own advantage. [usu with supp]

It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President...

看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

They are the pawns in the power game played by their unseen captors.

他们是那些看不见的俘获者手中的权力斗争工具。