Bakelite is a hard, early plastic, often dark brown, black, or a mottled cream, with a slightly warm, solid feel. In the 1930s and 1940s it was everywhere: telephone bodies, radio cases, jewellery, kitchenware, light switches. Once it is set, it stays set — it does not melt and remould the way many later plastics do — which made it strong, and also brittle if you drop it.

Bakelite is a hard, early plasticBakelite（電木）是一種早期的硬塑膠 often dark brown, black, or a mottled cream顏色通常是深棕色、黑色，或是帶斑點的米色 with a slightly warm, solid feel摸起來有點溫潤、扎實 In the 1930s and 1940s it was everywhere在1930和1940年代，它幾乎無所不在 telephone bodies, radio cases, jewellery, kitchenware, light switches電話機身、收音機外殼、首飾、廚房用品、電燈開關 Once it is set, it stays set一旦成型，就永遠是那個樣子 it does not melt and remould the way many later plastics do不像後來很多塑膠可以融化重塑 which made it strong這讓它很堅固 and also brittle if you drop it但摔到的話也容易脆裂

You will meet the word in museums, antique shops, and when people talk about old phones. Though actually it is a brand that became a material name, from Leo Baekeland, the Belgian chemist who made it, plus the English ending -ite that we like for materials.

You will meet the word in museums, antique shops你會在博物館、古董店 and when people talk about old phones還有大家聊到老電話的時候遇到這個字 Though actually it is a brand that became a material name不過其實這原本是個品牌，後來變成材質的名稱 from Leo Baekeland, the Belgian chemist who made it源自發明它的比利時化學家Leo Baekeland plus the English ending -ite that we like for materials再加上英文裡常用來稱呼材質的字尾-ite

Later plastics took over, so new things are almost never Bakelite, but the old pieces are still around, and collectors look for them. People sometimes use the name loosely for any old dark plastic of that look; strictly, only this early kind is Bakelite.

Later plastics took over後來的塑膠取代了它 so new things are almost never Bakelite所以新東西幾乎不會是Bakelite but the old pieces are still around但舊的東西還是存在 and collectors look for them收藏家會去找它們 People sometimes use the name loosely for any old dark plastic of that look大家有時候會鬆散地用這個名字，來稱呼任何那種外觀的老式深色塑膠 strictly, only this early kind is Bakelite但嚴格來說，只有這種早期的塑膠才算Bakelite