Octane is a kind of chemical in petrol (gasoline). It is a hydrocarbon: built from hydrogen and carbon, with eight carbons in the chain — that is what the oct- is telling you.

Octane辛烷 is是 in petrol (gasoline)汽油裡的 a kind of chemical一種化學物質。It is a hydrocarbon它是一種碳氫化合物： built from hydrogen and carbon由氫和碳組成， with eight carbons in the chain鏈上有八個碳—— that is what the oct- is telling you這就是 oct- 這個字首要告訴你的。

Students almost never meet octane as a chemistry fact. They meet it as a measure of fuel quality: the octane number, or octane rating. A higher number means the fuel can be squeezed harder in the engine before it burns in a messy, knocking way. Though actually, it does not mean “more power hiding in the tank”; it means the fuel stays well-behaved under pressure.

Students學生 almost never幾乎不會 meet octane as a chemistry fact把辛烷當作化學知識來接觸。They他們 meet it as a measure of fuel quality遇到它，是把它當作油品品質的量測標準： the octane number, or octane rating也就是辛烷值，或稱辛烷等級。A higher number數字越高， means代表 the fuel can be squeezed harder in the engine燃油在引擎裡可以被壓縮得更緊， before it burns in a messy, knocking way才會用亂七八糟、爆震的方式燃燒。Though actually不過其實， it does not mean more power hiding in the tank它不是說「油箱裡藏著更多動力」； it means它的意思是 the fuel stays well-behaved under pressure燃油在受壓時仍然乖乖聽話。

In Taiwan the pump says 92, 95, or 98 — those are octane ratings. A simple car is built for a certain rating; a higher one is often wasted money, not a secret upgrade.

In Taiwan在台灣， the pump says 92, 95, or 98油泵上寫著92、95或98—— those are octane ratings那些就是辛烷值等級。A simple car is built for a certain rating一般的車是針對某個等級設計的； a higher one is often wasted money用更高等級的油通常只是浪費錢， not a secret upgrade不是什麼隱藏的升級。

People also say “high-octane” about music, sport, or a night out, meaning exciting and intense — that is fuel-talk stretched into everyday talk.

People also say high-octane大家也會用「high-octane」 about music, sport, or a night out來形容音樂、運動或一個夜晚的活動， meaning exciting and intense意思是刺激又強烈—— that is fuel-talk stretched into everyday talk這是把講燃油的說法延伸到日常用語裡。