hardly/'hɑːdlɪ $ 'hɑːrd-/

ad. almost not

ad. 几乎不：The words are so small that I can hardly read them. 这些单词很小，我几乎看不清。

◇He ate hardly anything. 他几乎什么都没吃。

hardly ... when （或before）... 刚…就…：[主句一般用过去完成时，when从句用过去时；hardly置于句首时，主句要部分倒装] Hardly had he （= He had hardly） opened the door when the telephone rang. 他刚打开门，电话铃就响了。

构词hard + -ly

常犯错误

✗ He hardly knew Mary, didn't he?

✓ He hardly knew Mary, did he? 他几乎不认识玛丽，对不对？

常犯错误

✗ This bike isn't good, but that one is hard better.

✓ This bike isn't good, but that one is hardly better. 这辆自行车不好，那辆也好不到哪儿去。

用法hardly ... when（或before）与no sooner ... than搭配不同。