ADHD is short for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a way some people's brains are built that makes it hard to hold attention on things they are not interested in, hard to sit still, and hard to stop and think before acting. It is a real medical diagnosis, given by a doctor, and it usually shows up in childhood and often continues into adult life.

ADHD ADHD is是 short for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder是attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder（注意力不足過動症）的縮寫。It它 is a way some people's brains are built是某些人大腦天生的一種構造方式 that makes it hard to hold attention on things they are not interested in讓他們很難把注意力放在自己不感興趣的事情上, hard to sit still很難坐得住, and hard to stop and think before acting也很難在行動前先停下來想一想。It它 is a real medical diagnosis是一個真正的醫學診斷, given by a doctor由醫生開出, and it usually shows up in childhood通常在童年就會出現, and often continues into adult life並常常持續到成年。

The name is a little misleading, which is worth telling students. 'Attention deficit' sounds like having no attention at all. What people describe is more like attention that will not go where they point it — someone with ADHD can lose four hours to something fascinating and be unable to spend four minutes on a form. And 'hyperactivity' is only part of the picture: some people with ADHD are visibly restless, others are quiet and simply drift away inside their own heads. Doctors talk about different presentations for that reason.

The name這個名字 is a little misleading有一點誤導人, which is worth telling students這點很值得告訴學生。'Attention deficit'「Attention deficit」（注意力缺陷） sounds like having no attention at all聽起來像是完全沒有注意力。What people describe大家實際在描述的 is more like attention that will not go where they point it比較像是注意力不會乖乖聽指揮去該去的地方 — someone with ADHD一個有ADHD的人 can lose four hours to something fascinating可能會把四小時都花在一件很吸引他的事情上, and be unable to spend four minutes on a form卻連四分鐘都沒辦法花在填一張表格上。And 'hyperactivity'而「hyperactivity」（過動） is only part of the picture只是整個畫面的一部分: some people with ADHD有些ADHD的人 are visibly restless明顯坐不住, others are quiet and simply drift away inside their own heads有些則很安靜，只是心思會飄到自己的腦袋裡去。Doctors talk about different presentations for that reason正因為這樣，醫生會談到不同的表現型態。

How to say it: always as letters, A-D-H-D, never as a word. You write it with no periods in modern English. The older term ADD (attention deficit disorder) is still heard, especially from older speakers, but the current official name folds it into ADHD.

How to say it怎麼唸這個字: always as letters永遠是一個字母一個字母唸, A-D-H-D A-D-H-D, never as a word絕不會唸成一個單字。You write it with no periods in modern English在現代英文裡寫的時候不加句點。The older term ADD (attention deficit disorder)較舊的說法ADD（attention deficit disorder） is still heard還是聽得到, especially from older speakers尤其是年紀較大的人會這樣說, but the current official name不過現在官方的名稱 folds it into ADHD已經把它併進ADHD裡了。

On how people talk: you can say 'she has ADHD' or 'she is autistic', but there is no adjective for ADHD in the same way — 'she is ADHD' is something you will hear casually, especially online and among people who have it, but it is not standard writing.

On how people talk關於大家怎麼說: you can say 'she has ADHD' or 'she is autistic'你可以說「she has ADHD」或「she is autistic」, but there is no adjective for ADHD in the same way但ADHD沒有同樣用法的形容詞 — 'she is ADHD'「she is ADHD」這種說法 is something you will hear casually你會在口語裡聽到, especially online and among people who have it尤其是在網路上，或有這個狀況的人之間, but it is not standard writing但這不是標準的書面用法。

Also, please be careful with 'I'm so ADHD today' as a joke about being distracted. Young people say it, and among friends who share the diagnosis it is normal, but to someone who lives with it, hearing it used for one restless afternoon can sting.

Also另外, please be careful with 'I'm so ADHD today'請小心「I'm so ADHD today」這種說法 as a joke about being distracted當作在開自己分心的玩笑。Young people say it年輕人會這樣說, and among friends who share the diagnosis在都有這個診斷的朋友之間 it is normal這很正常, but to someone who lives with it但對真正有這個狀況、天天要面對它的人來說, hearing it used for one restless afternoon can sting聽到它被拿來形容某個坐不住的下午，可能會有點刺痛。