A spoonful is how much a spoon holds — the amount you can carry in one spoon without it falling off. 'Add a spoonful of sugar' means add as much sugar as fits in a spoon. It is a way of measuring when you don't need to be exact.

A spoonfulA spoonful is how much a spoon holds是一支湯匙裝得下的量——the amount you can carry in one spoon without it falling off就是你用一支湯匙裝，還不會掉出來的份量。 'Add a spoonful of sugar''Add a spoonful of sugar'（加一匙糖） means add as much sugar as fits in a spoon意思是加下剛好裝滿一支湯匙的糖。 It is a way of measuring when you don't need to be exact這是不需要精確時的一種量法。

In cooking and in medicine, English usually says which spoon it means: a teaspoonful (small), a tablespoonful (big). On its own, 'a spoonful' is a friendly, rough amount — nobody is checking.

In cooking and in medicine在烹飪和醫療裡， English usually says which spoon it means英文通常會說清楚指的是哪一種湯匙： a teaspoonful (small)teaspoonful（小的，茶匙）， a tablespoonful (big)tablespoonful（大的，湯匙）。 On its own單獨用的時候， 'a spoonful' is a friendly, rough amount'a spoonful'是一種親切、大概的份量——nobody is checking沒有人在計較精確。

Two things about how it behaves. First, the plural is 'spoonfuls' — the -s goes on the END, not in the middle. Some careful older writers use 'spoonsful', and it is not wrong, but almost nobody says it now, and your students should write 'spoonfuls'.

Two things about how it behaves關於這個字的用法，有兩件事。 First第一， the plural is 'spoonfuls'複數形是'spoonfuls'——the -s goes on the END, not in the middle-s加在最後面，不是加在中間。 Some careful older writers use 'spoonsful'有些講究的老一輩作者會用'spoonsful'， and it is not wrong這樣寫並沒有錯， but almost nobody says it now但現在幾乎沒有人這樣說了， and your students should write 'spoonfuls'你的學生應該寫'spoonfuls'。

Second, there is a real difference between 'a spoonful of soup' (one spoon's worth, an amount) and 'a spoon full of soup' (a particular spoon, and it happens to be full). Same sounds, different meaning, and the space is what tells them apart.

Second第二， there is a real difference between有實質上的差別，就在 'a spoonful of soup' (one spoon's worth, an amount)'a spoonful of soup'（一匙湯，是一種份量） and 'a spoon full of soup' (a particular spoon, and it happens to be full)和'a spoon full of soup'（某一支湯匙，剛好裝滿了）之間。 Same sounds聽起來一樣， different meaning意思卻不同， and the space is what tells them apart而中間那個空格就是分辨兩者的關鍵。

People also use it loosely for a small amount of anything you might eat or take — 'just a spoonful, I'm not hungry'. And in cooking instructions you will meet 'a heaped spoonful' (piled up) and 'a level spoonful' (flat across the top), which matter when you are baking.

People also use it loosely大家也會鬆散地用這個字 for a small amount of anything you might eat or take來說任何你可能吃或拿的一小份東西——'just a spoonful, I'm not hungry''just a spoonful, I'm not hungry'（就一小口，我不餓）。 And而且 in cooking instructions在食譜的指示裡， you will meet你會遇到 'a heaped spoonful' (piled up)'a heaped spoonful'（堆尖的一匙） and 'a level spoonful' (flat across the top)和'a level spoonful'（刮平的一匙）， which matter when you are baking這在你烘焙時很重要。