A cypress is a tree with dark green leaves and hard wood, and it does not lose its leaves in winter. The leaves are often small and tight, like scales, not broad like a maple leaf.

A cypress一種柏樹 is是 a tree with dark green leaves and hard wood葉子深綠、木質堅硬的樹, and它 does not lose its leaves in winter冬天不落葉。The leaves葉子 are often small and tight, like scales常常又小又密，像魚鱗一樣, not broad like a maple leaf不像楓葉那樣寬大。

The tree can be tall and thin, and that shape is familiar in pictures of the Mediterranean: a dark spear against a pale hill.

The tree這種樹 can be tall and thin可以長得又高又瘦，and that shape而這樣的樹形 in pictures of the Mediterranean在地中海風景照片裡 is familiar很常見：a dark spear against a pale hill像一支深色長矛立在淺色山丘前。

People plant cypress for timber, for shelter, in gardens, and sometimes by graves. The wood lasts well, so it has long been used for building and for chests.

People plant cypress人們種柏樹 for timber, for shelter是為了取木材、當防風林，in gardens, and sometimes by graves種在花園裡，有時也種在墓地旁。The wood這種木材 lasts well很耐用，so...has long been所以長久以來 used for building and for chests被用來蓋房子和做箱子。

Though actually, English “cypress” is a family name for more than one related tree. The famous mountain 檜木 of Taiwan (red cypress and hinoki-type cypress) are close cousins, not always the same Mediterranean tree in the postcard. Garden centres and timber yards may still say cypress for several of them.

Though actually不過其實，English "cypress"英文的 cypress is a family name for more than one related tree是好幾種近親樹木的統稱。The famous mountain 檜木 of Taiwan台灣山上有名的檜木（red cypress and hinoki-type cypress像紅檜和扁柏） are close cousins是它的近親，not always the same Mediterranean tree in the postcard不一定就是明信片上那種地中海的柏樹。Garden centres and timber yards園藝店和木材行 may still say cypress for several of them可能還是把好幾種都叫 cypress。

In speech it sounds like Cyprus, the island — a trap for the ear, not a proof that they are the same thing.

In speech唸起來 it sounds like Cyprus, the island聽起來像 Cyprus（賽普勒斯島）——a trap for the ear這只是聽覺上容易搞混的陷阱，not a proof that they are the same thing不代表兩者是同一回事。