學(xué)習(xí)英語，就要善于去研究英語解釋，那樣，不管什么樣的同義詞都可以迎刃而解。

這兩個詞不一定非要用復(fù)數(shù)形式，單數(shù)形式比較多，而且一般情況下是不能隨便替換的，下面就看單數(shù)形式的區(qū)別：

1. variant: something that is different from the usual form of something, although it is related to it(跟某種東西平常的樣式不同的東西，盡管這種不同的東西跟平常的東西有聯(lián)系)變體；變種；變化形式

There are so many variant spellings of his name.他的名字有很多不同的拼寫形式。

The quagga was a strikingly beautiful variant of the zebra.斑驢是一種極美麗的斑馬變種。

An intriguing variant to pipelines would be to carry the water using the existing system of c***s.除用管道外，利用現(xiàn)有的運(yùn)河系統(tǒng)來輸送水也很值得一試。

2. variable:

? a factor that can change in quality, quantity, or size, which you have to take into account in a situation(在質(zhì)量、數(shù)量或大小方面能夠發(fā)生變化的因素，在某種情形下該因素必須加以考慮的)質(zhì)量、數(shù)量、規(guī)模等的可變因素

Decisions could be made on the basis of price, delivery dates, after-sales service or any other variable.購買決定可能會基于價格、送貨日期、售后服務(wù)以及其他可變因素。

Other variables in making forecasts for the industry include the weather and the general economic climate.對該產(chǎn)業(yè)進(jìn)行預(yù)測時還要考慮天氣和宏觀經(jīng)濟(jì)環(huán)境等其他不確定因素。

? a quantity that can have any one of a set of values(一組數(shù)值中的任何一個量)變量；變項(xiàng)；變元

It is conventional to place the independent variable on the right-hand side of an equation.普遍做法是把自變量放在等式的右邊。