Arsenic is a chemical element — one of the basic stuffs the world is made of — and its symbol on the chart is As. In everyday English, though, almost nobody is thinking of a square on a chart. They mean a famous poison.

Arsenic Arsenic is a chemical element是一種化學元素 — one of the basic stuffs the world is made of構成世界的基本物質之一 — and its symbol on the chart is As在週期表上的符號是As. In everyday English但在日常英文裡, though, almost nobody is thinking of a square on a chart幾乎沒有人會想到週期表上的那個格子. They mean a famous poison他們指的是一種有名的毒藥.

For a long time a white powder made from arsenic was used to kill people quietly: it has little taste, and the sickness can look like a bad stomach, which is why old crime stories are full of it. That everyday sense is still the one you will hear in films and news. Chemists, though, treat it as a real substance with many forms, not a magic powder.

For a long time a white powder made from arsenic was used to kill people quietly很長一段時間，用砷做成的白色粉末被拿來悄悄毒死人: it has little taste它幾乎沒有味道, and the sickness can look like a bad stomach中毒症狀又很像腸胃不好, which is why old crime stories are full of it這就是為什麼老派犯罪故事裡常常出現它. That everyday sense is still the one you will hear in films and news這種日常的意思，至今在電影和新聞裡還是聽得到. Chemists, though, treat it as a real substance with many forms不過化學家看待它是一種有很多形態的真實物質, not a magic powder而不是什麼神奇的粉末.

It also turns up in quieter, sadder ways: some well water and some old factory land have too much arsenic in them, and drinking or living with that for years can slowly harm a body. People sometimes say “arsenic” for any sneaky poison; that is loose talk.

It also turns up in quieter, sadder ways它也會以比較安靜、令人難過的方式出現: some well water and some old factory land have too much arsenic in them有些井水和老舊工廠用地含有過量的砷, and drinking or living with that for years can slowly harm a body長年喝這種水或住在那裡，會慢慢損害身體. People sometimes say "arsenic" for any sneaky poison有些人會把任何陰險的毒藥都稱做『arsenic』; that is loose talk那是不精確的說法.

Cyanide is a different chemical. The word itself feels scientific and a little old-fashioned, but the poison story is known to almost everyone.

Cyanide is a different chemical氰化物是另一種完全不同的化學物質. The word itself feels scientific and a little old-fashioned這個字本身聽起來很科學、有點老派, but the poison story is known to almost everyone但它的毒藥故事幾乎人人都知道.