An off-the-record remark is unofficial. The speaker does not want it treated as public, printable, or on the formal file.

An off-the-record remark一句 off-the-record 的話 is unofficial是不算正式對外的。 The speaker說的人 does not want it不希望它 treated as被當成 public公開的、 printable可以刊出來的、 or on the formal file或列入正式檔案的。

You hear this a lot around journalists and politics: someone talks, then says the comment is off the record, meaning do not name me, and do not run this as news. It is a social rule, not a lock. If the listener is careless, or not playing fair, the words can still leak.

around journalists and politics在記者圈和政治圈 You hear this a lot你會常聽到這個： someone有人 talks說了話， then然後 says說 the comment is off the record這段話 off the record， meaning意思是 do not name me別寫出我的名字、 and do not run this as news也別把這個當新聞登出來。 It它 is是 a social rule一條人和人之間的默契， not a lock不是一把鎖。 If如果 the listener聽的人 is careless不小心， or not playing fair或不講道義， the words這些話 can still leak還是可能流出去。

It does not mean the person is joking. It does not mean nobody heard it. It does not mean it was never spoken. It means it is not supposed to go on the public record.

It does not mean它不表示 the person is joking這個人在開玩笑。 It does not mean它不表示 nobody heard it沒有人聽到。 It does not mean它不表示 it was never spoken這話沒說過。 It means它的意思是： it這話 is not supposed to照規矩不應該 go on the public record進到公開紀錄裡。

In ordinary life people use it more loosely: “off the record, I think the plan is weak” just asks you to keep it quiet. That looser use is common, though actually a lawyer would not trust it.

In ordinary life在日常生活裡 people人們 use it用得 more loosely比較鬆： “off the record, I think the plan is weak”「私下說，我覺得這計畫不太行」 just asks you只是請你 to keep it quiet別說出去。 That looser use那種比較鬆的用法 is common很常見， though actually不過其實 a lawyer律師 would not trust it是不會信這一套的。

Informal to neutral, and a little inside-the-trade. The hyphenated form is the adjective: an off-the-record briefing.

Informal to neutral語氣從非正式到中性， and a little inside-the-trade帶一點行內話的味道。 The hyphenated form帶連字號的寫法 is the adjective是形容詞： an off-the-record briefing一場不供引述的簡報。