Literally, a soapbox is a wooden box. Long ago in America, shops got their soap delivered in big wooden boxes, and the empty boxes were everywhere. If you wanted to speak to people in the street — about politics, about God, about anything you cared about — you turned one over, stood on it, and started talking. That is the whole picture behind the word.

Literally字面上, a soapbox「soapbox」 is就是 a wooden box一個木箱。Long ago in America很久以前在美國, shops got their soap delivered in big wooden boxes店家的肥皂是用大木箱送來的, and the empty boxes were everywhere用完的空箱子到處都是。If you wanted to speak to people in the street如果你想在街上對大家講話 — about politics, about God, about anything you cared about講政治、講上帝、講任何你在乎的事 — you turned one over, stood on it, and started talking你就把箱子翻過來、站上去，開始講。That is the whole picture behind the word這就是這個字背後的整個畫面。

Today people almost always use it the second way. If someone 'is on their soapbox', they are going on and on about an opinion they feel strongly about, loudly, and usually without much interest in what anyone else thinks.

Today現在 people almost always use it the second way大家幾乎都只用第二種意思。If someone 'is on their soapbox'如果有人「is on their soapbox」, they are going on and on about an opinion they feel strongly about就是正對著一個自己很堅持的意見講個不停, loudly聲音很大, and usually without much interest in what anyone else thinks通常也不太在乎別人怎麼想。

You can 'get on your soapbox' (start) and 'get off your soapbox' (stop). The word also works as a noun for the topic itself: 'Recycling is her soapbox' means that is the thing she always brings up.

You你 can 'get on your soapbox' (start)可以「get on your soapbox」（開始講） and 'get off your soapbox' (stop)也可以「get off your soapbox」（停下來）。The word這個字 also works as a noun for the topic itself也可以當名詞指那個話題本身: 'Recycling is her soapbox'「Recycling is her soapbox」 means that is the thing she always brings up意思是回收就是她老是掛在嘴邊的那件事。

The feeling is gently negative, but it is a soft, laughing kind of negative. It is what you say about a friend or an uncle, not what you say about an enemy.

The feeling is gently negative這個字帶點負面, but it is a soft, laughing kind of negative但是那種溫和、會讓人笑出來的負面。It is what you say about a friend or an uncle是你會拿來說朋友或叔叔的話, not what you say about an enemy不是拿來說敵人的話。

You can even use it about yourself, and English speakers often do — 'Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now' is a polite, slightly joking way to stop yourself when you notice you have been talking too long. That self-use is very common, and it is a nice thing for a learner to have.

You你 can even use it about yourself甚至可以拿來說自己, and English speakers often do英語母語者也常這樣用 — 'Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now'「Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now」 is a polite, slightly joking way to stop yourself是一種有禮貌、帶點開玩笑的說法用來喊停 when you notice you have been talking too long當你發現自己講太久的時候。That self-use is very common這種自嘲式的用法很常見, and it is a nice thing for a learner to have學英文的人學起來很好用。

There is one more, quite separate use in British English: a 'soapbox' or 'soapbox cart' is a homemade toy car with no engine that children race down a hill. If you hear it with 'race' or 'derby', that is this meaning, not the speech one.

There is one more, quite separate use in British English英式英語裡還有另一個完全不相關的用法: a 'soapbox' or 'soapbox cart'「soapbox」或「soapbox cart」 is a homemade toy car with no engine是一種沒有引擎的手作玩具車 that children race down a hill小孩會開著它從山坡上往下衝比賽。If you hear it with 'race' or 'derby'如果你聽到它跟「race」或「derby」一起出現, that is this meaning, not the speech one講的就是這個意思，不是演講那個意思。