When blood travels around the body, it moves through small tubes. An embolism is when something gets stuck in one of those tubes and stops the blood from going through. That something is often a hard lump of blood.

When blood travels around the body當血液在身體裡流動時, it moves through small tubes它是透過細小的管子移動的。An embolism is when something gets stuck in one of those tubes embolism 是指有東西卡在其中一根管子裡, and stops the blood from going through讓血液沒辦法通過。That something is often a hard lump of blood這個卡住的東西通常是一團硬掉的血塊。

Though actually, it does not have to be blood: a little air, a bit of fat, or another small piece can block the tube in the same way.

Though actually不過其實, it does not have to be blood它不一定是血: a little air, a bit of fat, or another small piece can block the tube in the same way一點空氣、一點脂肪，或其他小東西都可能用同樣的方式堵住管子。

The lump usually did not start in the place where it gets stuck. It formed somewhere else, broke away, and rode along in the blood until the tube became too narrow.

The lump usually did not start in the place where it gets stuck這團東西通常不是在卡住的那個地方形成的。It formed somewhere else它是在別的地方形成的, broke away然後脫落, and rode along in the blood until the tube became too narrow跟著血液漂流，直到遇到太窄的管子。

Doctors have a name for the travelling piece (an embolus) and a name for the blockage (an embolism), but in ordinary talk people often treat the two as one idea.

Doctors have a name for the travelling piece (an embolus)醫生對這個漂流中的東西有個名稱叫 embolus, and a name for the blockage (an embolism)對這個堵塞現象也有個名稱叫 embolism, but in ordinary talk people often treat the two as one idea不過一般人講話常常把這兩者當成同一件事。

This is a hospital word, and a serious one. You will meet it in phrases like “pulmonary embolism” — that means the blockage is in the lung, which is dangerous because the lung cannot get the blood it needs. Friends do not use this word about a traffic jam or a blocked sink; that stretch sounds odd.

This is a hospital word這是個醫院用語, and a serious one而且是很嚴重的字。You will meet it in phrases like "pulmonary embolism"你會在像 "pulmonary embolism"（肺栓塞）這樣的詞組裡遇到它 — that means the blockage is in the lung意思是堵塞發生在肺部, which is dangerous because the lung cannot get the blood it needs這很危險，因為肺部得不到它需要的血液。Friends do not use this word about a traffic jam or a blocked sink朋友之間不會用這個字來講塞車或水管堵塞; that stretch sounds odd那樣延伸用法聽起來會很怪。

The story of the word is a little sideways. Long before doctors used it this way, it meant putting extra days into a calendar so the year did not drift. That came from a Greek way of saying “throw in” or “insert.” In 1848 a doctor, Rudolf Virchow, took that picture and applied it to the body: the blocking thing is “thrown into” the blood. So the tidy modern meaning is medical, but the older meaning was about time.

The story of the word is a little sideways這個字的故事有點旁枝出去。Long before doctors used it this way早在醫生這樣用之前, it meant putting extra days into a calendar so the year did not drift它的意思是在曆法裡加進額外的日子，讓年份不會偏移。That came from a Greek way of saying "throw in" or "insert."這來自希臘文裡「丟進去」或「插入」的說法。In 1848 a doctor, Rudolf Virchow, took that picture and applied it to the body1848 年，一位醫生 Rudolf Virchow 把這個意象套用到身體上: the blocking thing is "thrown into" the blood也就是那個堵塞的東西是被「丟進」血液裡的。So the tidy modern meaning is medical所以現在整齊的現代意思是醫學上的, but the older meaning was about time但比較老的意思其實跟時間有關。