If a door is ajar, it is a little open — not locked, not wide, just enough for light, air, or a cat. You can leave a window or a gate ajar too.

If a door is ajar如果一扇門是ajar的， it is a little open就是稍微開著—— not locked, not wide沒鎖上，但也沒大開， just enough for light, air, or a cat剛好夠光線、空氣，或一隻貓進出。 You can leave a window or a gate ajar too窗戶或柵門也可以是ajar的。

The picture behind the word is old: it once meant on the turn, as if the door had turned a little on its hinge and stopped.

The picture behind the word is old這個字背後的畫面很古老： it once meant on the turn它曾經的意思是「轉了一半」， as if the door had turned a little on its hinge and stopped彷彿門在鉸鏈上轉了一點點就停住了。

It is a quiet word. You meet it in stories and in careful speech more than in a busy chat, where people just say the door is a bit open. You do not use it for a mouth, a shop, or a road, and you do not use it for something flung wide.

It is a quiet word這是個安靜的字。 You meet it in stories and in careful speech more than in a busy chat你在故事和講究措辭的話語裡遇到它的機會，比在忙亂的閒聊裡多， where people just say the door is a bit open在閒聊裡大家就直接說the door is a bit open（門開了一點點）。 You do not use it for a mouth, a shop, or a road你不會用它來形容嘴巴、店家或道路， and you do not use it for something flung wide也不會用它形容整個敞開的東西。

Ajar is the in-between state, and it often feels a little unfinished: someone is still inside, or someone did not quite close it.

Ajar is the in-between stateajar指的是那種中間的狀態， and it often feels a little unfinished而且常常帶著一種沒做完的感覺： someone is still inside可能是有人還在裡面， or someone did not quite close it或是有人沒把它完全關上。