You write etc. after a list to mean there are more things of the same kind, and you are not going to name them all. It is short for Latin et cetera, 'and the rest of the things.' It lives mainly in writing. When we talk, we often say 'and so on' instead.

You你 after a list在一串清單後面 write etc.寫 etc.，to mean意思是 there are more things of the same kind還有更多同類的東西，and you而你 are not going to name them all不打算全部列出來。 It它 is short for Latin et cetera是拉丁文 et cetera 的縮寫，'and the rest of the things.'「以及其餘的東西」。 It lives mainly in writing它主要活在書面裡。 When we talk講話的時候，we我們 often常常 instead改 say 'and so on'說 'and so on'。

Use it when the rest is easy to guess: apples, oranges, bananas, etc. Do not use it when the missing things matter and the reader cannot guess them. In English it is usually for things, not for people; for people in a short academic list, writers often use et al.

when the rest is easy to guess當剩下的很好猜時 Use it再用它：apples, oranges, bananas, etc.蘋果、柳橙、香蕉，等等。 when the missing things matter當沒寫出來的東西很重要、and the reader cannot guess them而讀者又猜不到時，Do not use it就不要用它。 In English在英文裡 it它 usually通常 is for things用在東西上，not for people不用在人身上；for people要指人時，in a short academic list在簡短的學術清單裡，writers作者 often常 use et al.用 et al.。

American English almost always keeps the period: etc. Some British writing drops it.

American English美式英語 almost always幾乎都 keeps the period保留句點：etc.。 Some British writing有些英式書面 drops it把它去掉。

Teachers get tired of it when a student hides behind etc. instead of finishing a thought — the word is handy, not a way to stop thinking. Older books also used &c. for the same thing.

when a student當學生 instead of finishing a thought不把想法說完、hides behind etc.躲在 etc. 後面時，Teachers老師 get tired of it會看膩它——the word這個字 is handy是好用，not a way to stop thinking不是停止思考的辦法。 Older books較老的書 also也 used &c.用過 &c. for the same thing表示同一件事。