you should know.

英文縮寫

So first of all, what is an abbreviation? Well, here's a clue in the word. You have

首先，"abbreviation"縮寫是什麼呢?其實，在這個拚字當中藏有線索。當中有

the word "brev". "Brev" -- in other words, "brevity" -- it means to be short. So abbreviations

"brev"這個字。"Brev"換個說法"brevity"就是精簡的意思。所以abbreviations

are words or sentences that we have made short, usually to save time. So for example, ASAP,

就是那些被縮短的單字或是句子，通常是為了節省時間。例如ASAP

RSVP, RIP, BYOB, BBQ -- you see the pattern? We have capital letters, and they all stand

RSVP, RIP, BYOB, BBQ--看出端倪了沒?都是大寫的字母，通常用來表示

for something that's longer. So it's a short form of a word or a sentence. So let's look

更長的單詞。所以這是單字或句子縮短後的版本。讓我們來瞧瞧

at ten common abbreviations.

這十個縮寫

So the first one we have, "ASAP". What does this mean? "As soon as possible", okay? We

第一個是"ASAP"。這是什麼意思呢?"As soon as possible"盡快，了解嗎?

use this a lot when we're writing emails, letters, sometimes in conversation. "As soon

我們在寫 email，信件或是某些對話中常常使用。"As soon as possible"

as possible" is long, so when we don't want to say "as soon as possible", we can shorten

太長了，所以當我們不想說"As soon as possible"的時候，我們可以把它縮短成

it to "ASAP". What are some examples? "Email me ASAP." "Take our quiz ASAP." "Go see the

"ASAP"。有哪些例子呢? "請盡快寄Ｅｍａｉｌ給我＂＂快回答我們的問題＂＂快點去見

principal ASAP." So it just means to do something as quickly as you can. And this is a very

校長＂所以，它代表的是盡快去做事情的意思。這是一個很常用的

common expression.

語詞

Our second abbreviation, "RSVP". What does it mean, "RSVP"? It means, "Please reply."

第二個縮寫是"RSVP"這是什麼意思呢？這代表"Please reply"請回覆

Okay? So we often use this if you're invited to something. If, for example, I'm having

了解嗎？所以這通常在受到邀約的時候使用。假如，我要舉辦

a birthday party, and I want all of you to come, I would ask you to RSVP. "Please RSVP

一場生日宴會，希望可以邀請你，我可以請你RSVP　"Please RSVP

by Friday." This means, "Please reply. Please tell me you're coming by Friday." "Please

by Friday." 這代表 "請回覆。想要參加，請在星期五前告訴我。"請

RSVP as soon as you can." "Please RSVP by next Saturday." So it means, again, "Please

盡快RSVP回覆" "Please RSVP by next Saturday"意思一樣是，"請

send me a reply so I know you're coming." You, again, see this on invitations, any type

回覆我讓我知道您要來。"這同樣會出現在邀請函上，你會在

of invite, you will see this.

任何形式的邀約上看到

Our next common abbreviation, RIP. You may have seen this before. It means, "Rest in

下一個縮寫， RIP你可能之前見過。它的意思是"Rest in

peace." So when somebody passes away -- when somebody dies -- often on their tombstone,

peace."(安息)所以當有人過世的時候--有人死的時候--通常在他們的墓碑上

you'll see "RIP", which stands for, "Rest in peace". If you're on Facebook, and someone

你會看到"RIP"，代表"Rest in peace."如果你在臉書上，而某個

you know, maybe they lose a member of their family, they will often write, "RIP Fluffy"

你認識的人剛好痛失至親，他們通常會寫這個，"RIP Fluffy"(安息吧，小毛球)

if it's a cat; "RIP whoever it is". And it means, "Rest in peace." Okay? So this one

如果它是隻貓的話；"RIP whoever it is."而它就是在說，"安息吧。" 了解?所以這個

has to do with dying and death.

跟死亡有關

No. 4, "BYOB". This is common when we're talking about parties. And it means, "Bring your own

第四個，"BYOB"這常在談論派對的時候用到。它的意思是，"Bring your own

beer" or "bring your own booze". Beer, booze -- they're both alcoholic drinks. So "booze"

beer"或是"bring your own booze"。 Beer, booze--都是含酒精飲料。"booze"

is any drink with alcohol in it. And so what that means is if you're invited to a party,

指的是任何含酒精的飲品。所以，如果你受邀去參加一個派對，這句話代表的

maybe the host doesn't have any alcoholic drinks, so they will tell you, "Bring your

可能是這個派對的主人沒有準備任何含酒精的飲料，所以它們會告訴你，"請帶

own drinks." "Bring your own beer." "Bring your own wine." "BYOB" means "bring your own

自己的飲料。" "帶自己的啤酒。" "帶自己的酒。" "BYOB"意思是"帶你自己的

alcohol". Okay? So it's a very common expression for parties.

含酒飲料" 了解? 所以這個詞彙常出現在派對上。

No. 5, "BBQ". "BBQ" means "barbecue". What's a "barbecue"? It's a way we cook meat. It's

第五個，"BBQ" "BBQ"意思是"barbecue"。"barbecue"是什麼呢?這是我們料理肉類的一種方法。

a way we cook food. You usually have a grill. You put maybe hamburgers, hot dogs on the

我們烹飪食物的方法。通常會有個烤肉架。把一些漢堡、熱狗放在烤肉架

grill. You barbecue them. You can eat barbecued chicken, different types of barbecue. So "BBQ"

上。然後燒烤。你可以享用烤雞，或各式烤肉。所以"BBQ"

refers to a type of food or a party where they will serve hamburgers and hot dogs. So

指的就是一種食物或是一個會提供漢堡和熱狗的派對。

let's check out five more abbreviations.

讓我們再看五個縮寫

No. 6 on our list is "PIN". So a "PIN" is a password. Usually, you use it with your

第六個清單上的字是"PIN"。 "PIN"是密碼。通常用在

bank. Maybe you have a debit card. You put it into a machine, and it asks you for your

銀行上。你可能有張金融簽帳卡(用Debit Card卡購物，金額會直接從帳戶中扣除)，把它放進機器，提款機會要求你輸入

PIN. "PIN" means "personal identity number". So it's a number; sometimes it's four digits;

"PIN" "PIN"就是"personal identity number" 它就是組數字，有時候四碼

sometimes it's six numbers. And it's pretty much a password.

有時候六碼。其實就是你的密碼

No. 7. "E.g." is an abbreviation many people get confused with No. 8, "i.e." So I'll first

第七個"E.g."常常讓人跟第八個"i.e."搞混。我會先

explain what "e.g." means. So notice first it's E dot G dot. It means "example", okay?

解釋"e.g."是什麼。首先請注意，這是E句號G句號。代表的是"example例子，"知道嗎?

So when you're writing -- you don't use this in conversation. You don't say, "E.g. blah,

所以，當你在寫作時--這不會出現在日常對話裡。你不會說，"E.g. blah

blah, blah, blah, blah." You use it for writing, specifically. Now, the way you use it is if

blah, blah點點點，等等等。"這會特別用在書寫的時後。怎麼用呢?如果

you're talking about something -- for example, "I want to tell you about all the animals

你在講某件事--例如，"我想跟你說有關卵生

that lay eggs." Okay, so animals that lay eggs. I could say, "There are many animals

動物的事情。" 就這個"卵生動物"，我可能會說，"有很多動物

that lay eggs. E.g. chickens or hens, ducks -- I think platypuses, although I'm not exactly

會生蛋。例如E.g. 母雞，鴨子--鴨嘴獸?這個我不太確定

sure about that one -- snakes, alligators, other birds, ostriches." So I used "e.g."

--蛇，鱷魚，其他鳥類，鴕鳥。那我就會用 "e.g."

to show these are examples. Okay? So it means "example".

來表示這些都是例子。了解?所以這代表"範例"

This is different from "i.e." -- I dot E dot -- which is used to add clarity to something.

這跟"i.e."不一樣。--i句點e--這通常用來澄清某件事。

So it means that you say something, and then you want to say it again but maybe in different

所以，這用在當你在討論某件事，而想要再次用不同的字句，重新說明。

words. So that sort of means "that is". So you restate an idea. For example, "This happened

這就有點像"that is"也就是說的意思。你會重申這個概念。例如"這件事發生在

on Halloween, i.e. October 31st." Okay? So it just clarifies something. It makes something

萬聖節，也就是，10月31日。 了解? 這是要澄清某件事。這讓一些概念

more clear. You have the same point, but you're repeating it, in a sense, in different words.

更清楚。其實是同一件事情，但是某種程度上，你在重複說明，用不同的說法。

Okay? So "i.e." does not mean "example".

了解?所以 "i.e."不代表"example舉例"

No. 9, "etc." -- E-T-C. So again, that means "et cetera". And what does this mean? When

第九個 "etc."--E-T-C. 這代表"et cetera" 意思是什麼呢? 當

you're listing a bunch of different things, you have many, many things to say, you can

你列舉一堆東西的時候，可能有很多很多要說，你可以

use this to mean "and so forth". Okay? So this -- seven, eight, and nine are all used

用這個代表 "and so forth 等" 了解? 這個--八九不離十，都是用在

in writing, not in speech. If I read "etc.", an example of this would be, "Today, I went

寫作上，而不是在對話中。如果我說 "etc."，例如，"今天，我去

grocery shopping. I bought many things. I bought eggs, bread, milk, chicken, juice,

購物，買了些東西。我買了蛋、麵包、牛奶、雞肉，果汁

etc." So it means I'm listing a long list -- instead of saying every single thing I

等。"這代表我列了一長串清單--我無意把所我買的東西都講出來

bought, which can take me a long time, "etc." means "and so forth". Okay? "I play many sports.

因為這可能會花很多時間，"etc."就意味等等"and so forth" 了解? "我做很多種運動

I play soccer; I play baseball, tennis, badminton, etc." Okay? So it means "and so forth".

我玩足球、棒球、網球、羽球，等等。" 了解? 這代表 "and so forth等等"

Finally, No. 10, "ATM". What is an "ATM"? It stands for "automatic teller machine",

最後，第十個，"ATM"什麼是"ATM"呢? 它是"automatic teller machine"的縮寫

okay? "ATM" is a machine. You usually find it at the bank, or you can find it sometimes

了解? "ATM"是個機器。你通常會在銀行看到，或是有時在

in stores, on the street. And it's like a bank. You put in your debit card, and it gives

商店或街道看到。它就像銀行一樣。你把金融簽帳卡放進去，它會

you money. So it's a machine that gives you money, and it's associated with your bank.

讓你領錢出來。這是發鈔的機器，跟你的銀行有關

Okay? So you might ask, "Where's the closest ATM?" "Are there any ATMs in this mall?" Meaning,

了解? 所以你可能會問"最近的提款機在哪裡?" "這個商場有任何提款機嗎?"意思是

"Are there any bank machines?" Okay?

"有提款機嗎?" 了解?

So I hope you come and visit our website at www.engvid.com ASAP, okay? As soon as you

那麼，我希望大家可以盡快拜訪我們的網站，好嗎?盡快

can. As soon as possible. There, you will find our quiz. You can practice all of these

盡早。你可以在那裡看到我們的隨堂練習。你可以練習使用

abbreviations and more. So until next time.

這些縮寫和其他英文。下次見囉。