Discrete means clearly separate. You can tell one thing from another; they do not melt into one.

Discrete「discrete」 means意思是 clearly separate清楚分開的。You can tell one thing from another你可以分辨出一個東西跟另一個不一樣；they do not melt into one它們不會融合成一個。

A course may come in discrete units. A machine may move in discrete steps, jump by jump, not in one smooth slide. Science and computer people use it a lot: discrete numbers, discrete signals, as against a continuous line.

A course may come in一門課程可能會分成 discrete units「discrete units」一個個獨立的單元。A machine may move一台機器可能會移動 in discrete steps用「discrete steps」一個個分開的步驟，jump by jump一步一步跳，not in one smooth slide而不是一路平滑地滑過去。Science and computer people use it a lot科學和電腦領域的人很常用這個詞：discrete numbers「discrete numbers」離散數字、discrete signals「discrete signals」離散訊號，as against a continuous line相對於「continuous line」連續的線。

Though actually, this is not discreet, which looks almost the same and means careful and private. They began as one Latin word; English later pulled the spellings apart. Mix them up and the meaning flips.

Though actually不過實際上，this is not discreet這個詞不是「discreet」謹慎低調，which looks almost the same那個字長得幾乎一樣，and means careful and private意思是小心、不張揚。They began as one Latin word它們原本是同一個拉丁字；English later pulled the spellings apart英文後來把拼法拆開了。Mix them up把它們搞混，and the meaning flips意思就會整個變掉。

Discrete is a quiet school-and-work word. You will not hear it much in casual talk except in those technical corners.

Discrete「discrete」 is a quiet school-and-work word是一個低調的學術／工作用詞。You will not hear it much in casual talk在一般閒聊裡你不太會聽到它，except in those technical corners除了在那些技術性的領域。