Shellac is a kind of clear finish people put on wood and some other surfaces to protect them, harden them, and give a shine. It is not ordinary wall paint, and it is not the thick coloured stuff you use on a door.

Shellac is a kind of clear finishshellac是一種透明的塗料， people put on wood and some other surfaces人們會塗在木頭和一些其他表面上， to protect them, harden them, and give a shine用來保護、硬化，並增加光澤。 It is not ordinary wall paint它不是普通的牆壁油漆， and it is not the thick coloured stuff you use on a door也不是你塗在門上那種厚重的有色塗料。

The material comes from a resin made by a tiny insect, the lac insect. It is dried in thin flakes — that is the “shell” — then dissolved, usually in alcohol, so you can brush it on. When it dries it is tough and see-through.

The material comes from a resin這個材料來自一種樹脂， made by a tiny insect, the lac insect是一種叫lac insect的小昆蟲分泌出來的。 It is dried in thin flakes它會被曬乾成薄薄的碎片—— that is the “shell”那就是「shell」這個字的由來—— then dissolved, usually in alcohol然後溶解在通常是酒精的液體裡， so you can brush it on這樣你才能把它刷上去。 When it dries it is tough and see-through乾了之後它會變得堅韌又透明。

Furniture restorers still love it.

Furniture restorers still love it修復家具的人到現在還是很愛用它。

Though actually, shellac is also a verb: to shellac a table is to coat it with this finish. Old music records were made of shellac too, and in slang “to shellac” someone can mean to beat them badly; those are extra uses. The meaning to learn first is the clear protective coat.

Though actually不過實際上， shellac is also a verbshellac也可以當動詞用： to shellac a table is to coat it with this finishto shellac a table就是幫桌子塗上這種塗料。 Old music records were made of shellac too以前的黑膠唱片也是用shellac做的， and in slang “to shellac” someone can mean to beat them badly而在俚語裡「to shellac」某人可能是指把他打得很慘； those are extra uses這些都是額外的用法。 The meaning to learn first is the clear protective coat你要先學的意思，是那種透明的保護塗層。