Influenza is the illness people usually call the flu: an infectious disease that hits you harder than a common cold. Typical signs are fever, body aches, a dry cough, and feeling too weak to get out of bed. It spreads through coughs and sneezes, and it can be dangerous for older people, babies, and anyone already unwell.

Influenza is Influenza就是 the illness people usually call the flu大家平常說的flu(流感): an infectious disease一種傳染病 that hits you harder than a common cold比一般感冒還重。Typical signs are典型症狀是 fever發燒, body aches全身痠痛, a dry cough乾咳, and feeling too weak to get out of bed還有虛弱到下不了床。It spreads它傳播 through coughs and sneezes靠咳嗽和打噴嚏, and it can be dangerous可能很危險 for older people, babies, and anyone already unwell對年長者、嬰兒、和已經生病的人來說。

In everyday English almost everyone says flu; influenza is the formal, medical, and news name — the one on vaccine posters and hospital charts.

In everyday English在日常英文裡 almost everyone says flu幾乎每個人都說flu; influenza is influenza則是 the formal, medical, and news name正式、醫學、和新聞用的名字 — the one on vaccine posters and hospital charts就是疫苗海報和醫院圖表上會用的那個詞。

Though actually, people mix flu and a cold all the time. A cold is milder and usually has no high fever; influenza tends to knock you down. Flu season is winter in many places.

Though actually不過其實, people mix flu and a cold all the time大家常常把flu和感冒搞混。A cold is milder感冒比較輕微 and usually has no high fever通常不會發高燒; influenza tends to knock you down influenza則常常把人整個擊垮。In many places在很多地方, flu season is winter flu季節是冬天。

The English name was borrowed from Italian influenza, which first meant “influence”: people once blamed outbreaks on the influence of the stars. That is why influenza and influence are doublets — two words from the same Latin source that grew apart.

The English name這個英文名字 was borrowed from Italian influenza是從義大利文influenza借來的, which first meant “influence”原本的意思是「影響」: people once blamed outbreaks人們曾經把疫情爆發歸咎於 on the influence of the stars星星的影響。That is why這也是為什麼 influenza and influence are doublets influenza和influence是一對doublets(對生詞) — two words from the same Latin source兩個字來自同一個拉丁字源 that grew apart後來分道揚鑣。