A vehicle that carries people through space. Notice the 'ship' part — a spaceship is imagined as something people live inside and travel in for a long way, with a crew, rooms, doors, a captain.

A vehicle that carries people through space一種載著人穿越太空的載具。 Notice the 'ship' part注意「ship船」這個部分 — a spaceship is imagined as something people live inside and travel in for a long wayspaceship被想像成一個人住在裡面、長途旅行用的東西, with a crew, rooms, doors, a captain有組員、房間、門,還有船長。

That is why the word belongs mostly to stories: films, cartoons, science fiction, children's drawings. When scientists talk about real machines, they usually say 'spacecraft' (which covers machines with nobody inside as well) or the specific name — 'the shuttle', 'the capsule', 'the rocket'.

That is why the word belongs mostly to stories這就是為什麼這個字大多屬於故事的世界: films, cartoons, science fiction, children's drawings電影、卡通、科幻小說、小孩的畫。 When scientists talk about real machines當科學家在談真正的機器時, they usually say 'spacecraft' (which covers machines with nobody inside as well)他們通常會說spacecraft太空載具(這個字連裡面沒有人的機器也包含在內), or the specific name — 'the shuttle', 'the capsule', 'the rocket'或者說出具體的名字——「太空梭」、「太空艙」、「火箭」。

NASA does not send up 'spaceships'. So the word carries a feeling of imagination and adventure that 'spacecraft' does not.

NASA does not send up 'spaceships'NASA不會說自己「發射spaceships」。 So the word carries a feeling of imagination and adventure that 'spacecraft' does not所以這個字帶著一種spacecraft沒有的想像感和冒險感。

Adults use it happily when they are being playful, or when talking to children, or about films.

Adults use it happily大人會很自在地使用這個字 when they are being playful, or when talking to children, or about films在開玩笑、跟小孩說話,或聊到電影的時候。

There is also a common everyday use where a spaceship means the round flying machine aliens arrive in — the 'flying saucer' shape.

There is also a common everyday use日常生活裡也有一個常見用法 where a spaceship means the round flying machine aliens arrive in指外星人搭來的那種圓形飛行器 — the 'flying saucer' shape也就是「飛碟」的形狀。

And computer programmers call the <=> symbol the 'spaceship operator', because it looks like that saucer seen from the side.

And computer programmers call the <=> symbol the 'spaceship operator'而且寫程式的人把<=>這個符號叫做「spaceship operator太空船運算子」, because it looks like that saucer seen from the side因為它看起來就像從側面看到的那個飛碟。