摘要：这里“by+裸单名词”只是用相应的名词来表征方式，认知重点不是名词所代表的物件，所以不强调“物件感”，故而没有定件词the。

小时工干活是“按小时”算钱，其英语是by the hour， 如

【例句1】They're paid by the hour. （他们按小时计酬。 ） [牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句2】We're paid by the hour. （我们按小时计酬。） [朗文当代英语词典]

【例句3】Freelance workers are paid by the hour (= for every hour they work). （自由职业者按小时计酬。） [剑桥高级学者辞典]

“by+裸单名词”可表经由方式，如

【例句4】I will contact you by letter. （我会写信联系你。）[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句5】They travelled across Europe by train/car. （他们乘火车/汽车穿越欧洲。） [剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句6】We'll be travelling by car. （我们将开车旅行。）[柯林斯高级学者辞典]

【例句7】You can reserve the tickets by phone. （你可以通过电话订票。） [朗文当代英语词典]

这里“by+裸单名词”只是用相应的名词来表征方式，认知重点不是名词所代表的物件，所以不强调“物件感”，故而没有定件词the。

若加上定件词the, 则“the+单数名词”的“物件感”的认知显著性会被不当强化，这使得“by the+单数名词”有“在相应物件旁边”的解读，如You can reserve the tickets by the phone被理解为“你能保留在电话机旁边的票”。

【例句1到3】中the不可以省略，这里the hour是计量单位。计量单位是“单位”，其“件感”需要强化，所以有“件词”。再如

【例句8】We rented the car by the day.（我们按日租车。） [牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句9】We only sell it by the metre. （我们只按米卖。） [牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句10】Liberty fabrics, both for furnishing and for dress-making, are sold by the metre. (Liberty面料，无论是用于家具还是服装制作，都是按米出售的。) [柯林斯高级学者辞典]

【例句11】Eggs are sold by the dozen. (鸡蛋按打出售。 )[朗文当代英语词典

【例句12】Parcels arrived by the dozen from America. (包裹按打从美国运来。) [柯林斯高级学者辞典]

【例句13】These phones have sold by the thousand (= several thousand have been sold). （这些手机已经售出了数千部。） [剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句14】She wanted to tear his hair out by the handful. (她想一把扯下他的头发。)[朗文当代英语词典]

来源：万腾教育