Decorum is the polite, careful behaviour that a situation asks for, especially a formal one. Keeping decorum means not shouting, not joking at the wrong time, not dressing in a way that shocks the room.

Decorum is the polite, careful behaviour that a situation asks for這個字是指一個場合所要求的那種得體、謹慎的行為， especially a formal one尤其是正式場合。 Keeping decorum means not shouting守住decorum就是不大吼大叫， not joking at the wrong time不在不對的時機開玩笑， not dressing in a way that shocks the room不穿讓在場的人嚇一跳的衣服。

Judges, teachers, and ceremony hosts talk about it; newspapers say someone broke decorum in parliament or at a funeral. It is a formal noun.

Judges, teachers, and ceremony hosts talk about it法官、老師和典禮主持人常談到這個字； newspapers say someone broke decorum in parliament or at a funeral新聞會說某人在國會或喪禮上「破壞了decorum」。 It is a formal noun這是個正式的名詞。

Though actually, decorum is not one fixed list of rules for all of life. What counts as decorum at a wedding is not what counts at a football match.

Though actually不過事實上， decorum is not one fixed list of rules for all of life並不是放諸所有場合都通用的一份固定規則清單。 What counts as decorum at a wedding婚禮上算是得體的表現， is not what counts at a football match跟足球賽上算得體的不一樣。

People also say a sense of decorum, meaning an inner feeling for what would be too much. It is close to manners, but manners can be warm and small — saying please in a shop. Decorum is manners with a stiff collar on.

People also say a sense of decorum大家也會說「a sense of decorum」， meaning an inner feeling for what would be too much意思是一種對「做過頭」的內在分寸感。 It is close to manners這個字跟manners（禮貌）很接近， but manners can be warm and small但manners可以是溫暖又細小的—— saying please in a shop像在店裡說一聲please。 Decorum is manners with a stiff collar on就像是穿上硬領子的manners。

It is also not decoration, even though the first letters match: this word is about how people behave, not how a room looks.

It is also not decoration它也不是decoration（裝飾）， even though the first letters match雖然開頭幾個字母一樣： this word is about how people behave這個字講的是人的行為， not how a room looks不是房間看起來怎麼樣。