A group inside a species — animals or plants that are clearly the same kind as the rest, and can still breed with them, but that look a little different or live in a different place. Tigers are one species; the Bengal tiger and the Siberian tiger are subspecies of it.

A group inside a species是物種裡面的一個群體 — animals or plants that are clearly the same kind as the rest動植物明顯和其他成員屬於同一種, and can still breed with them也還能跟牠們繁殖, but that look a little different or live in a different place但長得有點不一樣，或住在不同的地方. Tigers are one species老虎是一個物種; the Bengal tiger and the Siberian tiger are subspecies of it孟加拉虎和西伯利亞虎則是它的亞種。

It is a word from biology, used when scientists want to name a local form without saying it is a separate animal altogether. In writing you will see it as the third part of the name: Panthera tigris tigris.

It is a word from biology這是個生物學的字, used when scientists want to name a local form用在科學家想為某個地方性的形態命名 without saying it is a separate animal altogether又不想說它是完全獨立的動物時. In writing you will see it as the third part of the name在書寫上，你會看到它出現在學名的第三部分: Panthera tigris tigrisPanthera tigris tigris。

Two things to notice. First, the spelling never changes — one subspecies, two subspecies, exactly like 'species'; there is no 'subspecie'.

Two things to notice有兩件事要注意. First第一, the spelling never changes拼法永遠不變 — one subspecies, two subspeciesone subspecies、two subspecies, exactly like 'species'跟'species'一樣; there is no 'subspecie'沒有'subspecie'這種寫法。

Second, biologists argue a great deal about which groups really deserve the label. Where you draw the line between a subspecies and a full species, or between a subspecies and just a local variety, is a matter of judgement, and different books will give you different counts for the same animal.

Second第二, biologists argue a great deal about which groups really deserve the label生物學家對於哪些群體真正夠格用這個標籤，爭論得非常多. Where you draw the line between a subspecies and a full species亞種和完整物種之間的界線要畫在哪裡, or between a subspecies and just a local variety或者亞種和單純的地方變異之間的界線要畫在哪裡, is a matter of judgement都是主觀判斷的問題, and different books will give you different counts for the same animal所以不同的書對同一種動物會給出不同的分類數字。

Outside biology, people sometimes use it as a joke about types of people — 'a strange subspecies of office worker' — and that use is playful and slightly rude.

Outside biology在生物學之外, people sometimes use it as a joke about types of people人們有時會拿它來開類型玩笑，形容一種人 — 'a strange subspecies of office worker''a strange subspecies of office worker'（一種奇怪的上班族亞種） — and that use is playful and slightly rude這種用法帶點玩笑，也有點不客氣。