Prepackaged food has already been put together and put in a packet before you buy it, so you can eat it as it is, or only have to heat it. Think of a supermarket sandwich, a bag of salad, a frozen meal you put in the microwave. The shop — or the factory — did the work; you open and eat.

Prepackaged food預先包裝好的食物 has already been put together and put in a packet在你買之前就已經組合好、裝進包裝裡了 before you buy it, so you can eat it as it is所以你可以直接吃, or only have to heat it或者只需要加熱就好。Think of想想看 a supermarket sandwich超市的三明治, a bag of salad一袋沙拉, a frozen meal you put in the microwave放進微波爐加熱的冷凍餐點。The shop — or the factory — did the work是店家或工廠先做好了這些工; you open and eat你只要打開就能吃。

It can sound a little cool, even a little unkind: homemade feels fresh; prepackaged can hint at factory food, less care. People also stretch it: a prepackaged holiday, a prepackaged opinion — something put together for you, with little room to choose.

It can sound a little cool聽起來可能有點冷淡, even a little unkind甚至有點不客氣: homemade feels fresh自己做的東西感覺新鮮; prepackaged can hint at factory food而預先包裝好的可能暗示這是工廠做的食物, less care比較沒那麼用心。People also stretch it人們也會把這個詞用得更廣: a prepackaged holiday預先安排好的套裝假期, a prepackaged opinion現成、套好的意見——something put together for you也就是別人已經幫你組合好的東西, with little room to choose讓你沒什麼選擇的空間。

Though actually, British packing words sit close together. Prepacked often means already wrapped before it reached the shop, even flour, cheese, or nails. Prepackaged more often means ready to eat, or nearly. On labels the two get used as if they were twins.

Though actually不過其實, British packing words英式英文裡跟包裝有關的詞 sit close together彼此靠得很近、容易搞混。Prepacked often means已包裝的 Prepacked 常常是指 already wrapped before it reached the shop東西到店裡之前就已經包好了, even flour, cheese, or nails就連麵粉、起司或釘子都可能這樣講。Prepackaged more often means而 Prepackaged 比較常是指 ready to eat, or nearly可以直接吃,或者差不多可以吃了。On labels在標籤上 the two get used as if they were twins這兩個字常常被當成一對雙胞胎混著用。

American English loves prepackaged; you also see pre-packaged with a hyphen.

American English loves美式英文特別愛用 prepackaged 這個字; you also see你也會看到 pre-packaged with a hyphen加連字號寫成的 pre-packaged。