- [uncountable, singular]
a situation in which different things exist in equal, correct or good amounts 均衡；平衡；均势 This newspaper maintains a good balance in its presentation of different opinions. 这份报纸不偏不倚地报道不同的意见。 Tourists often disturb the delicate balance of nature on the island. 观光客常常干扰岛上脆弱的自然生态平衡。 His wife's death disturbed the balance of his mind. 妻子的离世使他心神不宁。 - balance between A and B
Try to keep a balance between work and relaxation. 尽量保持工作与休闲均衡。 - in balance
It is important to keep the different aspects of your life in balance. 保持生活各个方面的平衡很重要。
Extra ExamplesHow do you find an acceptable balance between closeness and distance in a relationship? 在人际关系中，你怎样在亲密与疏离之间找到恰当的平衡？ Pulling up all the plants will disturb the natural balance of the pond. 把所有植物都拔掉会破坏池塘的自然平衡。 There is an even gender balance among staff and students. 教师与学生中男女比例平衡。 With children, it is important to achieve the right balance between love and discipline. 对待孩子，在爱护与管教之间适当地掌握平衡很重要。 You have to maintain a balance in your life or else you'll go crazy. 你必须在生活中保持某种平衡，否则是会发疯的。 The diet should contain a healthy balance of foods. 饮食应该包含健康均衡的食物。 Does the course offer the right balance between academic and practical work? 这门课程在学术和实际工作之间提供了正确的平衡吗？
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- changing
- shifting
- military
- …
- affect
- change
- shift
- …
- change
- shift
- swing
- …
- the balance of advantage
- the balance of forces
- the balance of power
- …
- [uncountable]
the ability to keep steady with an equal amount of weight on each side of the body 平衡能力 Athletes need a good sense of balance. 运动员要有良好的平衡感。 I struggled to keep my balance on my new skates. 我穿着新溜冰鞋，努力保持平衡。 She cycled round the corner, lost her balance and fell off. 她骑车拐弯时失去平衡，摔了下来。
Extra ExamplesCats have a very good sense of balance. 猫的平衡感很好。 Gymnasts have excellent balance. 体操运动员的平衡能力极好。 He set his feet wider and adjusted his balance. 他把两只脚分得很开，调整一下身体的平衡。 Tightness in one set of muscles will affect your whole balance. 一组肌肉紧张会影响整个人的平衡。 Yoga improves balance as well as flexibility. 瑜伽会改善平衡性和灵活性。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- excellent
- good
- poor
- …
- have
- affect
- improve
- …
- beam
- off balance
- a sense of balance
- [countable, usually singular]
the amount that is left after taking numbers or money away from a total 余额 to check your bank balance (= to find out how much money there is in your account) 核对银行结存 Consider a balance transfer to a credit card with a lower rate of interest (= = moving the amount owed from one card to another). 考虑将余额转移到利率较低的信用卡上(= =将欠款从一张卡转移到另一张卡上)。
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneyb1Everyone likes to have a healthy bank balance. 人人都想自己的银行账户有充足的余额。 He asked the cashier for the balance of his current account. 他向出纳员要他活期存款账户的结单。 Interest is calculated on the daily cleared balance and paid direct to your account. 利息每日结账计算，直接存入账户。 The balance of the proceeds will be used for new equipment. 余下的收入将用于添置新设备。 That figure is the balance brought forward from the previous year. 这个数字是前一年结转的余额。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- account
- bank
- cash
- …
- have
- ask for
- request
- …
- the balance of payments
- the balance of trade
- [countable, usually singular]
an amount of money still owed after some payment has been made 结欠 The balance of $500 must be paid within 90 days. 500 美元结欠款必须于 90 天之内付清。 I'll pay the balance later. 我以后会把差额补上。 The final balance is due six weeks before departure. 最终账目应在离开前6个星期结清。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- account
- bank
- cash
- …
- have
- ask for
- request
- …
- the balance of payments
- the balance of trade
- the balance (of something)
the largest part of a group or an amount; the position of advantage or attention 群体或数量中最大的部分；优势或引人注目的位置 The balance of opinion was that work was more important than leisure. 意见的核心就是工作比休闲重要。 The balance has now shifted from the unions to employers. 平衡现在已经从工会转移到雇主。
Extra ExamplesThe balance of economists are expecting a rise in interest rates. 其余的经济学家预计利率会上升。 He argues that the balance has swung too far in favour of capitalism. 他认为天平已经偏向资本主义太远了。
- [countable]
an instrument for weighing things, with a bar that is supported in the middle and has dishes hanging from each end 天平；秤
equal amounts等量
of body身体
money钱
largest part
instrument for weighing秤
Word OriginMiddle English (in sense 5 of the noun): from Old French balance (noun), balancer (verb), based on late Latin (libra) bilanx ‘(balance) having two scale pans’, from bi- ‘twice, having two’ + lanx ‘scale pan’.
Idioms
(on) the balance of evidence/probability
- (formal)
(considering) the evidence on both sides of an argument, to find the most likely reason for or result of something （从）总的来说；（考虑）正反两方面；权衡双方证据 The balance of evidence suggests the Liberal party's decline began before the First World War. 证据的平衡表明，自由党的衰落始于第一次世界大战之前。 The coroner thought that on the balance of probabilities, the pilot had suffered a stroke just before the crash. 验尸官在分析各种可能性后认为，飞行员很有可能在空难发生之前突然中风。
(be/hang) in the balance
(catch/throw somebody) off balance
to make somebody unsteady and in danger of falling 使失去平衡（而有跌落危险） to make somebody surprised and no longer calm 使（毫无准备而）不知所措
on balance
redress the balance
to make a situation equal or fair again 恢复公平合理的情况；恢复平衡 For years poorer children have had to put up with a lower quality education, and now is the time to redress the balance. 多年来，较贫困的儿童不得不接受较差的教育，现在是扭转这一不公平状况的时候了。
strike a balance (between A and B)
to manage to find a way of being fair to two things that are opposed to each other; to find an acceptable position that is between two things （在对立二者之间）找到折中办法；平衡（对立的双方） We need to strike a balance between these conflicting interests. 我们需要在这些利益冲突中找到平衡。