A heretic is a person whose beliefs go against the official teaching of a church or a religious group. The teaching they reject is called heresy; the person who holds it is the heretic.

A heretic異端者 is a person是一個人 whose beliefs go against他的信仰違背 the official teaching of a church or a religious group教會或宗教團體的官方教義。The teaching they reject他們所拒絕的那套教義 is called heresy叫做異端邪說；the person who holds it持有這種信仰的人 is the heretic就是異端者。

For a long time this was a very heavy word: churches used it of people they said were dangerous, and in some places heretics were punished, locked up, or even killed. You still hear it that way in history and in serious talk about faith.

For a long time這個詞曾經有很長一段時間 this was a very heavy word是個很沉重的詞：churches used it教會用這個詞 of people they said were dangerous稱呼他們認為危險的人，and in some places而在某些地方 heretics were punished, locked up, or even killed異端者曾遭到懲罰、監禁，甚至處死。You still hear it that way你現在還會聽到這種用法 in history and in serious talk about faith在歷史和嚴肅的信仰討論中。

People also stretch it. In a family, a club, or an office, calling someone a heretic can mean, with a half-smile, that they will not follow the usual idea — the one person who likes a different team, a different rule, a different way of doing the job. That looser use is informal and a bit sharp; it is not a kind word if you aim it at someone’s real religion.

People also stretch it人們也會把這個詞用得更寬鬆。In a family, a club, or an office在家庭、社團或辦公室裡，calling someone a heretic說某人是「異端」 can mean, with a half-smile可能只是帶著半笑意在說，that they will not follow the usual idea他不跟隨大家的想法——the one person who likes a different team, a different rule, a different way of doing the job那個喜歡不同球隊、不同規則、用不同方式做事的人。That looser use is informal and a bit sharp這種較寬鬆的用法是口語、帶點刺；it is not a kind word就不是善意的話 if you aim it at someone's real religion如果拿來說一個人真正的宗教信仰。

The word is about a person, not about the belief itself.

The word is about a person這個詞說的是「人」，not about the belief itself不是那個信仰本身。