An obituary is a piece of writing, usually in a newspaper or on a news site, that appears after someone has died. It tells the story of their life in a short, respectful way: where they came from, what they did, who they leave, and often when people may say goodbye.

An obituary is a piece of writing, usually in a newspaper or on a news siteobituary 是一篇文章，通常刊在報紙或新聞網站上， that appears after someone has died在一個人過世之後出現。 It tells the story of their life in a short, respectful way它用簡短、帶著敬意的方式講述這個人的一生， where they came from, what they did, who they leave, and often when people may say goodbye包括他從哪裡來、做過什麼、留下哪些家人，通常也會提到什麼時候可以去道別。

Famous people get long obituaries written by the paper; families often pay to put in a shorter notice for someone less well known. Though actually, the tidy line between a paid death notice and a full obituary is messier than dictionaries make it sound — smaller papers mix them, and online you will see both.

Famous people get long obituaries written by the paper名人會有報社寫的長篇 obituary， families often pay to put in a shorter notice for someone less well known一般人的家屬則常常付費刊登一則比較短的訃告。 Though actually, the tidy line between a paid death notice and a full obituary is messier than dictionaries make it sound不過其實付費死亡通知和完整 obituary 之間的界線，並沒有字典說的那麼清楚， smaller papers mix them, and online you will see both小報常常把兩者混在一起，網路上兩種也都看得到。

It is not the speech at the funeral; that speech is a eulogy. An obituary is written, public, and meant for people who may hardly have known the person.

It is not the speech at the funeral它不是喪禮上的致詞， that speech is a eulogy那個致詞叫 eulogy。 An obituary is written, public, and meant for people who may hardly have known the personobituary 是寫下來、公開的，而且是寫給那些可能根本不認識這個人的讀者看的。

You also hear it for the whole deaths page. The tone is careful and a bit formal.

You also hear it for the whole deaths page這個字也可以用來指整個訃告版。 The tone is careful and a bit formal語氣是謹慎、有點正式的。

People sometimes stretch it, a little darkly, to the end of a thing that is not a person: the obituary of a plan, a company, a fashion.

People sometimes stretch it, a little darkly, to the end of a thing that is not a person有時候大家也會用比較黑色幽默的方式，把這個字用在不是人的東西的終結上： the obituary of a plan, a company, a fashion像 the obituary of a plan（一項計畫的終結）、a company（一家公司）、a fashion（一股流行）。