Potash is a white or greyish material, usually sold as a powder or as small hard lumps, that farmers put into soil to help plants grow. It is one of the three things farmers add most often — nitrogen, phosphate, and potash — and it is the potassium one. Plants need potassium to build strong stems, to fight off disease, and to make good fruit and grain, so a field that has been used for many years often runs low on it and the farmer buys potash to put it back.

Potash is a white or greyish materialPotash是一種白色或灰色的物質, usually sold as a powder or as small hard lumps通常是粉狀或一小塊一小塊的硬顆粒, that farmers put into soil to help plants grow農夫會把它加進土裡幫助植物生長。It is one of the three things farmers add most often它是農夫最常添加的三樣東西之一 — nitrogen, phosphate, and potash氮、磷、鉀肥 — and it is the potassium one而它就是鉀的那一項。Plants need potassium植物需要鉀 to build strong stems來長出強壯的莖, to fight off disease抵抗病害, and to make good fruit and grain還有結出好的果實和穀物, so a field that has been used for many years often runs low on it所以用了很多年的田地常常會缺鉀, and the farmer buys potash to put it back農夫就會買potash補回去。

A note on the word: 'potash' is a farming and industry word, not really a chemistry word. A chemist would name the exact compound (potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, and so on). 'Potash' covers a whole family of potassium salts loosely, and which one it means depends on who is talking.

A note on the word關於這個字要說明一下: 'potash' is a farming and industry word'potash'是個農業和工業用語, not really a chemistry word不太算是化學用語。A chemist would name the exact compound化學家會講出確切的化合物名稱 (potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, and so on)（例如碳酸鉀、氯化鉀等等）。'Potash' covers a whole family of potassium salts loosely'potash'鬆散地涵蓋一整個鉀鹽家族, and which one it means depends on who is talking指的是哪一種要看是誰在講。

In the old days it usually meant potassium carbonate, made by burning wood. Today, when people talk about mining potash or the price of potash, they almost always mean potassium chloride dug out of the ground. So the same word has quietly changed what it points to.

In the old days以前, it usually meant potassium carbonate這個字通常是指碳酸鉀, made by burning wood是燒木頭做出來的。Today今天, when people talk about mining potash or the price of potash大家講到開採potash或potash的價格時, they almost always mean potassium chloride dug out of the ground幾乎都是指從地下挖出來的氯化鉀。So the same word has quietly changed what it points to所以同一個字所指的東西，已經悄悄變了。

You meet the word most in three places: on a bag of fertiliser, in news about farming and food prices, and in history (people once made potash from wood ash to make soap and glass).

You meet the word most in three places你最常在三個地方遇到這個字: on a bag of fertiliser在一袋肥料上, in news about farming and food prices在講農業和糧價的新聞裡, and in history還有在歷史裡 (people once made potash from wood ash to make soap and glass)（以前人們用木灰做potash來做肥皂和玻璃）。

It is a mass noun — you say 'some potash', not 'a potash' and not 'potashes'. It can also be used before another noun: a potash mine, potash fertiliser.

It is a mass noun它是不可數名詞 — you say 'some potash'你會說'some potash', not 'a potash' and not 'potashes'而不會說'a potash'或'potashes'。It can also be used before another noun它也可以放在另一個名詞前面當形容詞用: a potash mine像a potash mine（鉀礦）, potash fertiliser或potash fertiliser（鉀肥）。