MTF stands for 'male to female'. It describes a transgender woman — a person who was called a boy at birth but whose real gender is female, and who has moved, or is moving, towards living as a woman. That move can include medical steps (hormones, surgery) but does not have to; the letters are about the direction of the change, not about any particular operation.

MTFMTF stands for 'male to female'意思是「男跨女」。It describes a transgender woman它指的是跨性別女性—— a person who was called a boy at birth出生時被認定是男孩 but whose real gender is female但真正的性別是女性， and who has moved, or is moving, towards living as a woman已經、或正在朝著以女性身分生活前進的人。That move can include medical steps (hormones, surgery)這個過程可能包含醫療步驟（荷爾蒙、手術） but does not have to但不一定要有； the letters are about the direction of the change這幾個字母講的是改變的方向， not about any particular operation而不是指特定的手術。

The matching term for the other direction is FTM, female to male. You mostly meet MTF in writing — medical papers, forms, older online communities — rather than in daily conversation.

The matching term for the other direction反方向對應的詞 is FTM, female to male是FTM，也就是「女跨男」。You mostly meet MTF in writing你大多會在書面文字裡遇到MTF—— medical papers, forms, older online communities醫學論文、表格、比較舊的網路社群—— rather than in daily conversation而不是在日常對話裡。

It is important to know that many transgender people today prefer not to be labelled this way. The letters put the birth assignment first, which can feel like saying 'she used to be a man', and that is not how most trans women see their own lives.

It is important to know有一點很重要： that many transgender people today現在很多跨性別者 prefer not to be labelled this way不喜歡被這樣標籤。The letters put the birth assignment first這幾個字母把出生時被指定的性別放在前面， which can feel like saying 'she used to be a man'感覺上像在說「她以前是男的」， and that is not how most trans women see their own lives而這不是大部分跨性別女性看待自己人生的方式。

The usual, safer thing to say now is simply 'a transgender woman', or just 'a woman'. So learn MTF so you can read it, but in your own speech, use the plainer words unless the person you are talking about uses MTF for themselves.

The usual, safer thing to say now現在比較安全、常見的說法 is simply 'a transgender woman'就是簡單說'a transgender woman'（跨性別女性）， or just 'a woman'或直接說'a woman'（一位女性）。So learn MTF所以要學會MTF so you can read it才能看懂它， but in your own speech但你自己說話的時候 use the plainer words用比較平常的說法就好 unless the person you are talking about uses MTF for themselves除非你講的那個人自己就是用MTF稱呼自己。