In this first set of sentences, the word “figure” is used as a verb and it means to think about something or to calculate:
在第一組例句中，“figure”用作動詞，意為“想出”或“計(jì)算”：

He was able to figure out a solution to the problem. (Notice the preposition “out”is often used with “figure.”)
他能為這個問題想出解決方案。（注意“figure”常與介詞“out”連用。）

I can’t figure this out. Can you help me?
我不知道該咋辦。你能幫幫我嗎？

Mary thinks she has a good chance of getting the job, but how does she figure? She’s not qualified.
瑪麗覺得她有個得到這份工作的絕佳機(jī)會，但是該怎么拿下這份工作呢？她不夠格呀。

I have to buy a new transmission for my car after I just spent money to fix the engine. That figures. (This is an expression that means that’s the way it goes, or the odds are against me.)
在我花錢修了引擎后，我必須給我的愛車買個新的變速器。那得好好想一想。（這個短語的意思是事情在意料之中，或者事情不大可能成功。）

There are many different ways to use the word “figure” as a noun:
“figure”作為名詞時有多種不同的意思和用法：

That’s a very large figure. (figure = number數(shù)字)
這可是個大數(shù)字。

She has a nice figure. (figure = body shape身材)
她有個好身材。

That’s just a figure of your imagination. (figure = a perception; a thought想法)
那只是你的臆想。

Elvis Presley was a notable figure in the development of rock’n’roll. (figure = important person重要人物)
埃維斯·普里斯利在搖滾史上是個名聲顯赫的人物。

This is just a figure of speech. (figure = an arrangement of words or an expression that has a particular meaning. 修辭)
這只是演講的一種修辭。

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