Using the newest and best methods, machines, or knowledge that exist right now. If a hospital has state-of-the-art equipment, nobody anywhere has better equipment — this is the top of what people can build today. It is almost always used as a compliment, and it is almost always about technology, machines, buildings, or ways of doing skilled work. You would not use it about a person, a story, or a feeling.

Using用的是 that exist right now此刻存在的 the newest and best最新、最好的 methods, machines, or knowledge方法、機器或知識。 If如果 a hospital一間醫院 has state-of-the-art equipment有 state-of-the-art 的設備 nobody anywhere世界上沒有任何人 has better equipment有更好的設備 — this這 is是 what people can build today今天人類做得出來的東西 the top of的頂端。 It它 is almost always used as幾乎總是被當作 a compliment稱讚 and it而且 is almost always about幾乎總是在講 technology, machines, buildings科技、機器、建築 or ways of doing skilled work或做專業工作的方法。 You你 would not use it不會用它 about a person, a story, or a feeling來講一個人、一個故事或一種感覺。

Two small things about the shape. When it sits in front of a noun, it takes hyphens: a state-of-the-art laboratory. When it comes after the verb, most writers drop them: the laboratory is state of the art.

about the shape關於外形 Two small things有兩件小事。 When當 it它 sits in front of a noun放在名詞前面時 it takes hyphens要加連字號： a state-of-the-art laboratory一間最先進的實驗室。 When當 it它 comes after the verb放在動詞後面時 most writers多數寫作者 drop them會把連字號拿掉： the laboratory is state of the art這間實驗室是最先進的。

Also notice that it is stuck in the present. Something built in 1990 was state-of-the-art in 1990, but calling it state-of-the-art now would be wrong, and English speakers enjoy that joke — "state-of-the-art, if you mean 1995".

Also notice也注意 it它 is stuck in被固定在 the present「現在」裡。 Something built in 1990一個 1990 年造的東西 in 1990在 1990 年 was state-of-the-art是 state-of-the-art but但 now現在 calling it還叫它 state-of-the-art state-of-the-art would be wrong就會是錯的 and English speakers而英文使用者 enjoy that joke很愛開這個玩笑 — "state-of-the-art, if you mean 1995"如果你指的是 1995 年的話，很先進。

Though actually, in advertising the phrase has been used so often that many people now hear it as noise. A company selling you a phone will say state-of-the-art about a small change. So it is strong in a report or a news story, and weak in an advertisement.

Though actually不過其實 in advertising在廣告裡 the phrase這個片語 has been used so often被用得太頻繁 that many people以致很多人 now現在 hear it as noise把它聽成背景雜音。 A company selling you a phone賣你手機的公司 about a small change連一個小改動 will say state-of-the-art都會說 state-of-the-art。 So所以 it它 in a report or a news story在報告或新聞報導裡 is strong是有力的 and in an advertisement在廣告裡 weak是無力的。

There is also a plainer noun use underneath it: the state of the art means the level that a whole field has reached, as in "the state of the art in cancer treatment" — that one is neutral, not praise.

underneath it在它底下 There is also還有 a plainer noun use一個更平實的名詞用法： the state of the art the state of the art means意思是 that a whole field has reached整個領域已經達到的 the level水準 as in例如 "the state of the art in cancer treatment"癌症治療目前的技術水準 — that one那一個 is neutral是中性的 not praise不是稱讚。