An adhesive is a substance that sticks two things together — glue, paste, cement, the sticky layer on tape. It is the general, slightly technical word that covers all of them. On a product label or in a hardware shop you will see 'strong adhesive'; in the kitchen you would just say 'glue'.

An adhesive is a substance that sticks two things togetherAdhesive是一種能把兩樣東西黏在一起的物質——glue, paste, cement, the sticky layer on tape像膠水、漿糊、水泥，或膠帶上那層黏的東西。It is the general, slightly technical word that covers all of them這是涵蓋這些東西、稍微專業一點的統稱。On a product label or in a hardware shop you will see 'strong adhesive'在產品標籤上或五金行裡你會看到「strong adhesive（強力黏著劑）」；in the kitchen you would just say 'glue'但在廚房裡你就只會說「glue（膠水）」。

It is also an adjective meaning 'able to stick': adhesive tape, adhesive bandage, an adhesive strip on an envelope. In fact you will meet the adjective more often than the noun, because it lives in so many product names.

It is also an adjective meaning 'able to stick'它也是形容詞，意思是「能黏的」：adhesive tape, adhesive bandage, an adhesive strip on an envelope像adhesive tape（膠帶）、adhesive bandage（OK繃），或信封上的黏條。In fact you will meet the adjective more often than the noun事實上你遇到形容詞用法的機會比名詞還多，because it lives in so many product names因為它出現在好多產品名稱裡。

On register: adhesive is the formal or trade word, glue is the everyday one. A dentist uses adhesive, a child uses glue, and both are talking about the same idea. If you are writing instructions or a report, adhesive; if you are speaking, glue.

On register就用詞的正式程度來說：adhesive is the formal or trade wordadhesive是正式、業界用的詞，glue is the everyday oneglue是日常用的詞。A dentist uses adhesive, a child uses glue牙醫會說adhesive，小孩會說glue，and both are talking about the same idea兩個人講的其實是同一件事。If you are writing instructions or a report, adhesive如果你在寫說明書或報告，用adhesive；if you are speaking, glue如果你在說話，用glue。

One small thing about counting. Adhesive can be countable when you mean a type — 'they tested three adhesives' — and uncountable when you mean the stuff itself — 'apply adhesive to both surfaces'. Both are correct; the type-meaning is what makes the plural possible.

One small thing about counting有個關於數量詞的小地方。Adhesive can be countable when you mean a type當你指的是「一種類型」時，adhesive是可數的——'they tested three adhesives'像「they tested three adhesives（他們測試了三種黏著劑）」——and uncountable when you mean the stuff itself而當你指的是這種材料本身時，就是不可數的——'apply adhesive to both surfaces'像「apply adhesive to both surfaces（在兩個表面都塗上黏著劑）」。Both are correct兩種用法都對；the type-meaning is what makes the plural possible是「類型」這個意思讓複數形成立。

Though actually — the -ive ending here means 'having a tendency to do this', so adhesive really means 'the sticking kind of thing'. That same ending is quietly doing the same job in active, creative, and expensive, and once students see it in one word they start seeing it everywhere.

Though actually不過其實——the -ive ending here means 'having a tendency to do this'這裡的字尾「-ive」意思是「有這種傾向」，so adhesive really means 'the sticking kind of thing'所以adhesive真正的意思是「會黏的那種東西」。That same ending is quietly doing the same job in active, creative, and expensive同一個字尾也悄悄在active、creative、expensive裡做著同樣的工作，and once students see it in one word they start seeing it everywhere學生一旦在一個字裡看懂它，就會開始到處看到它。