这些形容词都有“稳固的”之意。
firm : 指牢固不可动摇或意志、信仰的坚定。
- I'd rather sleep on a firm mattress than a soft one.
我宁愿睡硬床垫，也不要软的。 - These pears are still too firm to eat.
这些梨还太硬，没法吃。
stable : 多指根基牢固，平衡良好，也指性格或位置等的稳定，不可移动或改变。
- If the foundations of the house aren't stable, collapse is possible.
如果房子的地基不稳，就有可能倒塌。 - After several part-time jobs, he's now got a stable job in a bank.
干了几份兼职工作之后，他目前在银行找到了一份稳定的工作。 - The hospital said she was in a stable condition (= not likely to get worse) following the operation.
院方说她手术之后情况稳定。
steady : 指保持平衡不动摇。用于有形物时，指没有根基的稳固，也指动中的稳。
- I'll hold the boat steady while you climb in.
我把船稳住，你爬上来。 - Most rental prices have held steady this year.
今年大部分租金保持不变。 - Young people assume that if you are in a steady relationship, you don't have to worry about HIV.
年轻人想当然地认为，只要保持稳定的恋爱关系，就不必担心艾滋病病毒。 - The procession moved through the streets at a steady pace.
队伍稳步穿过街道。 - Orders for new ships are rising, after several years of steady decline.
新船的订单数量经过几年的持续下降之后开始增加了。 - Over the last ten years he has produced a steady flow/stream/trickle of articles and papers.
过去10年中他连续发表了一系列文章和论文。 - Progress has been slow but steady.
进展虽然缓慢，但却也在稳步向前。
