If water, food, land, or a tool is contaminated, a harmful substance has already been added to it. Flood water in a well, food left in a dirty kitchen, soil near an old factory — all can be contaminated.

If water, food, land, or a tool is contaminated如果水、食物、土地或工具被contaminated（污染）了, a harmful substance has already been added to it就是已經有有害物質被加進去了。Flood water in a well像井裡的洪水, food left in a dirty kitchen放在髒亂廚房裡的食物, soil near an old factory或舊工廠附近的土壤 — all can be contaminated都可能受到污染。

It is the -ed form of contaminate: both the describing word and the past of the verb. Though actually, people also use it loosely, the way they use 'poisoned,' when they only mean 'I do not trust this,' with no test.

It它 is the -ed form of contaminate是contaminate的-ed形式: both the describing word and the past of the verb既是形容詞、也是這個動詞的過去式。Though actually不過其實, people also use it loosely人們也會鬆散地用這個字, the way they use 'poisoned,'就像用'poisoned'（下毒的）那樣, when they only mean 'I do not trust this,' with no test其實只是想表示「我不信任這個」，並沒有經過檢驗。

The word feels scientific and serious. Dirty is the everyday cousin, but a dirty shirt is not the same as contaminated drinking water.

The word這個字 feels scientific and serious聽起來很科學、很嚴肅。Dirty Dirty（髒的） is the everyday cousin是它日常生活中的表親, but a dirty shirt is not the same as contaminated drinking water但一件髒襯衫跟受污染的飲用水不是同一回事。

Once food is contaminated, you usually throw it away; washing may not be enough. Courts talk about contaminated evidence when something has touched it that should not have, so you cannot trust the result.

Once food is contaminated一旦食物受到污染, you usually throw it away你通常會把它丟掉; washing may not be enough光是清洗可能不夠。Courts talk about contaminated evidence法庭會講到contaminated evidence（受污染的證據） when something has touched it that should not have意思是有不該碰到它的東西碰到了它, so you cannot trust the result所以你無法信任結果。