contrary

on the contrary 常常放在句首(有时也可放在句中),用作修饰句子的状语,表示对比(否定前面提到的情况,而肯定后面提到的情况),可以译为“相反”“恰恰相反”“与此相反”“而是”等等:

1. You weren't boring me. On the contrary, you're interesting me frightfully. (Galsworthy) 你没有使我厌烦，正相反，你使我很感兴趣。

2. On the contrary, we are not going to go. (MD) 相反,我们不打算去。

3. “He’s no use at all.” “On the contrary, I’ve found him a great deal of use.” (Cronin) “他毫无用处。”“正相反，我认为他很有用。”

4. “You don’t like football, do you?” “On the contrary, I like it very much.” (DAI) “你不喜欢足球，是吗？”“恰恰相反，我非常喜欢足球。”

to the contrary 不是修饰整个句子的状语。它可以充当定语、状语或表语，表示“相反的”“相反地”：

5. His vote was to the contrary. (CGEL) 他投了相反的票。

6. Professor Wills argues, at his most polemical, to the contrary. (Washington Post) 威尔斯教授在论战最激烈的时候提出了截然相反的论点。

7. Although Bill was going to the movies, he told Joe to the contrary. 比尔要去看电影，但他却对乔说不去看电影。

to the contrary 有时可做“尽管”解：

I know she's unhappy, all her brave talk to the contrary. (LDCE) 我知道她并不幸福,虽然她说她很幸福。

但是,在美国英语中也有人把 to the contrary 用在句首,当做 on the contrary 来使用:

$\left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text{On the contrary,} \\ \text{To the contrary(美国英语),} \end{array} \right\}$ what I said was this year, not next. (CGEL, § 9.66) 相反,我说的是今年,而不是明年。