superior和inferior都是形容词，但它们的意思是相反的，使用上有相似点，在考试中出现频繁。今天就谈谈它们的用法。

superior的常见意思是“较好的，优得”。比如：Our side has the superior position.

优势在我们方面。Japan's higher education is superior to theirs.日本的高等教育比他们的好。

We have a relationship infinitely superior to those of many of our friends.我们之间的关系远比我们许多朋友之间的关系好得多。This model is technically superior to its competitors.这一款式在技术上超过了与之竞争的产品。

superior的第二意思是“（在级别、重要性或职位上）更高的”。 比如：If your superior officer asks you to do something, you should obey.如果你的长官让你做某事，你应该服从。

superior的第三个意思是“有优越感的，高傲的”。比如：Finch gave a superior smile.芬奇富有优越感地一笑。He always looks so superior.他总是显得那么有优越感。The other girls disliked her superior manner.别的女孩子不喜欢她那高傲的态度。

形容词inferior 的第一个意思是“下等的，下级的，地位低的”。比如：They were socially inferior to him.他们在社会地位上不如他。

The implication in his article is that being a housewife is greatly inferior to every other occupation.他那篇文章的含意是，当家庭主妇远远不如所有其他职业。Failure doesn't mean you are inferior.失败不表明你低人一等。I felt inferior; I felt angry; I felt scared.我觉得自卑；我觉得愤怒；我觉得害怕。

inferior的第二意思是“劣等的，质量次的”。比如：This resulted in overpriced and often inferior products.这就导致产品标价过高而往往质量较次。These oranges are inferior to those I bought last week.这些桔子没我上星期买得好。Nobody wants an inferior thing.没人想要次等的东西。

考点释疑：superior（优于）、inferior（劣于）、senior（年长于）、junior（年轻于）等都是拉丁语转为英语的形容词。它们表示比较时，后面要加to，to后面跟名词或代词，而不能用than。因为它们自身为比较级，所以不接比较级more和最高级most，这也是这两词的考点。如：

She is superior to me in English.她英语比我好。Synthetic fabric is inferior to cotton fabric.合成纤维织物不如棉织品好。She is senior to me by three years(=She is three years senior to me)。她比我大三岁。She is junior to TOM。她比汤姆年轻。