A piñata is a hollow figure — often an animal, a star, or a cartoon shape — made of papier-mâché or cardboard, filled with sweets and small toys, hung up at a party. Children take turns wearing a blindfold and swinging a stick until it breaks and everything falls out.

A piñata is a hollow figurepiñata是一個中空的造型物—— often an animal, a star, or a cartoon shape常常做成動物、星星或卡通形狀—— made of papier-mâché or cardboard用紙糊或厚紙板做的， filled with sweets and small toys裡面裝滿糖果和小玩具， hung up at a party在派對上把它吊起來。 Children take turns wearing a blindfold小孩會輪流蒙上眼睛， and swinging a stick揮棒子打， until it breaks and everything falls out直到它破掉、東西全部掉出來為止。

The custom is strongly tied to Mexican and other Latin American parties, and to children’s birthdays in places that borrowed the game; though actually you now see piñatas at office parties and school fairs far from Mexico, sometimes filled with things that are not sweets at all.

The custom is strongly tied to Mexican and other Latin American parties這個習俗跟墨西哥和其他拉丁美洲的派對關係很深， and to children's birthdays in places that borrowed the game也跟借用這個遊戲的地方的小孩生日派對有關； though actually不過實際上， you now see piñatas at office parties and school fairs far from Mexico現在離墨西哥很遠的公司派對和學校園遊會也會出現piñata， sometimes filled with things that are not sweets at all裡面有時候裝的根本不是糖果。

The word is still felt as Spanish: English kept the ñ in careful writing (piñata), but many signs just write pinata.

The word is still felt as Spanish這個字仍然讓人感覺是西班牙文： English kept the ñ in careful writing (piñata)英文在講究的寫法裡保留了ñ（piñata）， but many signs just write pinata但很多招牌就直接寫pinata。

People also use it as a verb in casual talk — to piñata something — meaning to hit it until it bursts, but the noun for the party object is the sense you will meet. It is a fun, informal word, not a textbook one.

People also use it as a verb in casual talk人們在口語裡也會把它當動詞用—— to piñata something說to piñata something—— meaning to hit it until it bursts意思是打它打到破掉， but the noun for the party object is the sense you will meet不過你會遇到的是指派對物品那個名詞意思。 It is a fun, informal word這是一個好玩、非正式的字， not a textbook one不是課本上的字。