To reboot a computer (or a phone, a router, any machine with software in it) is to turn it off and start it again, so that everything loads fresh from the beginning. The word works two ways with no change in form.

To reboot a computerReboot 一台電腦 (or a phone, a router, any machine with software in it)（或手機、路由器，任何裝了軟體的機器） is is的意思 to turn it off and start it again是把它關掉再重新開 so that so that everything所有東西 loads fresh from the beginning從頭重新載入。 The word這個字 works two ways用法有兩種方向 with no change in form但字形完全不變。

You can reboot the machine — 'I rebooted my laptop' — or the machine can reboot by itself — 'the laptop rebooted' — and nobody says 'the laptop was rebooted by me' unless they are being very formal. It is also a noun: 'the phone needs a reboot'.

You你 can reboot the machine可以 reboot 這台機器 — 'I rebooted my laptop'像「I rebooted my laptop」 — or or the machine機器自己 can reboot by itself也可以 reboot — 'the laptop rebooted'像「the laptop rebooted」 — and and 幾乎 nobody says沒有人會說 'the laptop was rebooted by me'「the laptop was rebooted by me」 unless they are being very formal除非講話特別正式。 It它 is also a noun也可以當名詞用 : 'the phone needs a reboot'「the phone needs a reboot」。

This is the ordinary word IT people and normal people both use. 'Restart' means almost the same thing and is a bit gentler and more everyday; 'reboot' sounds slightly more technical, and a little more like you are taking the machine all the way down to nothing and building it back up. In practice most people treat them as the same.

This這 is the ordinary word是資訊人員和一般人都會用的普通說法 IT people and normal people both use。 'Restart'「Restart」 means almost the same thing意思幾乎一樣 and is a bit gentler and more everyday聽起來比較溫和、比較日常 ; 'reboot'「reboot」 sounds slightly more technical聽起來稍微技術一點 and a little more like也比較像是 you are taking the machine all the way down to nothing把機器完全歸零 and building it back up再重新建立起來。 In practice實際上 most people treat them as the same大部分人都把這兩個字當作一樣的東西在用。

There is an older, stronger sense some technicians keep: a 'cold reboot' means cutting the power completely, a 'warm reboot' means telling the software to restart itself. Most speakers never make that distinction.

There is有些技術人員還保留 an older, stronger sense一個較早、更嚴格的區分 some technicians keep : a 'cold reboot' means「cold reboot」是 cutting the power completely把電源完全切斷 a 'warm reboot' means「warm reboot」是 telling the software to restart itself叫軟體自己重啟。 Most speakers大部分人 never make that distinction根本不會做這種區分。

The interesting part is where the word has travelled. Films and TV series get rebooted now: someone takes an old story, throws away what came before, and starts it again from the beginning with new actors. 'They're rebooting Spider-Man — again.' That is now probably the second most common use of the word, and younger people meet it there first.

The interesting part有趣的地方在於 is where the word has travelled這個字後來跑到哪裡去了。 Films and TV series現在電影和電視劇也 get rebooted now會被 reboot : someone takes an old story有人把一個舊故事拿來 throws away what came before把之前的內容丟掉 and and 換 starts it again from the beginning一批新演員重頭再拍一次 with new actors。 "They're rebooting Spider-Man — again."「They're rebooting Spider-Man — again.」（他們又要重啟蜘蛛人了） That這 is now probably the second most common use of the word大概是現在這個字第二常見的用法 and and 年輕人往往 younger people meet it there first是先在這裡遇到這個字的。

And from there it has stretched further, into life: 'I need to reboot my career', 'after the breakup she rebooted'. That last use is loose and a bit fashionable — it borrows the feeling of a machine wiping itself clean and starting over, which is of course not really what happens to a person. Older speakers sometimes find it silly. It is common enough that you will hear it every week.

And from there從那裡 it它又 has stretched further進一步延伸 into life用到人生上 : 'I need to reboot my career', 'after the breakup she rebooted'「I need to reboot my career」、「after the breakup she rebooted」。 That last use這種用法 is loose and a bit fashionable比較鬆散、也有點趕流行 — it it借用了 borrows the feeling of a machine wiping itself clean and starting over機器把自己清空重來的那種感覺 which is of course not really what happens to a person但這當然不是真的會發生在一個人身上的事。 Older speakers年紀較大的人 sometimes find it silly有時候會覺得這樣講很可笑。 It這個用法 is common enough已經常見到 that you will hear it every week你每個星期都會聽到。