A Cossack was a member of communities of horsemen who lived on the open grasslands of what is now southern Russia and Ukraine, from about the 1400s onwards. They were not a country and not exactly one people — they were free groups, many of them people who had run away from serfdom to live on the frontier, and they governed themselves.

A Cossack was哥薩克是 a member of communities of horsemen屬於某些騎馬民族群體的一員, who lived他們住在 on the open grasslands開闊的草原上, of what is now southern Russia and Ukraine就是現在俄羅斯南部和烏克蘭一帶, from about the 1400s onwards大約從十五世紀開始。They were not a country他們不是一個國家, and not exactly one people也不完全算是同一個民族 — they were free groups他們是自由的群體, many of them people當中很多人 who had run away from serfdom是逃離農奴制度 to live on the frontier而跑到邊疆生活的人, and they governed themselves而且他們自己治理自己。

Later the Russian tsars used them as soldiers, and that is where their famous picture comes from: superb riders, tall fur hats, and the dance where a man squats low, folds his arms, and kicks his legs out in front.

Later後來 the Russian tsars used them as soldiers俄國沙皇把他們用作士兵, and that is where their famous picture comes from而這就是他們著名形象的由來: superb riders高超的騎士, tall fur hats高高的毛皮帽子, and the dance以及那種舞蹈 where a man squats low男人蹲低身子, folds his arms抱著手臂, and kicks his legs out in front往前踢腿。

In English, 'Cossack' is almost always historical — you meet it in novels, films, history classes, and in the names of things borrowed from that look ('Cossack hat', 'Cossack dance'). It is capitalised, because it names a people.

In English在英文裡, 'Cossack'這個字 is almost always historical幾乎都是指歷史上的東西 — you meet it你會在 in novels, films, history classes小說、電影、歷史課裡遇到它, and in the names of things borrowed from that look也會出現在借用那種形象命名的東西上 ('Cossack hat'像「哥薩克帽」, 'Cossack dance'「哥薩克舞」)。It is capitalised它要大寫, because it names a people因為它指的是一個民族。

Be careful with the feeling attached to it: in Russian and Ukrainian history the Cossacks are heroes of freedom to some and, because tsarist Cossack troops were used to break up crowds and attack Jewish communities, a frightening memory to others. English speakers today mostly use the word for the image — horses, dancing, the wide grassland — without knowing either half of that story.

Be careful with要小心 the feeling attached to it這個字所帶的情感: in Russian and Ukrainian history在俄羅斯和烏克蘭的歷史裡 the Cossacks are heroes of freedom哥薩克對某些人來說是自由的英雄 to some, and因為 because tsarist Cossack troops were used沙皇時代的哥薩克部隊曾被用來 to break up crowds鎮壓群眾 and attack Jewish communities並攻擊猶太社區, a frightening memory對其他人來說是可怕的記憶 to others。English speakers today今天說英文的人 mostly use the word for the image大多只是用這個字來指那種形象 — horses馬, dancing跳舞, the wide grassland遼闊的草原 — without knowing either half of that story而不知道那段歷史的任何一面。