If something is biodegradable, living things — mostly bacteria and fungi — can break it down into simpler stuff that does not sit in the ground or the sea for hundreds of years. People say it about bags, forks, packaging, and some chemicals. It is a science-and-shopping word; in everyday talk you might just say “it will rot” or “it can break down”.

If something is biodegradable如果某樣東西是 biodegradable（可生物分解的）, living things — mostly bacteria and fungi — can break it down生物——主要是細菌和真菌——就能把它分解掉 into simpler stuff that does not sit in the ground or the sea for hundreds of years變成不會在土裡或海裡待上幾百年的簡單物質。People say it about人們會用來形容 bags, forks, packaging, and some chemicals袋子、叉子、包裝和一些化學物質。It is a science-and-shopping word這是個科學跟購物場合會用的詞; in everyday talk在日常口語裡 you might just say你可能只會說 "it will rot" or "it can break down"「它會爛掉」或「它會分解」。

Though actually, the word is used more loosely than the tidy meaning. A “biodegradable” plastic may only break down in a hot industrial compost machine, not in your garden and not in the ocean. Companies like the label because it sounds kind.

Though actually不過其實, the word is used more loosely than the tidy meaning這個字的用法比字面意思鬆散得多。A "biodegradable" plastic may only break down一個標榜「biodegradable」的塑膠可能只有在 in a hot industrial compost machine高溫的工業堆肥機裡才會分解, not in your garden and not in the ocean而不是在你家花園裡，也不是在海裡。Companies like the label because it sounds kind廠商喜歡用這個標籤，因為聽起來很環保。

A careful speaker asks: biodegradable where, and how fast? Something can be biodegradable and still make a mess if it is thrown in the wrong place.

A careful speaker asks謹慎的人會問: biodegradable where, and how fast可分解沒錯，但在哪裡分解？多快分解？Something can be biodegradable and still make a mess東西可以是可分解的，但還是會造成髒亂 if it is thrown in the wrong place如果丟錯地方的話。