Metadata is information that describes other information. The photo is the data; the metadata might say when it was taken, which camera, the file size, and the file name. In a large computer database, metadata tells you who wrote a record, what it is for, and in what form it is stored, so you do not have to open every file.

Metadata詮釋資料 is是 information that describes other information用來描述其他資訊的資訊。The photo這張照片 is the data是資料本身；the metadata詮釋資料 might say when it was taken可能會記錄它是什麼時候拍的、which camera用哪台相機拍的、the file size檔案大小，and the file name還有檔名。In a large computer database在一個大型電腦資料庫裡，metadata詮釋資料 tells you who wrote a record會告訴你是誰寫了這筆紀錄、what it is for它是做什麼用的，and in what form it is stored還有它是用什麼格式儲存的，so you do not have to open every file這樣你就不用每個檔案都打開來看。

Librarians, programmers, and anyone who organizes digital things use this word.

Librarians, programmers, and anyone who organizes digital things圖書館員、工程師，還有任何整理數位資料的人 use this word都會用到這個字。

Though actually, news stories about privacy now use it for the hidden trail a phone leaves — time, place, who you contacted — not the message itself. That is the same idea: data about data.

Though actually不過其實，news stories about privacy新聞裡談隱私的報導 now use it for the hidden trail a phone leaves現在會拿這個字來指手機留下的隱藏軌跡——time, place, who you contacted時間、地點、你聯絡過誰——not the message itself而不是訊息內容本身。That is the same idea這其實是同一個概念：data about data關於資料的資料。

It is a technical word, but it has moved into ordinary talk about computers and privacy. Meta- here does not mean “big.” A tiny note can still be metadata.

It is它是 a technical word一個技術性的字，but it has moved into ordinary talk about computers and privacy但已經進入談電腦和隱私的日常對話裡了。Meta- here這裡的meta- does not mean "big"不是「大」的意思。A tiny note一則小小的筆記 can still be metadata還是可以算是metadata。