A padlock is a lock you can carry and then hook onto something — a gate, a door fitting, a bicycle, a locker, a suitcase. It is not built into the door. It has a U-shaped metal bar that clicks shut, and you open it with a key or a number code.

A padlock is a lock you can carry and then hook onto somethingpadlock是一種可以拿著走、然後掛到某個東西上的鎖 a gate, a door fitting, a bicycle, a locker, a suitcase像是柵門、門上的配件、腳踏車、置物櫃、行李箱 It is not built into the door它不是裝在門裡面的那種鎖 It has a U-shaped metal bar that clicks shut它有一根U字形的金屬桿，一扣就會鎖上 you open it with a key or a number code你可以用鑰匙或數字密碼打開它

Because you can take it off and put it on different things, people like it for bikes and gates. The same word is a verb: to padlock a gate is to fasten it with one. The word is ordinary and practical.

Because you can take it off and put it on different things因為你可以把它拆下來、裝到不同的東西上 people like it for bikes and gates大家很喜歡拿它來鎖腳踏車和柵門 The same word is a verb同一個字也可以當動詞用 to padlock a gate is to fasten it with oneto padlock a gate意思是用padlock把柵門鎖起來 The word is ordinary and practical這個字既普通又實用

Though actually, the first part pad- is a bit of a mystery even for dictionary writers. It is not the soft pad in a jacket, and it is not a tablet computer. Old guesses include a lock for a gate, or for a basket on a horse — but those are only “perhaps,” not something I would test you on.

Though actually, the first part pad- is a bit of a mystery even for dictionary writers不過其實pad-這個字首連編字典的人都搞不太清楚來源 It is not the soft pad in a jacket, and it is not a tablet computer它不是外套裡那種軟墊pad，也不是平板電腦 Old guesses include a lock for a gate, or for a basket on a horse舊有的猜測包括「用在柵門上的鎖」，或「用在馬背上籃子的鎖」 but those are only "perhaps," not something I would test you on但這些都只是「也許」，不是會拿來考你的內容

What you need is the object: the lock you hang on.

What you need is the object: the lock you hang on你需要記住的就是這個東西：可以掛上去的那種鎖