A quay is a place in a town or harbour where boats can tie up, stop, and load or unload goods. It is usually a solid platform of stone or concrete along the water, with ships lying beside it.

A quay is a place quay 是個地方 in a town or harbour在城鎮或港口裡 where boats can tie up讓船可以停靠, stop停下, and load or unload goods裝卸貨物。It is usually a solid platform它通常是個堅固的平台 of stone or concrete用石頭或水泥做的, along the water沿著水邊, with ships lying beside it船就靠在旁邊。

In British English this is a normal word; you will see it on maps and street names. American English often says dock, pier, or wharf, though quay is understood.

In British English在英式英語裡, this is a normal word這是個很普通的字; you will see it on maps and street names你會在地圖和路名上看到它。American English often says美式英語常說 dock, pier, or wharf dock、pier 或 wharf, though quay is understood不過 quay 大家還是聽得懂。

Though actually, a pier more often sticks out into the water, and a quay more often runs along the shore — people mix these when they talk loosely.

Though actually不過其實, a pier more often sticks out into the water pier 比較常是伸進水裡的那種, and a quay more often runs along the shore而 quay 比較常是沿著岸邊延伸的那種 — people mix these人們講得隨便時 when they talk loosely常常把這兩個字混著用。

The spelling looks as if it should sound like “kway,” but it is pronounced like key. English used to spell it key; in the 1690s they changed the spelling to look like French quai, without (at first) changing how they said it.

The spelling looks as if it should sound like "kway,"這個拼法看起來好像該唸成「kway」 but it is pronounced like key不過它唸起來其實跟 key 一樣。English used to spell it key英文以前是拼成 key 的; in the 1690s在1690年代, they changed the spelling他們把拼法改了 to look like French quai改成像法文 quai 的樣子, without (at first) changing how they said it（一開始）沒有改怎麼唸。

So quay and the key that opens a door are different words that happen to sound the same.

So quay所以 quay and the key that opens a door跟開門用的那個 key are different words是不同的字 that happen to sound the same只是剛好發音一樣。