A spore is a tiny single cell that some living things make in order to reproduce — mushrooms and other fungi, ferns, mosses, and many bacteria. It works a bit like a seed: it travels, lands somewhere, and grows into a new organism.

A spore孢子 is a tiny single cell是某些生物…製造出來的一個極小的單一細胞 that some living things make in order to reproduce為了繁殖而 — mushrooms and other fungi, ferns, mosses, and many bacteria像蘑菇和其他真菌、蕨類、苔蘚，還有許多細菌都會這樣做。It works a bit like a seed它運作的方式有點像種子: it travels, lands somewhere, and grows into a new organism它會傳播出去，落在某個地方，然後長成一個新的生物體

But biologists are careful here, and so should we be: a seed is a small packed-up plant with a food supply around it, while a spore is usually just one cell with a tough coat and no food store. Spores are usually far smaller — you cannot see one on its own; the brown dust that falls from a mushroom, or the rusty powder on the back of a fern leaf, is millions of them together.

But biologists are careful here不過生物學家在這裡很謹慎, and so should we be我們也該一樣: a seed is a small packed-up plant with a food supply around it種子是一株包裝好、周圍帶著養分的小植物, while a spore is usually just one cell with a tough coat and no food store而spore通常只是一個帶著硬殼、沒有養分儲備的細胞。Spores are usually far smallerspore通常小得多 — you cannot see one on its own你沒辦法單獨看到一顆; the brown dust that falls from a mushroom從蘑菇掉下來的褐色粉塵, or the rusty powder on the back of a fern leaf或蕨葉背面的鏽色粉末, is millions of them together其實都是幾百萬顆聚在一起

Two extra things worth knowing. Spores are famously tough: some bacteria turn themselves into spores to survive heat, dryness, and years of waiting, and they wake up when conditions improve. That is why 'spore' turns up in food safety and hospital writing, where the point is that ordinary cleaning does not kill them.

Two extra things worth knowing還有兩件值得知道的事。Spores are famously toughspore以耐命聞名: some bacteria turn themselves into spores有些細菌會把自己變成spore to survive heat, dryness, and years of waiting以撐過高溫、乾燥，還有好幾年的等待, and they wake up when conditions improve等到環境變好時再甦醒過來。That is why 'spore' turns up in food safety and hospital writing這就是為什麼「spore」會出現在食品安全和醫院的文章裡, where the point is that ordinary cleaning does not kill them重點就在於一般的清潔沒辦法殺死它們

And people use it loosely outside biology, especially in stories and games, for anything that drifts, lands, and spreads — 'the idea spread like spores'.

And people use it loosely outside biology而且人們在生物學以外也會鬆散地使用這個字, especially in stories and games特別是在故事和遊戲裡, for anything that drifts, lands, and spreads用來形容任何飄散、落地、擴散的東西 — 'the idea spread like spores'像「the idea spread like spores」

There is also a verb, 'to spore', meaning to produce spores, but it is technical and uncommon; most writing says 'release spores' instead. The noun is countable: one spore, many spores.

There is also a verb也有一個動詞, 'to spore''to spore' meaning to produce spores意思是產生孢子, but it is technical and uncommon但這個用法很專業也不常見; most writing says 'release spores' instead大多數文章會改說'release spores'。The noun is countable這個名詞是可數的: one spore, many sporesone spore, many spores