The runner-up is the person or team that comes second. They did not win, but they finished just behind the winner.

The runner-up runner-up is是 that comes second拿到第二名的 the person or team那位選手或那支隊伍。They他們 did not win沒有贏，but不過 they finished名次 just behind the winner緊跟在冠軍後面而已。

You hear it in races, quizzes, talent shows, sports cups — anywhere there is a first place.

anywhere there is a first place任何有第一名的地方, in races, quizzes, talent shows, sports cups像賽跑、益智問答、才藝表演、運動盃賽, you你 hear聽到 it這個詞。

The plural is runners-up: the -s sits on runner, because it is more than one runner, still “up” in second place.

The plural複數 is是 runners-up runners-up：the -s -s sits on runner加在runner上面，because因為 it is不只 more than one runner一個runner，still仍然「up」up 在in second place第二名的位置。

Though actually, some contests (especially beauty pageants) say first runner-up to mean second, and second runner-up to mean third. That sounds as if first runner-up should be first, but it is not.

Though actually不過事實上, some contests有些比賽（especially beauty pageants尤其是選美）say first runner-up把first runner-up說成 to mean second指第二名, and second runner-up而second runner-up to mean third指第三名。That聽起來 sounds as if好像 first runner-up first runner-up should be first該是第一名, but but it is not其實不是。

In everyday use, runner-up just means second. It is a neutral, ordinary word: you can be proud to be the runner-up, and people will still congratulate you.

In everyday use在日常用法裡, runner-up runner-up just means second就是指第二名。It is它是 a neutral, ordinary word一個中性、普通的詞：you可以 can be proud為 to be the runner-up當runner-up感到驕傲, and people他人 will still congratulate you還是會恭喜你。