Diffraction is the bending of light or sound waves as they go around an edge or through a small hole. The wave spreads a little into the shadow, instead of stopping in a hard line. You see it when light through a tiny gap makes bright and dark bands, or when you can hear someone around a corner.

Diffraction is the bending of light or sound waves光波或聲波的彎折 as they go around an edge or through a small hole發生在它們繞過邊緣，或穿過小孔的時候. The wave spreads a little into the shadow波會稍微擴散進陰影裡, instead of stopping in a hard line而不是在一條硬邊界那裡就停住. You see it when light through a tiny gap makes bright and dark bands你會在光穿過小縫、形成明暗條紋時看到它, or when you can hear someone around a corner或是你在轉角處還能聽到人說話時

It is a science-class word, not a kitchen-table word. The Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi coined the Latin name in 1665, in a book on light; English later borrowed the idea as this noun.

It is a science-class word這是理化課的用語, not a kitchen-table word不是餐桌上聊天會用的字. The Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi coined the Latin name in 1665義大利科學家Francesco Maria Grimaldi在1665年創造了這個拉丁文名稱, in a book on light在一本講光學的書裡; English later borrowed the idea as this noun英文後來把這個概念借來當名詞用

Though actually, people sometimes use diffraction loosely for any pretty light pattern. The tidy meaning is narrower: it is specifically that edge-or-slit spreading, not every sparkle and not the rainbow from a glass prism (that last one is refraction plus dispersion).

Though actually不過事實上, people sometimes use diffraction loosely for any pretty light pattern大家有時候會鬆散地用diffraction來指任何漂亮的光紋. The tidy meaning is narrower精確的意思其實比較窄: it is specifically that edge-or-slit spreading專指那種在邊緣或縫隙擴散的現象, not every sparkle不是每一種閃爍 and not the rainbow from a glass prism也不是玻璃稜鏡出來的彩虹 (that last one is refraction plus dispersion)（那個是refraction折射加上dispersion色散）