1.peaceful的基本意思是“和平的”“太平的”“和平时期的”“爱好和平的”,强调世界或国家既无战争又不受任何干扰的和平时期的和平宁静的状态。指人或民族时,意为“爱好和平的”,引申还可表示“安静的”“安宁的”。
2.peaceful作“和平的”解时,在句中多用作定语; 作“安详的”解时,在句中可用作定语,也可用作表语。

用作定语
▲～+n.
We should take part in the peaceful uses of atomic energy.我们应该参与原子能的和平应用。
All hopes of a peaceful settlement were destroyed by his speech.和平解决的希望都被他的讲话打破了。
We all want our children to be brought up in a peaceful world.我们都想让我们的孩子在一个和平的世界里成长。
As everybody knows,China is a peaceful country.众所周知,中国是一个爱好和平的国家。
All peaceful nations will disapprove of that country's warlike actions.所有爱好和平的国家都会反对那个国家的好战行为。
Evening in the country is a very peaceful time.乡村的傍晚是平静安谧的时刻。
She spent a peaceful afternoon by the river, reading a novel.她在河边看小说,度过了一个宁静的下午。
The peaceful night we spent together at the villa by the seaside still remains fresh in my memory.我们在海边别墅一起度过的那个宁静的夜晚,我仍然记忆犹新。
He had a peaceful death.他安然而逝。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
It's so peaceful out here in the country.乡下这地方多么恬静。
The hillside looks very peaceful.山坡显得很宁静。
How peaceful it is in the country now!现在乡下多么平静啊!

peaceful, peaceable
这两个词的共同意思是“平静的”。其区别是:peaceful主要修饰人、地点、环境、条件等; peaceable修饰人或动物,侧重“和平的”“驯服的”品质,不可修饰环境或条件等。例如:
The best we can hope for is a state of peaceful co-existence between East and West.我们所能希望的最好情况是东西方之间的和平共处。
He has a peaceable temperament.他是一个脾气温和的人。
peaceful, calm, quiet, silent, still
参见calm条。

［同义词］   calm, friendly, gentle, pacific
［反义词］   agitated, disrupted