To swat is to hit something with a quick, flat, slapping blow — most often an insect you want dead. You swat a mosquito on your arm, a fly on the table.

To swatswat這個動詞 is to hit something就是打某個東西，with a quick, flat, slapping blow用又快又扁平的一巴掌——most often an insect you want dead通常是想打死的昆蟲。You swat a mosquito on your arm你可以swat（拍打）手臂上的蚊子，a fly on the table或桌上的蒼蠅。

The hand is open, or you are holding something flat like a rolled newspaper. The movement is fast and a bit careless: you are not aiming carefully, you are just trying to make contact.

The hand is open手是張開的，or you are holding something flat like a rolled newspaper或者拿著扁平的東西，像捲起來的報紙。The movement is fast and a bit careless這個動作很快，而且有點隨便：you are not aiming carefully你不是在仔細瞄準，you are just trying to make contact只是想打中就好。

It is not only for insects. You can swat at someone's hand to stop them taking food, or a mother might playfully swat a child on the arm. The blow is light and not meant to injure — that lightness is built into the word, which is why swatting a person sounds almost affectionate, or at least not violent.

It is not only for insects它不是只能用在昆蟲上。You can swat at someone's hand你可以swat at（拍向）某人的手，to stop them taking food阻止他們拿食物，or a mother might playfully swat a child on the arm或者媽媽可能會開玩笑地swat（拍）小孩的手臂。The blow is light這一下力道很輕，and not meant to injure也不是要傷人——that lightness is built into the word這種輕巧感就內建在這個字裡，which is why swatting a person sounds almost affectionate這也是為什麼swat一個人聽起來幾乎是親暱的，or at least not violent至少不會顯得暴力。

Saying "swat at" instead of just "swat" changes something useful: swat the fly means you hit it; swat at the fly means you swung and probably missed. English gives you that little distinction for free, and learners rarely use it.

Saying "swat at" instead of just "swat"說「swat at」而不是單純的「swat」 changes something useful會改變一個很實用的意思：swat the fly means you hit itswat the fly意思是你打中了；swat at the fly means you swung and probably missedswat at the fly意思是你揮了，但大概沒打中。English gives you that little distinction for free英文白白給你這個小小的區別，and learners rarely use it但學習者很少用到它。

The noun exists too — "he took a swat at the wasp" — and a flyswatter is the flat plastic thing on a stick.

The noun exists too名詞用法也有——"he took a swat at the wasp"像「he took a swat at the wasp」（他朝黃蜂拍了一下）——and a flyswatterflyswatter is the flat plastic thing on a stick就是那種棍子上綁著扁平塑膠片的蒼蠅拍。

Note also that in American news, SWAT in capitals is a police unit, an unrelated abbreviation.

Note also另外要注意，that in American news在美國新聞裡，SWAT in capitals大寫的SWAT is a police unit是指一種警察特勤單位，an unrelated abbreviation是個不相關的縮寫。