A spaniel is a type of dog with a soft coat and long, floppy ears that hang down beside its face — those ears are the give-away, and they are what most people picture when they hear the word. It is not one single breed but a whole family of them.

A spaniel長耳獵犬 is a type of dog with a soft coat and long, floppy ears that hang down beside its face是一種毛質柔軟、有著長長垂耳貼在臉旁的狗 — those ears are the give-away這對耳朵就是辨認的關鍵, and they are what most people picture when they hear the word也是大多數人聽到這個字時腦中浮現的畫面. It is not one single breed它不是單一個品種, but a whole family of them而是一整個品種家族.

The cocker spaniel and the springer spaniel are the two you will meet most; there is also the King Charles spaniel, small and popular as a lap dog.

The cocker spaniel and the springer spaniel are the two you will meet most可卡犬（cocker spaniel）和史賓格犬（springer spaniel）是你最常會遇到的兩種; there is also the King Charles spaniel還有查理王獵犬（King Charles spaniel）, small and popular as a lap dog體型小，很受歡迎的膝上犬.

Spaniels were originally bred to help hunters — to find birds in long grass, push them into the air, and fetch them once they fell. That working history explains the shape of the dog: medium size, strong nose, endless energy, and a nature that wants to please. They are known for being friendly and affectionate, which is why so many became family pets rather than working dogs.

Spaniels were originally bred to help huntersspaniel最初是為了幫助獵人而培育的—— to find birds in long grass在長草叢裡找出鳥, push them into the air把牠們趕飛起來, and fetch them once they fell然後在鳥被打下來後把牠們叼回來. That working history explains the shape of the dog這段工作的歷史說明了這種狗的體型: medium size, strong nose, endless energy中等體型、靈敏的鼻子、用不完的精力, and a nature that wants to please以及渴望討好主人的性格. They are known for being friendly and affectionate牠們以親人、感情豐富著稱, which is why so many became family pets rather than working dogs這也是為什麼很多後來變成家庭寵物而不是工作犬的原因.

Lowercase s, unlike Spain and Spanish, even though that is where the word comes from. Countable: a spaniel, three spaniels. When a breed name is attached, both parts stay lowercase in ordinary writing — a cocker spaniel — though the personal names inside King Charles spaniel keep their capitals.

Lowercase s小寫的s, unlike Spain and Spanish跟Spain（西班牙）和Spanish（西班牙的）不一樣, even though that is where the word comes from雖然這個字就是從那裡來的. Countable可數: a spaniel, three spaniels一隻spaniel，三隻spaniels. When a breed name is attached當加上品種名稱時, both parts stay lowercase in ordinary writing一般寫法裡兩個字都小寫—— a cocker spaniel像cocker spaniel—— though the personal names inside King Charles spaniel keep their capitals不過King Charles spaniel裡的人名部分仍然要大寫.

The word is neutral and everyday. You will hear it from dog owners, in pet shops, at the vet, in novels. There is no formal or informal split to worry about.

The word is neutral and everyday這個字是中性、日常的. You will hear it from dog owners, in pet shops, at the vet, in novels你會從養狗的人、在寵物店、獸醫院、還有小說裡聽到它. There is no formal or informal split to worry about不用擔心正式或非正式的區分.

A fair warning about size: dictionaries say "long ears that hang down", and that is true, but the family runs from the small King Charles up to the fairly large springer, so "a spaniel" alone does not tell you much about how big the dog is.

A fair warning about size關於體型有個提醒: dictionaries say "long ears that hang down"字典會說『長長垂下的耳朵』, and that is true這確實沒錯, but the family runs from the small King Charles up to the fairly large springer但這個家族從小型的King Charles一直到體型頗大的springer都有, so "a spaniel" alone does not tell you much about how big the dog is所以光說『a spaniel』並不能告訴你這隻狗到底有多大.