A firecracker is a small firework made to bang, not to paint the sky. You light a short paper string, step back, and a second later it blows up with a sharp crack. There is a flash, a smell of smoke, and then paper on the ground.

A firecracker鞭炮 is a small firework是一種小型的煙火 made to bang目的是發出爆炸聲, not to paint the sky而不是要在天空畫圖案。 You你 light a short paper string點燃一小段紙做的引信, step back後退一步, and而 a second later一秒後 it blows up with a sharp crack它就會發出一聲清脆的爆炸。 There is有 a flash一道閃光, a smell of smoke一股煙味, and then而後 paper on the ground地上散落的紙屑。

People set them off at Chinese New Year, at weddings, and at temple days, because a loud bang is supposed to scare away bad luck — though actually a lot of people now just like the noise, and a lot of cities have banned them because they hurt ears, start fires, and frighten animals.

People人們 set them off at Chinese New Year, at weddings, and at temple days會在過年、婚禮和廟會的日子放鞭炮, because因為 a loud bang一聲巨響 is supposed to scare away bad luck據說可以嚇跑壞運氣 — though actually不過其實 a lot of people現在很多人 now just like the noise只是喜歡那個聲音, and而且 a lot of cities很多城市 have banned them已經禁止放鞭炮 because因為 they hurt ears, start fires, and frighten animals它們會傷耳朵、引發火災，還會嚇到動物。

A firework show in the sky is not the same thing: those are the pretty lights. Firecrackers are the little ones whose whole job is to shout.

A firework show in the sky天空裡的煙火秀 is not the same thing不是同一回事: those那些 are the pretty lights才是漂亮的燈光。 Firecrackers鞭炮 are the little ones是那種小小的, whose whole job is to shout整個功能就是發出巨響。

Older speakers may also call a lively child a firecracker, as a joke, but learners almost always meet the firework first.

Older speakers年紀較大的人 may also call a lively child a firecracker有時候也會把活潑的小孩叫做firecracker, as a joke當作玩笑話, but但 learners學習者 almost always meet the firework first幾乎都會先認識煙火這個意思。