A marsupial is a kind of mammal whose babies are born very small and unfinished, then live in a pocket of skin on the mother’s body until they are strong enough. The kangaroo is the picture everyone knows, but koalas, wombats, and possums are marsupials too.

A marsupialMarsupial（有袋動物） is a kind of mammal whose babies are born very small and unfinished是一種哺乳類，牠們的寶寶出生時非常小、還沒發育完全， then live in a pocket of skin on the mother's body until they are strong enough之後會住在媽媽身上一個皮膚的口袋裡，直到夠強壯為止。 The kangaroo is the picture everyone knows袋鼠是大家都知道的代表， but koalas, wombats, and possums are marsupials too但無尾熊、袋熊，和負鼠也都是有袋動物。

Most of the famous ones live in Australia and nearby islands. Though actually, some, like the opossum, live in the Americas, so it is not only an Australian-animal word.

Most of the famous ones live in Australia and nearby islands大多數有名的有袋動物住在澳洲和附近的島嶼。 Though actually不過其實， some, like the opossum, live in the Americas有些像是opossum（負鼠），住在美洲， so it is not only an Australian-animal word所以這不只是一個「澳洲動物」的字。

The pocket is called a pouch. The word itself comes from an old word for a little bag or purse, which is a fair picture of that pocket.

The pocket is called a pouch那個口袋叫做pouch。 The word itself comes from an old word for a little bag or purse這個字本身來自一個表示小袋子或小錢包的舊字， which is a fair picture of that pocket恰好描繪出那個口袋的樣子。

In science writing you will see marsupial as a noun — a kangaroo is a marsupial — and as an adjective: marsupial mammals.

In science writing you will see marsupial as a noun在科學寫作裡，你會看到marsupial當名詞用—— a kangaroo is a marsupiala kangaroo is a marsupial（袋鼠是一種有袋動物）—— and as an adjective: marsupial mammals也會當形容詞用：marsupial mammals（有袋類哺乳動物）。