An excerpt is a short piece taken from something longer — a book, a poem, a speech, a film, a piece of music. You are not given the whole work; you are given a picked-out bit, often so you can taste it, study it, or quote it.

An excerpt節錄 is就是 a short piece一小段 taken from取自 something longer更長的作品—— a book書、a poem詩、a speech演講、a film電影、a piece of music一段音樂。You are not given你拿到的不是 the whole work整部作品；you are given而是 a picked-out bit被挑出來的一段，often通常 so you can taste it是要讓你嘗個味道、study it研究、or quote it或引用。

Teachers read excerpts in class; news programmes play an excerpt from an interview; a concert programme may print a short excerpt from a symphony. The word has a slightly school-and-media feel: clear and respectable, not slang.

Teachers老師 read excerpts會讀節錄 in class在課堂上；news programmes新聞節目 play an excerpt會播放節錄 from an interview訪問中的；a concert programme音樂會節目單 may print也可能印出 a short excerpt一小段節錄 from a symphony交響曲的。The word這個詞 has帶有 a slightly school-and-media feel一點學校和媒體的味道：clear and respectable清楚、正式，not slang不是俚語。

It is also a verb: to excerpt something is to take that short piece out.

It這個詞 is also a verb也可以當動詞：to excerpt something節錄某樣東西 is就是 to take that short piece out把那一小段取出來。

Though actually, in everyday talk many people just say a clip, a passage, or a bit — excerpt sounds a little more formal, as if you are handling a published work with care.

Though actually不過其實, in everyday talk在日常對話裡 many people很多人 just say就直接說 a clip clip（片段）, a passage passage（段落）, or a bit或bit（一小段）— excerpt sounds excerpt聽起來 a little more formal正式一點, as if好像 you are handling你正在處理 a published work一份出版品 with care很小心地。