'Tabular' describes information that has been set out in a table — that is, in rows going across and columns going down, so the reader can look along a line or down a line and compare. If a report gives you the numbers in tabular form, it means the numbers are in a table, not written out in sentences and not drawn as a picture. You meet it almost always in one fixed phrase: 'in tabular form'. Reports, school papers, computer manuals, science writing.

'Tabular' describes information that has been set out in a table「tabular」形容的是被排成表格的資訊——that is, in rows going across and columns going down也就是橫的是列、直的是欄，so the reader can look along a line or down a line and compare讓讀者可以沿著一行或一欄看下去做比較。If a report gives you the numbers in tabular form如果一份報告用tabular form給你數字，it means the numbers are in a table意思是這些數字是排成表格的，not written out in sentences and not drawn as a picture不是寫成一句一句的句子，也不是畫成圖。You meet it almost always in one fixed phrase這個字幾乎都出現在一個固定說法裡：'in tabular form'「in tabular form」（以表格形式）。Reports, school papers, computer manuals, science writing常見於報告、學校報告、電腦手冊、科學寫作。

It is a formal word; in everyday talk people just say 'in a table' or 'as a table', and that is perfectly good English. If a student writes 'the results are shown in a table', nothing is lost.

It is a formal word這是個正式的字；in everyday talk people just say 'in a table' or 'as a table'日常口語大家就說「in a table」或「as a table」，and that is perfectly good English這樣講完全沒問題。If a student writes 'the results are shown in a table'如果學生寫「the results are shown in a table」，nothing is lost意思一點都不會少。

It has a second life in science, where it describes a shape: a crystal or a rock formation that is flat and slab-like — thin in one direction, wide in the other two — is called tabular. Geologists say 'tabular crystals'. This is the older, more picture-like meaning: shaped like a board.

It has a second life in science在科學裡它還有第二個用法，where it describes a shape用來形容一種形狀：a crystal or a rock formation that is flat and slab-like扁平、像板子一樣的結晶或岩層——thin in one direction, wide in the other two一個方向很薄、另外兩個方向很寬——is called tabular就叫做tabular。Geologists say 'tabular crystals'地質學家會說「tabular crystals」（板狀晶體）。This is the older, more picture-like meaning這是比較舊、也比較具體的意思：shaped like a board形狀像一塊板子。

Note that the word does not mean the table you eat at, even though both words go back to the same Latin 'tabula'. That Latin word meant a flat board or plank, and English split it two ways: the furniture you put things on, and the chart with rows and columns.

Note that the word does not mean the table you eat at注意這個字不是指你吃飯的那張桌子，even though both words go back to the same Latin 'tabula'雖然兩個字都來自同一個拉丁字「tabula」。That Latin word meant a flat board or plank這個拉丁字原本指的是一塊平板或木板，and English split it two ways英文後來分成了兩條路：the furniture you put things on一個是放東西的家具，and the chart with rows and columns一個是有列有欄的表格。