A menorah is a Jewish stand for candles or oil lamps. The old Temple menorah has seven branches and is a deep symbol of Judaism — you see that shape in art and on Israel's coat of arms.

A menorah isMenorah是 a Jewish stand for candles or oil lamps猶太人放蠟燭或油燈用的燈台。The old Temple menorah古代聖殿的menorah has seven branches有七根燈臂 and is a deep symbol of Judaism是猶太教很深的象徵——you see that shape in art你會在藝術作品裡看到這個形狀 and on Israel's coat of arms也會在以色列的國徽上看到。

At Hanukkah, families light a stand with nine places: eight for the eight nights, plus one helper light, the shamash, used to light the others.

At Hanukkah在光明節（Hanukkah）的時候, families light a stand with nine places家庭會點一個有九個位置的燈台: eight for the eight nights八個是給八個晚上用的, plus one helper light, the shamash另外一個是輔助燈，叫shamash, used to light the others用來點燃其他的燈。

English often calls both a menorah; though actually, in Hebrew the Hanukkah one is more precisely a hanukkiah. So a dictionary that says 'seven or nine candles' is not being sloppy — English has let one word cover two related objects.

English often calls both a menorah英文常常把兩種都叫menorah; though actually不過其實, in Hebrew在希伯來文裡 the Hanukkah one is more precisely a hanukkiah光明節用的那種比較精確的說法是hanukkiah。So a dictionary that says 'seven or nine candles'所以字典寫「七根或九根蠟燭」 is not being sloppy並不是不精確——English has let one word cover two related objects英文是讓一個字同時涵蓋兩個相關的東西。

It is a special religious object, not a general word for any candlestick on a dinner table.

It is a special religious object它是一個特別的宗教物品, not a general word for any candlestick on a dinner table不是泛指餐桌上任何燭台的普通詞。