A real-time computer system deals with information as fast as the information arrives. It does not pile the data up to look at “later.” Think of a live video call, a plane’s flight computer, or a price screen that moves while you watch: the machine is keeping up with the world as the world happens.

A real-time computer systemreal-time 的電腦系統 deals with information處理資訊 as fast as the information arrives跟資訊進來的速度一樣快。It does not pile the data up to look at它不會把資料堆起來 "later.""之後"再看。Think of想想 a live video call即時視訊通話、a plane's flight computer飛機的飛航電腦、or a price screen that moves while you watch或是你看著就在跳動的報價螢幕：the machine is keeping up with the world as the world happens機器是跟著世界發生的當下同步在跑的。

As an adjective it is usually hyphenated (real-time data, a real-time system).

As an adjective當形容詞用時，it is usually hyphenated通常會加連字號 (real-time data, a real-time system)（real-time data 即時資料、a real-time system 即時系統）。

The noun phrase is often written open: “in real time” — “We watched the results in real time.” Though actually, ads and apps have stretched the word. “Real-time updates” on a phone may still be a few seconds late; everyday talk has drifted toward “pretty much live,” not the strict engineering sense of “the system will always answer before a set deadline, or something unsafe happens.”

The noun phrase is often written open名詞片語通常不加連字號、分開寫："in real time""in real time"（即時） — "We watched the results in real time.""We watched the results in real time."（我們即時看到了結果） Though actually不過其實，ads and apps have stretched the word廣告和 App 已經把這個詞用得更寬鬆了。"Real-time updates" on a phone may still be a few seconds late手機上的"real-time updates"（即時更新）可能還是會晚個幾秒；everyday talk has drifted toward "pretty much live,"日常說法已經漸漸變成"差不多算即時"，not the strict engineering sense不是嚴格工程定義裡的意思，也就是 of "the system will always answer before a set deadline, or something unsafe happens.""系統一定會在設定的期限內回應，否則就會發生不安全的事"。