在常用詞bicycle中有個(gè)表示數(shù)目的前綴bi-，它源自拉丁語(yǔ) bis，愿意為twice。bi-最早出現(xiàn)在從法語(yǔ)或拉丁語(yǔ)引進(jìn)的外來(lái)語(yǔ)中，是個(gè)只與拉丁詞根結(jié)合的原生詞綴。16世紀(jì)以后，bi-成為英語(yǔ)中的派生詞綴，能與名詞、形容詞及副詞相綴合，構(gòu)成新詞（其中包括生物學(xué)與化學(xué)的術(shù)語(yǔ)），表示two，double, having two, in two ways等含義。bi-在個(gè)別單詞中讀[bi](如bigamy)， 一般讀[bai]。bin-是bi-的異體，只出現(xiàn)在以元音字母開(kāi)頭的詞根中。

先介紹幾個(gè)以bi-(bin-）開(kāi)頭的原生派生詞。

bicycle [ bi- = two 二； cycle = wheel 輪 =>“a vehicle with two wheels有兩個(gè)輪子的交通用具”→]n . two-wheeled vehicle driven by pedals 腳踏車 / I go to school by bicycle.我騎自行車上學(xué)。

bicyclist n. 騎自行車的人

bicameral [ bi- =two 二 ; camer = chamber 室;-al a . = of …的=>“of two chambers 兩室的”→]a. having two legislative chambers 兩個(gè)議院的，兩院制的 / The United States Congress is bicameral.美國(guó)國(guó)會(huì)是兩院制的。

biennial [ bi- = two 二; enni = year 年；-al a . = of ...的=>“of two years 兩年的” →]a. lasting two years; once every two years 持續(xù)兩年的；兩年一度的 / He has finished his biennial postgraduate course. 他已修完了兩年的研究生課程。

bigamy [ bi- = two 二; gam = marriage 婚姻；-y n . = the state of …的狀態(tài)=> “the state of keeping two marriages at the same time同時(shí)維持兩個(gè)婚姻關(guān)系的狀態(tài)”→]n. the practice of having two wives or two husbands at the same time 重婚 / Bigamy is unlawful in most countries.在多數(shù)國(guó)家里，重婚是非法的。

bigamist n. 犯重婚罪的人 

bigamous n. 重婚的，犯重婚罪的