Parallelism is the state of being parallel with something: two lines, two walls, or two paths that run side by side and never meet, like railway tracks. That is the home meaning.

Parallelism is the state of being parallel with something指的是與某物平行的狀態：two lines, two walls, or two paths that run side by side and never meet兩條線、兩面牆，或兩條並排而永不相交的路徑，like railway tracks就像鐵軌一樣。That is the home meaning這就是它的本義。

Though actually, the same word walks into other rooms.

Though actually不過實際上 the same word walks into other rooms同一個字也會走進其他領域。

In writing class, parallelism means keeping the same shape in a list or in two halves of a sentence — so the ideas line up. In computers, it means doing several jobs at the same time instead of one after another. Those uses are cousins of the math sense: things lining up, or running together.

In writing class在寫作課上 parallelism means keeping the same shape in a list or in two halves of a sentence指的是在清單裡或句子的兩半中保持相同的結構——so the ideas line up讓概念對齊。In computers在電腦領域 it這個詞 means指的是 doing several jobs at the same time instead of one after another同時做好幾件工作，而不是一件接一件。Those uses這些用法 are cousins of the math sense都是數學意義的近親：things lining up, or running together指東西排列整齊，或一起運作。

Do not reach for parallelism when you only need 'side by side'; the adjective parallel already does that job. Parallelism is the name of the state, or of that writing trick.

when you only need 'side by side'當你只是想表達side by side這個意思時，do not reach for parallelism不要去用parallelism這個字；the adjective parallel形容詞parallel already does that job已經能做到這件事了。Parallelism這個字 is the name of就是...的名稱 the state那個狀態，or of that writing trick或那個寫作技巧。