Talent-spotting is the work of finding people who are unusually good at something before everybody else notices — a fourteen-year-old who plays football like an adult, a singer in a small club, a young programmer in a university lab. The heart of the word is early. Anyone can see a star; a talent-spotter sees the person who is going to be one.

Talent-spotting發掘人才 is the work of finding people who are unusually good at something指的是在大家都還沒發現之前 before everybody else notices就先找到某方面特別厲害的人的工作 — a fourteen-year-old who plays football like an adult比如一個踢球像大人一樣厲害的十四歲小孩, a singer in a small club小酒吧裡的一位歌手, a young programmer in a university lab大學實驗室裡的年輕工程師。The heart of the word is early這個詞的核心是「早」。Anyone can see a star任何人都看得出誰是明星; a talent-spotter sees the person who is going to be one但星探看得出誰將會成為明星。

It is most at home in sport and music, where clubs and record labels send people out to watch matches and gigs, but you will meet it in business and acting too. The person who does it is a talent scout, or a talent-spotter. As a verb it is 'talent-spot', though honestly the noun and the -ing form are what people actually say: 'He does talent-spotting for a Japanese club.' The hyphen is usual in British writing; American writing often leaves it out.

It is most at home in sport and music它最常用在體育和音樂領域, where clubs and record labels send people out to watch matches and gigs俱樂部和唱片公司會派人去看比賽和演出, but you will meet it in business and acting too但商業和演藝圈也會遇到這個詞。The person who does it is a talent scout, or a talent-spotter做這件事的人叫做球探，或星探。As a verb當動詞用時 it is 'talent-spot'是 talent-spot, though honestly不過老實說 the noun and the -ing form are what people actually say人們實際上比較常用名詞和 -ing 形式: 'He does talent-spotting for a Japanese club.'像「He does talent-spotting for a Japanese club.」The hyphen is usual in British writing英式寫法通常會加連字號; American writing often leaves it out美式寫法則常常省略。

The tone is warm but not innocent — the talent is being spotted so it can be signed, bought, and used, and the same word gets used, half-jokingly, when intelligence agencies quietly pick out possible recruits.

The tone is warm but not innocent這個詞的語氣溫暖，但並不天真 — the talent is being spotted so it can be signed, bought, and used人才被發掘出來，是為了被簽下、被買下、被利用, and the same word gets used, half-jokingly而這個詞也半開玩笑地被用 when intelligence agencies quietly pick out possible recruits在情報單位悄悄物色可能的招募對象時。

It is not the same as recruiting. Recruiting is hiring people for jobs you have; talent-spotting is noticing potential in someone who is not ready yet.

It is not the same as recruiting它跟招募不一樣。Recruiting is hiring people for jobs you have招募是為現有的職缺找人來做; talent-spotting is noticing potential in someone who is not ready yet發掘人才則是在一個人還沒準備好之前，就注意到他的潛力。