从理论上说，两者都可用作名词或副词。表示其间、与此同时，以下四种表达均可以且可互换：meantime, meanwhile, in the meantime, in the meanwhile。如：

他去伦敦一个星期，在此期间她继续工作。

正：He was in London for a week, and meantime [meanwhile] she went on with the work.

正：He was in London for a week, and in the meantime [in the mean-while] she went on with the work.

但在现代英语中用得较多的是 in the meantime 和 meanwhile。

I will call you Sunday, but in the meantime say nothing. 我星期天给你打电话，但在此期间你什么也不要说。

The train won’t leave for an hour. Meanwhile we can have lunch. 火车还有一个小时才开，其间我们可以吃中饭。

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