After a war, a storm, a crash, or a big public fight, the trouble does not stop at once. Buildings are broken, people are hurt, and someone still has to clean up, pay, and live with what happened. That stretch of time — and the mess you are still dealing with — is the aftermath.

After a war, a storm, a crash, or a big public fight在一場戰爭、風暴、車禍，或一場大型公開衝突之後, the trouble does not stop at once麻煩不會馬上結束。 Buildings are broken房子被破壞, people are hurt人受了傷, and someone而總有人 still has to clean up, pay, and live with what happened還要收拾殘局、付出代價，並承受發生的事。 That stretch of time那段時間 — and the mess you are still dealing with以及你還在處理的爛攤子 — is the aftermath就是 aftermath。

News writers use it a lot: in the aftermath of the earthquake. It almost always follows something bad, or at least something very big; you would not normally talk about the aftermath of a birthday party.

News writers新聞寫作者 use it a lot很常用這個詞: in the aftermath of the earthquake像 in the aftermath of the earthquake（在地震的餘波之中）。 It它 almost always follows something bad幾乎都是接在壞事後面, or at least something very big或至少是件很大的事; you你 would not normally talk about the aftermath of a birthday party通常不會說一場生日派對的 aftermath。

Though actually, the first half is easy (after), but the second half is an old farming word. Math here meant a cutting of grass. An aftermath was once the new grass that grew after the farmer had already cut the field. Today almost nobody uses that farm meaning; we keep the picture of what grows after the cutting, and we use it for results.

Though actually不過實際上, the first half is easy前半段很簡單 (afterafter), but the second half is an old farming word但後半段是個古老的農業用詞。 MathMath here meant a cutting of grass在這裡指的是割草這件事。 An aftermathAn aftermath was once the new grass過去指的是新長出來的草, that grew after the farmer had already cut the field是農夫已經割過田之後才又長出來的。 Today今天, almost nobody uses that farm meaning幾乎沒有人用那個農業上的意思了; we我們 keep the picture of what grows after the cutting保留了「割完之後又長出來」的畫面, and we而 use it for results把它用在「結果」上。