Illicit describes something the law, the rules, or society says you should not do. Illicit drugs, illicit trade, an illicit love affair: the word covers both against the law and against what people around you will accept.

Illicit describesillicit形容的是 something一件事 the law, the rules, or society法律、規定、或社會 says說 you should not do你不應該做 Illicit drugs, illicit trade, an illicit love affairillicit drugs違禁毒品、illicit trade非法交易、an illicit love affair不正當的戀情 the word covers這個字涵蓋 both against the law既違法 and against what people around you will accept也不被身邊的人所接受

Though actually, it is not a perfect twin of illegal. Illegal is the courtroom word: a statute forbids it. Illicit is wider and a little softer around the edges — a school rule, a religious rule, or a strong social we do not do that can make something illicit even when no police officer would come.

Though actually不過其實 it is not a perfect twin of illegal它跟illegal不是完全一樣的雙胞胎 Illegal is the courtroom wordillegal是法庭上用的字 a statute forbids it法律條文明文禁止它 Illicit is wider and a little softer around the edgesillicit的範圍更廣，邊界也軟一點 a school rule, a religious rule校規、宗教規定 or a strong social we do not do或是一種很強的社會共識「我們不做這種事」 that can make something illicit都可以讓一件事變成illicit even when no police officer would come即使根本不會有警察出面

It is a formal, slightly newspaper-like adjective. In speech, people often say illegal, forbidden, or under the table instead.

It is a formal, slightly newspaper-like adjective這是一個正式、有點報紙用語感的形容詞 In speech在口語裡 people often say人們常常會說 illegal, forbidden, or under the table insteadillegal、forbidden，或under the table（檯面下）來代替

Use illicit when the flavour is hidden, not allowed, and a bit shameful, not when you only mean this is a crime in the code.

Use illicit用illicit when the flavour is hidden, not allowed, and a bit shameful是在講一種偷偷摸摸、不被允許、又有點見不得人的味道 not when you only mean而不是你只是想說 this is a crime in the code這在法條上是犯罪

There is also a rare noun use, but learners almost always meet the adjective.

There is also a rare noun use它也有少見的名詞用法 but learners almost always meet the adjective但學習者幾乎都只會遇到形容詞這個用法