A maxim is a short, well-known line that tells you how to behave, or how the world is supposed to work — "honesty is the best policy," "look before you leap." It feels slightly old and bookish.

A maxim格言 is a short, well-known line是一句簡短又眾所皆知的話 that tells you how to behave, or how the world is supposed to work告訴你該怎麼做人，或這個世界該怎麼運作 "honesty is the best policy," "look before you leap."像「誠實為上策」、「三思而後行」這樣的話。It feels slightly old and bookish這個詞聽起來有點老派、書卷氣。

People now often say saying, proverb, or motto instead. A motto is one you choose for yourself; a proverb is an old folk line; a maxim is more like a small public rule that many people repeat, especially as advice.

People now often say saying, proverb, or motto instead現在人們比較常說saying、proverb或motto。A motto is one you choose for yourselfmotto是自己選的座右銘 a proverb is an old folk lineproverb是古老的民間俗語 a maxim is more like a small public rule that many people repeat, especially as advice而maxim比較像是很多人重複掛在嘴邊的公共小規則，尤其是拿來當建議。

Though actually, the word comes from Latin maxima, "the greatest," from a phrase that meant something like "the greatest premise" — the biggest, most general rule you start from. So a maxim is, in origin, the "biggest" rule, boiled down to one line.

Though actually不過其實 the word comes from Latin maxima, "the greatest,"這個字源自拉丁文maxima，意思是「最大的」 from a phrase that meant something like "the greatest premise"來自一個意思接近「最大前提」的片語 the biggest, most general rule you start from也就是你出發點上最大、最通用的那條規則。So a maxim is, in origin, the "biggest" rule所以maxim原本就是那條「最大的」規則 boiled down to one line濃縮成一句話。

That Latin word is a doublet of maxima in English, and it is a cousin of maximum, but the meanings split: one became a saying, the other became "the largest amount." A different maxim altogether — the machine gun, and some brand names — comes from a person, Sir Hiram Maxim, and has nothing to do with sayings.

That Latin word is a doublet of maxima in English這個拉丁字在英文裡和maxima是同源雙胞胎詞 and it is a cousin of maximum也和maximum是表親 but the meanings split不過意思分家了 one became a saying一個變成了格言 the other became "the largest amount."另一個變成了「最大量」。A different maxim altogether另外還有一個完全不同的Maxim the machine gun, and some brand names指馬克沁機槍和一些品牌名稱 comes from a person, Sir Hiram Maxim源自一個人，海勒姆·馬克沁爵士 and has nothing to do with sayings跟格言一點關係都沒有。