Strychnine is a strong poison that comes from the seeds of a tree. A very small amount kills, and it kills in a terrible way — it makes all the muscles pull tight at once, so the body stiffens and arches.

Strychnine is a strong poison番木鱉鹼是一種劇毒 that comes from the seeds of a tree來自一種樹的種子。 A very small amount kills極少量就能致命, and it kills in a terrible way而且死法非常慘烈 — it makes all the muscles pull tight at once它會讓全身肌肉同時繃緊, so the body stiffens and arches讓身體變得僵硬、往後弓起。

Because of this it was famous in the past as a murder poison, and you will meet it most often in crime stories and detective novels; Agatha Christie used it in her very first book. In real life it has mainly been used to kill rats and other animals, though many countries now control or ban it for that too. It has also been given as a medicine in tiny doses — old tonics contained it, and athletes once took it as a stimulant — but this is history, not current practice; doctors do not use it now.

Because of this因為這樣 it was famous in the past as a murder poison它在過去以「謀殺毒藥」聞名, and you will meet it most often in crime stories and detective novels你最常會在犯罪故事和偵探小說裡遇到它; Agatha Christie used it in her very first bookAgatha Christie 在她的第一本書裡就用過它。 In real life在現實生活中 it has mainly been used to kill rats and other animals它主要被用來毒殺老鼠和其他動物, though many countries now control or ban it for that too雖然現在很多國家連這個用途也加以管制或禁止。 It has also been given as a medicine in tiny doses它也曾經被用極小的劑量當作藥物 — old tonics contained it早期的補藥裡有它, and athletes once took it as a stimulant運動員也曾把它當興奮劑服用 — but this is history, not current practice但這是歷史，不是現在的做法; doctors do not use it now現在的醫生已經不會用它。

Two notes on the word itself. The spelling is odd for English and the pronunciation surprises people: the ch is a hard k sound, and the final part sounds like 'neen', so roughly STRIK-neen. And it is uncountable — you say 'strychnine' or 'some strychnine', never 'a strychnine'.

Two notes on the word itself關於這個字本身，有兩點要注意。 The spelling is odd for English這個字的拼法對英文來說很奇怪 and the pronunciation surprises people發音也常讓人意外: the ch is a hard k soundch 要發成硬的 k 音, and the final part sounds like 'neen'最後的部分聽起來像 'neen', so roughly STRIK-neen所以大致唸成 STRIK-neen。 And it is uncountable而且它是不可數名詞 — you say 'strychnine' or 'some strychnine'你會說 'strychnine' 或 'some strychnine', never 'a strychnine'絕不會說 'a strychnine'。