Abstinence is the practice of not having something you enjoy, on purpose — most often alcohol, and very often sex; also, in religious life, food for a time. The important shape is “not at all for a stretch,” not merely “a bit less.” A doctor may speak of abstinence from alcohol; a church may ask for it in a holy season; school and health talks use it for not having sex.

Abstinence is the practice of not having something you enjoy, on purpose abstinence 指的是刻意不去做某件自己喜歡的事──most often alcohol最常見的是戒酒, and very often sex也很常見於禁慾; also, in religious life, food for a time在宗教生活裡也可能指一段時間不吃某些食物。The important shape重要的重點是 is "not at all for a stretch," not merely "a bit less."是「一段時間完全不做」，而不只是「少做一點」。A doctor may speak of abstinence from alcohol醫生可能會談到戒酒; a church may ask for it in a holy season教會可能會在某個節期要求禁慾或齋戒; school and health talks use it for not having sex學校和衛生教育則用這個字指不發生性行為。

It is a serious, slightly official word: clinics, sermons, and classrooms more than friendly chat. People do stretch it (“abstinence from sugar,” “from my phone”), and listeners understand, though some will hear a pulpit in the background.

It is a serious, slightly official word這是一個嚴肅、有點正式的字: clinics, sermons, and classrooms more than friendly chat常出現在診所、講道和課堂上，而不是朋友間的閒聊。People do stretch it人們確實會把它用得更寬鬆（"abstinence from sugar," "from my phone"「戒糖」、「戒手機」）, and listeners understand而聽者也聽得懂, though some will hear a pulpit in the background不過有些人會覺得背後帶著一點說教的味道。

When the word stands alone, listeners often guess sex or drink; if you mean food, or something else, it is kinder to say so. Though actually, it is easy to mix this up with being absent, which is only about not being in a place, and with being abstemious, which is often about taking little rather than stopping completely.

When the word stands alone這個字單獨出現時, listeners often guess sex or drink聽的人常會猜是禁慾或戒酒; if you mean food, or something else如果你指的是食物或其他事情, it is kinder to say so講清楚會比較體貼。Though actually不過其實, it is easy to mix this up with being absent這很容易和 absent（缺席）搞混，absent which is only about not being in a place只是指人不在某個地方, and with being abstemious也容易和 abstemious（節制的）搞混, which is often about taking little rather than stopping completely後者通常是指少量攝取，而不是完全停止。