A sceptre is a special decorated stick, often gold or set with jewels, that a king or queen holds at ceremonies. It is a sign of the right to rule, not a walking stick and not a weapon, though it can look a little like both. You see it in portraits, coronations, and fairy tales.

A sceptre is a special decorated stick權杖是一種特別的裝飾用杖 often gold or set with jewels通常是金色的，或鑲著寶石 that a king or queen holds at ceremonies是國王或女王在典禮上拿的 It is a sign of the right to rule這是統治權的象徵 not a walking stick and not a weapon不是拐杖，也不是武器 though it can look a little like both雖然它看起來兩者都有點像 You see it in portraits, coronations, and fairy tales你會在肖像畫、加冕典禮和童話故事裡看到它

Real monarchs may still carry one on a very formal day; the rest of the time it lives in a palace. British English writes sceptre; American English writes scepter.

Real monarchs may still carry one on a very formal day真正的君主在非常正式的場合可能還是會拿著它 the rest of the time it lives in a palace其餘時間它就放在宮殿裡 British English writes sceptre英式英文寫作sceptre American English writes scepter美式英文則寫作scepter

Though actually, the ending -re tricks the eye: spectre (British for “ghost”) looks similar and is a completely different word. Nobody rules with a ghost, and nobody is haunted by a royal stick.

Though actually, the ending -re tricks the eye不過事實上，-re這個字尾容易讓人眼花 spectre (British for "ghost") looks similarspectre(英式「鬼」)看起來很像 and is a completely different word但其實是完全不同的字 Nobody rules with a ghost沒有人是靠鬼在統治 and nobody is haunted by a royal stick也沒有人是被一根皇家木棍鬧鬼