A capacitor is a small electrical part that collects electric charge, holds it for a short time, and then lets it go. Phones, radios, computers, and camera flashes are full of them. Think of it as a tiny bucket for electricity: it fills, it holds, it empties, very fast.

A capacitor電容器 is a small electrical part是一種小小的電子零件 that collects electric charge會收集電荷 holds it for a short time暫時儲存一下 and then lets it go然後再把它放出去。Phones, radios, computers, and camera flashes手機、收音機、電腦和相機閃光燈 are full of them裡都裝滿了它。Think of it as a tiny bucket for electricity可以把它想成一個裝電的小水桶 : it fills, it holds, it empties：裝滿、儲存、倒空 very fast而且動作非常快。

You meet the word in science class and in repair manuals, not at the dinner table. Most capacitors are little discs or cylinders sitting on a circuit board, not a big machine in a room.

You meet the word你會遇到這個字 in science class and in repair manuals在科學課和維修手冊裡 not at the dinner table而不是在餐桌上。Most capacitors大部分的電容器 are little discs or cylinders只是一個個小圓片或小圓柱 sitting on a circuit board坐落在電路板上 not a big machine in a room不是房間裡的大機器。

Older books, and some older engineers, still call this a condenser. That older name caused trouble, because condenser also means the part of a steam engine that turns steam back into water. Alessandro Volta coined condenser for the electrical part in 1782. In 1926 a British list of electrical terms recommended capacitor instead, so the two machines would not share a name.

Older books, and some older engineers比較舊的書，還有一些比較資深的工程師 still call this a condenser還是把它叫做condenser（冷凝器）。That older name caused trouble這個舊名字造成了麻煩 because condenser also means因為condenser也可以指 the part of a steam engine蒸氣機裡的一個零件 that turns steam back into water把蒸氣變回水的。Alessandro Volta亞歷山德羅·伏打 coined condenser for the electrical part為這個電子零件創了condenser這個詞 in 1782在1782年。In 19261926年 a British list of electrical terms一份英國的電機用語清單 recommended capacitor instead建議改用capacitor so the two machines would not share a name這樣兩種機器就不會共用同一個名字。

Nobody is sure who first said capacitor. In Taiwan class talk, students often shorten the Chinese to 電容; the full name is the part itself.

Nobody is sure沒有人確定 who first said capacitor是誰第一個說出capacitor這個字。In Taiwan class talk在台灣課堂上 students often shorten the Chinese to 電容學生常把中文簡稱為電容 the full name is the part itself完整的名字就是這個零件本身的名字。