A machine — or, more often now, a small part on a board — that makes something swing back and forth in a steady rhythm. In electrical work, that “something” is voltage or current: an oscillator produces electrical oscillations, a wave that goes up and down again and again, like a heartbeat the rest of the circuit can follow. Radios, computers, and quartz watches all need that steady beat; without an oscillator they would drift.

A machine一台機器 or, more often now, a small part on a board或者現在更常見的，是電路板上的一個小零件 that makes something swing back and forth in a steady rhythm會讓某樣東西以穩定的節奏來回擺動 In electrical work在電路的世界裡 that “something” is voltage or current那個「某樣東西」就是電壓或電流 an oscillator oscillator（振盪器） produces electrical oscillations會產生電的振盪 a wave that goes up and down again and again一個不斷上下起伏的波 like a heartbeat the rest of the circuit can follow就像一個心跳，讓電路裡其他部分可以跟著它走 Radios, computers, and quartz watches收音機、電腦，和石英錶 all need that steady beat都需要這種穩定的節拍 without an oscillator沒有oscillator（振盪器）的話 they would drift它們就會走偏、不準

The word lives in engineering more than in the kitchen.

The word lives in engineering more than in the kitchen這個字比較常出現在工程領域，而不是廚房裡

In ordinary talk you are more likely to hear the verb: a fan oscillates, a person oscillates between two choices. “Oscillator” is the name for the thing that makes the swing on purpose. People do stretch it a little — a pendulum, even a mood that will not sit still — but if someone says it at work they almost always mean the electrical kind.

In ordinary talk在日常說法裡 you are more likely to hear the verb你比較常聽到的是動詞 a fan oscillates像a fan oscillates（風扇擺動） a person oscillates between two choices或a person oscillates between two choices（一個人在兩個選擇之間搖擺不定） “Oscillator” is the name for the thing that makes the swing on purpose而Oscillator（振盪器）指的就是那個故意讓它擺動的東西 People do stretch it a little人們也會把這個字用得寬一點 a pendulum, even a mood that will not sit still像鐘擺，甚至靜不下來的情緒 but if someone says it at work不過如果有人在工作場合說這個字 they almost always mean the electrical kind幾乎都是指電路那種