A cistern is a container that holds a supply of water. In the learner-dictionary sense, it is the tank that stores water for a building, often inside the building, so the taps can still run when the pipes in the street are weak or stop.

A cistern蓄水池 is a container是一種容器 that holds a supply of water用來裝一批水的。 In the learner-dictionary sense在學習型字典的定義裡, it它 is the tank指的是那個水箱 that stores water for a building為建築物儲水, often inside the building通常就在建築物裡面, so所以 the taps水龍頭 can still run還是能有水流出來 when pipes in the street are weak or stop當街上的水管水壓不足或停水的時候。

In older British houses you may find a cold-water cistern up in the loft.

In older British houses在比較老的英國房子裡, you may find你可能會發現 a cold-water cistern一個冷水蓄水池 up in the loft裝在閣樓上。

Though actually, in everyday British English the cistern people mention most is the one on the toilet: the box that fills with water and empties when you flush. Americans more often say tank for that.

Though actually不過其實, in everyday British English在英國日常英文裡, the cistern people mention most大家最常講的cistern是 the one on the toilet馬桶上的那個: the box那個箱子 that fills with water and empties when you flush裝水、沖水時就會放空。 Americans美國人 more often say tank for that比較常把那個叫做tank。

It is a practical, slightly old-fashioned word — plumbing, buildings, history — not a word for the glass of water on the table. On a grand scale, a Roman cistern could be a huge underground room; that is the same idea, only much bigger.

It它 is a practical, slightly old-fashioned word是個很實際、有點舊式的字 — plumbing, buildings, history跟水管、建築、歷史有關 — not a word for the glass of water on the table而不是拿來說桌上那杯水的字。 On a grand scale往大的說, a Roman cistern羅馬時代的蓄水池 could be a huge underground room可以是一整個巨大的地下房間; that那 is the same idea跟這是同一個概念, only much bigger只是大很多。