A motorboat is a small boat that moves by engine, not by wind or by rowing. Usually it is the kind of boat one family or a few friends can use — for fishing, for crossing a lake, for pulling someone on water skis, or for going fast for fun. The word tells you what makes it go: an engine, not sails and not oars.

A motorboat是 a small boat that moves by engine一種靠引擎前進的小船, not by wind or by rowing不是靠風也不是靠划的。Usually通常 it is the kind of boat one family or a few friends can use它是一家人或幾個朋友就能用的那種船 — for fishing用來釣魚, for crossing a lake過湖, for pulling someone on water skis拉人玩滑水, or for going fast for fun或純粹開快船好玩。The word這個字 tells you what makes it go告訴你它靠什麼前進: an engine是引擎, not sails and not oars不是帆也不是槳。

Size matters here. A motorboat is small; nobody calls a big ship a motorboat, even though a ship also has an engine.

Size matters here這裡大小有關係。A motorboatmotorboat is small是小船; nobody calls a big ship a motorboat沒有人會把大船叫做motorboat, even though a ship also has an engine就算那艘船也有引擎。

In American English 'motorboat' is very common. In British English people say it too, but they often say 'speedboat' when the boat is fast and sleek, and 'motor launch' or just 'launch' for the slower open kind. In Taiwan you will meet the word most often on holiday — at Sun Moon Lake, or at a beach where someone offers you a ride.

In American English在美式英文裡, 'motorboat''motorboat' is very common很常用。In British English在英式英文裡 people say it too也會這樣講, but they often say他們更常說 'speedboat''speedboat' when the boat is fast and sleek指快又流線型的船, and而 'motor launch' or just 'launch''motor launch'或直接說'launch' for the slower open kind則是指比較慢的敞篷船。In Taiwan在台灣 you will meet the word most often on holiday你最常在度假時碰到這個字 — at Sun Moon Lake像在日月潭, or at a beach where someone offers you a ride或在有人招攬搭船的海邊。

It can also be used as a verb, though this is much less common: 'we motorboated across the bay' simply means we crossed it in a motorboat. Learners rarely need the verb, but it will not confuse anyone if you hear it.

It can also be used as a verb它也可以當動詞用, though this is much less common不過這樣用少很多: 'we motorboated across the bay''we motorboated across the bay' simply means we crossed it in a motorboat意思就是我們開motorboat過了那個海灣。Learners學英文的人 rarely need the verb很少需要用到這個動詞, but it will not confuse anyone不過就算聽到 if you hear it也不會搞混。