A fife is a small, high, sharp-sounding flute, often played with drums in a military band. You hold it sideways, like a flute, and it is loud enough to cut through marching feet.

A fifefife is a small, high, sharp-sounding flute是一種小小的、音很高很尖的笛子, often played with drums in a military band常常在軍樂隊裡跟鼓一起演奏. You hold it sideways, like a flute你像拿長笛一樣橫拿著它, and it is loud enough to cut through marching feet聲音大到可以蓋過行軍的腳步聲.

You hear it in old army music and in some folk bands.

You hear it你會聽到它 in old army music在老式的軍樂裡, and in some folk bands也會在一些民謠樂隊裡.

Though actually, it is not the word five, and it is not exactly a piccolo either, even though both are small and high: a fife is a simpler marching instrument, with finger holes, and it belongs to that drum-and-pipe sound.

Though actually不過其實, it is not the word five它不是five這個字, and it is not exactly a piccolo either也不完全是piccolo（短笛）, even though both are small and high雖然兩者都又小音又高: a fife is a simpler marching instrument, with finger holesfife是比較簡單、有指孔的行軍樂器, and it belongs to that drum-and-pipe sound屬於那種鼓和笛合奏的聲音.

English took it from German Pfeife, a whistle or pipe, so it is a cousin of pipe. As a verb, to fife means to play that instrument, but you will meet the noun far more.

English took it from German Pfeife英文是從德文Pfeife借來的, a whistle or pipe意思是哨子或管子, so it is a cousin of pipe所以它跟pipe算是親戚. As a verb, to fife means to play that instrument當動詞用的時候，to fife是指演奏這種樂器, but you will meet the noun far more不過你碰到名詞用法的機會多得多.