An ascetic person chooses a hard, bare life on purpose — little food, little comfort, few pleasures — often because of religion or a strong belief. The word can describe the life (an ascetic life) or the person (an ascetic). It is not the same as being poor because you have no choice; the point is the choice, the training of the will.

An ascetic person chooses a hard, bare life on purposeascetic 的人是故意選擇一種艱苦、簡樸的生活——little food, little comfort, few pleasures食物少、舒適少、享樂少——often because of religion or a strong belief通常是因為宗教，或某種強烈的信念。The word can describe the life這個字可以用來描述那種生活（an ascetic lifean ascetic life，苦行的生活）or the person (an ascetic)或那個人（an ascetic，苦行者）。It is not the same as being poor because you have no choice這跟因為沒得選擇而貧窮不一樣——the point is the choice重點在於那是一種選擇，the training of the will是一種對意志力的訓練。

Monks and hermits in many traditions have lived this way. People also stretch it a little: a friend who never buys anything nice might be called “a bit ascetic”, half as a joke.

Monks and hermits in many traditions have lived this way很多傳統裡的僧侶和隱士都是這樣生活的。People also stretch it a little人們也會把這個字用得寬鬆一點：a friend who never buys anything nice一個從來不買好東西的朋友 might be called "a bit ascetic",可能會被說「有點 ascetic」，half as a joke一半是開玩笑。

The old Greek idea behind it is exercise or training — training the body and the will, not going to the gym. English has used the word since about the 1640s.

The old Greek idea behind it is exercise or training這個字背後古希臘的概念是「鍛鍊」或「訓練」——training the body and the will是訓練身體和意志，not going to the gym不是去健身房那種。English has used the word since about the 1640s英文大概從1640年代開始使用這個字。