A stanza is a group of lines in a poem that sit together as one block, with a space before and after. Most poems that use stanzas repeat the same shape: every stanza has the same number of lines, and often the same rhythm and rhyme pattern. So a stanza is to a poem roughly what a paragraph is to an essay, and what a verse is to a song — a unit you can point at.

A stanza is a group of lines in a poemstanza 是詩裡的一組詩行 that sit together as one block聚在一起成為一個區塊， with a space before and after前後都留空白。 Most poems that use stanzas repeat the same shape大部分用 stanza 的詩都會重複同樣的形狀： every stanza has the same number of lines每個 stanza 行數相同， and often the same rhythm and rhyme pattern節奏和押韻方式通常也一樣。 So a stanza is to a poem roughly what a paragraph is to an essay所以 stanza 之於一首詩，大概就像段落之於一篇文章， and what a verse is to a song也像 verse 之於一首歌 — a unit you can point at都是可以明確指出來的一個單位。

The word is a bit technical. Students meet it in literature class, and teachers use it when they need to be exact: "Look at the second stanza." In ordinary talk about song lyrics, most people say 'verse' instead, and nobody thinks that is wrong. 'Stanza' has a printed, on-the-page feeling; 'verse' has a sung feeling.

The word is a bit technical這個字有點專業、術語感。 Students meet it in literature class學生會在文學課上遇到這個字， and teachers use it when they need to be exact老師需要講得精確時也會用它： 'Look at the second stanza.'「Look at the second stanza.」（看第二節）。 In ordinary talk about song lyrics但平常聊歌詞時， most people say 'verse' instead大家大多改說 verse， and nobody thinks that is wrong也沒人覺得這樣不對。 'Stanza' has a printed, on-the-page feeling「stanza」給人印在紙上的感覺； 'verse' has a sung feeling「verse」則給人用唱的感覺。

Some poems have no stanzas at all — one long block — and that is a choice too.

Some poems have no stanzas at all有些詩完全不分 stanza — one long block就一整塊長長的， and that is a choice too而這也是一種選擇。

One loose use worth knowing: people sometimes say 'stanza' for any short chunk of any writing, as a joke or to sound literary. That is a stretch, not the real meaning.

One loose use worth knowing有一個鬆散的用法值得知道： people sometimes say 'stanza' for any short chunk of any writing有人會把任何文章裡的一小段都叫做 stanza， as a joke or to sound literary帶點開玩笑或想顯得有文學氣息。 That is a stretch這是硬拗的說法， not the real meaning不是真正的意思。