A speedboat is a small boat built to go fast: a light body, an open top, seats for a handful of people, and an engine far bigger than its size suggests.

A speedboat快艇 is是 a small boat built to go fast:一種造來跑快的小船: a light body,船身輕 an open top,頂部是開放式的 seats for a handful of people,只坐得下幾個人 and an engine far bigger than its size suggests還配了一具比船身大小看起來誇張很多的引擎。

It is a pleasure thing — you take one out on a lake or along the coast for fun, or to water-ski behind, or because you can afford one and want people to see it. That last part matters.

It is a pleasure thing —它是拿來玩的東西— you take one out on a lake or along the coast for fun,你開著它到湖上或沿著海岸兜風玩樂 or to water-ski behind,或是拖著水上滑板玩 or because you can afford one或者只是因為你買得起 and want people to see it還想讓別人看到。That last part matters最後那一點很重要。

In English, 'speedboat' carries a whiff of money and holiday and showing off. It appears in films with rich villains and in adverts for expensive resorts.

In English,在英文裡 'speedboat'「speedboat」 carries a whiff of money and holiday and showing off帶著一點錢、度假、炫耀的味道。It appears它常出現 in films with rich villains在有富有反派的電影裡 and in adverts for expensive resorts也常出現在昂貴度假村的廣告裡。

It is not the word for a working boat, however fast that boat goes. A fishing boat, a ferry, a police launch, a lifeboat — none of these are speedboats, even at high speed, because the word is about being built for speed as the point. Rescue and police services say 'launch' or 'patrol boat' instead.

however fast that boat goes,不管那艘船開得多快 it is not the word for a working boat它都不是用來稱呼工作船的詞。A fishing boat, a ferry, a police launch, a lifeboat —漁船、渡輪、警用快艇、救生艇— none of these are speedboats,這些都不算 speedboat even at high speed,即使開得很快 because the word is about being built for speed as the point因為這個詞講的是「造出來就是為了求快」這件事本身。Rescue and police services救難和警方單位 say 'launch' or 'patrol boat' instead反而會說 'launch' 或 'patrol boat'。

As a verb, 'to speedboat' exists but is genuinely rare; you can say 'they speedboated across the bay', and people will understand, but 'they took a speedboat across the bay' is what a native speaker would actually say. Prefer the noun.

As a verb,當動詞用的話 'to speedboat' exists'to speedboat' 是存在的 but is genuinely rare;但真的很少見; you can say 'they speedboated across the bay',你可以說 'they speedboated across the bay' and people will understand,大家聽得懂 but但 'they took a speedboat across the bay''they took a speedboat across the bay' is what a native speaker would actually say是母語人士實際上會說的。Prefer the noun還是用名詞比較好。