Always-on means something is left switched on the whole time, not started and stopped as you need it. People say it of machines and connections first: an always-on internet line that never dials up, an always-on microphone, an always-on camera, an always-on display.

Always-on means something is left switched on the whole timealways-on是指某個東西整段時間都開著，not started and stopped as you need it而不是需要時才開、用完就關。People say it of machines and connections first人們最早是用在機器和連線上：an always-on internet line that never dials up不用撥接、一直連著的網路線，an always-on microphone, an always-on camera, an always-on display一直開著的麥克風、一直開著的攝影機、一直亮著的螢幕。

From there it stretched to work and culture: an always-on job is one that can ping you at night; an always-on world is one where you are expected to be reachable. The tone is modern and a bit technical or businesslike.

From there it stretched to work and culture從那裡延伸到工作和文化層面：an always-on job is one that can ping you at nightalways-on的工作是那種半夜也會找上你的工作；an always-on world is one where you are expected to be reachablealways-on的世界則是大家都期待你隨時聯絡得到。The tone is modern and a bit technical or businesslike這個說法的語氣現代，帶點技術性或商業感。

As a modifier before a noun, it is usually hyphenated (an always-on connection). After the verb, people often drop the hyphen (the connection is always on) — that is just the ordinary adverb always plus on.

As a modifier before a noun, it is usually hyphenated (an always-on connection)當作修飾語放在名詞前面時通常加連字號（an always-on connection）。After the verb, people often drop the hyphen (the connection is always on)接在動詞後面時，人們常常不加連字號（the connection is always on） — that is just the ordinary adverb always plus on那時候只是普通的副詞always加上on而已。