Alimony is money that a court orders one person to pay, regularly, to their former wife or husband after a marriage has ended. The old idea in the word is food and support — help to live — not a prize and not a punishment, though of course people argue about what is fair.

Alimony is money that a court orders one person to pay, regularlyalimony是法院命令一方要定期支付的錢 to their former wife or husband after a marriage has ended，付給婚姻結束後的前配偶。 The old idea in the word is food and support — help to live這個字原本的概念是提供食物和支持——幫助對方活下去 not a prize and not a punishment，不是獎賞，也不是懲罰 though of course people argue about what is fair，當然大家還是會爭論怎樣才算公平。

Laws differ by country, and some places now prefer words like “spousal support” or “maintenance.” In everyday English, alimony is still the word many people reach for.

Laws differ by country各國法律不太一樣 and some places now prefer words like "spousal support" or "maintenance"，有些地方現在比較常用『spousal support』或『maintenance』這類說法 In everyday English, alimony is still the word many people reach for，不過在日常英文裡，很多人還是習慣用alimony這個字。

It is not the same as child support, which is money meant for the children. Either former partner may be ordered to pay, depending on the case; it is not only “what a man pays a woman,” even if older stories talk that way.

It is not the same as child supportalimony跟child support子女扶養費不一樣 which is money meant for the children，後者是專門給孩子用的錢。 Either former partner may be ordered to pay, depending on the case看情況，前配偶不管哪一方都可能被判要付錢 it is not only "what a man pays a woman"，不是只有『男人付給女人』這種情況 even if older stories talk that way，就算舊時代的故事常常這樣講。