If you repurpose something — a machine, a building, a document, even an idea — you use it in a new way, different from the first plan, without changing it very much.

If you repurpose something如果你repurpose一個東西 a machine, a building, a document, even an idea一台機器、一棟建築、一份文件，甚至一個想法 you use it in a new way你是用一種新的方式使用它 different from the first plan跟原本的計畫不一樣 without changing it very much而且沒有把它改動得太多

An old factory becomes flats. A shipping container becomes a shop. A form written for one job gets used for another.

An old factory becomes flats一座舊工廠變成了公寓 A shipping container becomes a shop一個貨櫃變成了一間店 A form written for one job gets used for another一張為某個用途寫的表格被拿去用在別的用途上

The point is the new use, not a full rebuild. This is a fairly new, practical word, common in business, design, and the news.

The point is the new use重點在於新的用途 not a full rebuild而不是整個重新打造 This is a fairly new, practical word這是一個滿新、也很實用的字 common in business, design, and the news常出現在商業、設計，還有新聞裡

It sits near reuse and recycle, but they are not the same. Reuse is “use it again as it is, for the same kind of job.” Recycle is “break it down and make it into material again.” Repurpose is “keep the thing, give it a new job.” Though actually, people stretch it: a joke, a hashtag, or a law can be repurposed too.

It sits near reuse and recycle這個字跟reuse和recycle很接近 but they are not the same但它們不是同一件事 Reuse is use it again as it is, for the same kind of jobreuse是「原封不動再拿來用，做同一種工作」 Recycle is break it down and make it into material againrecycle是「把它分解掉，再做成材料」 Repurpose is keep the thing, give it a new jobrepurpose是「東西保留下來，給它一個新工作」 Though actually, people stretch it不過其實人們也會把這個字用得更寬 a joke, a hashtag, or a law can be repurposed too一個笑話、一個hashtag，或一條法律也都可以被repurpose