A hammock is a long piece of strong cloth or net that you hang between two trees, two posts, or two hooks, so that it sags in the middle and you can lie in it. People sleep in hammocks, or more often now just rest and read in them on a balcony or in a garden.

A hammock is a long piece of strong cloth or nethammock是一長條堅固的布或網 that you hang between two trees, two posts, or two hooks你把它掛在兩棵樹、兩根柱子，或兩個掛鉤之間, so that it sags in the middle讓它中間下垂 and you can lie in it這樣你就能躺在裡面. People sleep in hammocks人們會睡在hammock裡, or more often now或者現在更常見的是 just rest and read in them只是在裡面休息、看書 on a balcony or in a garden在陽台上或花園裡.

The idea is old: it came into European languages from the Caribbean, where people were already sleeping in hanging nets, and sailors later used hammocks on ships because they take little space and move with the boat.

The idea is old這個東西的歷史很老: it came into European languages它是這樣進入歐洲語言的 from the Caribbean從加勒比海地區傳來, where people were already sleeping in hanging nets那裡的人早就已經睡在懸掛的網子裡, and sailors later used hammocks on ships後來水手也在船上用起了hammock because they take little space因為它們佔的空間很小 and move with the boat而且會隨著船身晃動.

Today it is an ordinary holiday-and-garden word, not a technical one. It is the hanging bed itself, not the stand (though many shop hammocks come with a metal frame so you do not need trees).

Today it is an ordinary holiday-and-garden word現在它是個普通的、跟度假和花園有關的詞, not a technical one而不是專業術語. It is the hanging bed itself它指的是那張懸掛的床本身, not the stand而不是支架 (though many shop hammocks come with a metal frame不過很多店裡賣的hammock會附金屬架 so you do not need trees讓你不需要樹木也能用).