A belle is a beautiful girl or woman — an admiring, slightly old-fashioned word, not a plain description like pretty. You meet it most in the belle of the ball: the woman everyone notices at a dance.

A belle belle是 a beautiful girl or woman一個美麗的女生或女人——an admiring, slightly old-fashioned word一個帶著讚美、有點老派的字， not a plain description like pretty不是像pretty那樣單純的形容。 You meet it most你最常遇到它 in the belle of the ball在the belle of the ball這個說法裡： the woman everyone notices at a dance指舞會上大家都注意到的那個女生。

In the American South, a Southern belle is a stock picture of a graceful, well-mannered young woman in a certain kind of old story; though actually, that picture is as much a tale people tell as everyday life.

In the American South在美國南方， a Southern belle一位Southern belle is a stock picture of a graceful, well-mannered young woman是某種老故事裡優雅、有教養的年輕女性的刻板形象 in a certain kind of old story在某類老故事裡；though actually不過其實， that picture那個形象 is as much a tale people tell as everyday life是人們口耳相傳的故事，跟真實生活一樣多。

You would not call a classmate a belle in ordinary talk now. It sounds like a novel, a grandmother, or a joke. Formal writing may still use it with a little distance.

You would not call a classmate a belle現在你不會把同學叫做belle in ordinary talk now在平常講話裡。 It sounds like a novel, a grandmother, or a joke它聽起來像小說、像奶奶輩、或像在開玩笑。 Formal writing正式的寫作 may still use it with a little distance可能還是會用，但帶著點距離感。

It has nothing to do with a church bell, even though it sounds the same.

It has nothing to do with a church bell它跟教堂的鐘一點關係都沒有， even though it sounds the same儘管聽起來一樣。