The epiglottis is a small flap of flesh deep at the back of the throat, just above the windpipe. When you swallow, it folds down like a little lid so food and drink go toward the stomach, not into the lungs. When you breathe, it stays open. You cannot see it in the mirror with your mouth open — that hanging blob is the uvula, a different thing with a different job. You will meet epiglottis in biology and in hospital talk; a swollen epiglottis is dangerous because it can block air. Though actually, the tidy school picture (“it closes every time you swallow”) is tidier than real life. Swallowing is a fast team of muscles, and the epiglottis is one important player, not a magic door that works alone.

會厭（不是鏡子裡看得到的小舌；小舌是懸雍垂）