1. | 相比较而言的；比较的considered and judged by being compared with sth else |
the relative merits of the two plans 相比较之下两个计划各自的优点 |
2. | ~ (to sth) 相对的；相关联的considered according to its position or connection with sth else |
the position of the sun relative to the earth 太阳与地球的相对位置 |
3. | [obn] 相比之下存在（或有）的that exists or that has a particular quality only when compared with sth else |
They now live in relative comfort(= compared with how they lived before) . 他们现在过得比较舒适。 | |
Given the failure of the previous plan, this turned out to be a relative success. 由于前面那个计划失败了，这个计划算是比较成功的。 | |
It's all relative though, isn't it? We never had any money when I was a kid and $500 was a fortune to us. 不过，一切都是相对的，是不是？我小的时候，我们根本没有钱，500 块钱对于我们来说就是很大的一笔钱了。 |
4. | ~ to sth 关于（或涉及）…的having a connection with sth; referring to sth |
the facts relative to the case 与这个案件有关的事实 |
5. | （指代前面的名词、句子或句子的一部分）referring to an earlier noun, sentence or part of a sentence |
In ‘the man who came’, ‘who’ is a relative pronoun and ‘who came’ is a relative clause . 在 the man who came 中，who 是关系代词，而 who came 是关系从句。 |
