An object people believe carries magic power to protect or help whoever owns it — a stone, a ring, a small carving, a piece of writing worn round the neck. The key idea is protection and good fortune flowing from the object itself, not just a happy feeling. It is a slightly literary, old-feeling word, at home in stories about magic, in history and in writing about religion, more than in daily conversation.

An object people believe carries magic power一個大家相信帶有魔力的物品 to protect or help whoever owns it用來保護或幫助擁有它的人 — a stone, a ring, a small carving, a piece of writing worn round the neck像一顆石頭、一枚戒指、一個小雕刻、一張掛在脖子上的符。The key idea is protection and good fortune flowing from the object itself關鍵概念是保護和好運是從物品本身散發出來的, not just a happy feeling而不只是一種開心的感覺。It is a slightly literary, old-feeling word這是一個帶點文學味、老派感覺的字, at home in stories about magic, in history and in writing about religion常出現在魔法故事、歷史和宗教相關的文章裡, more than in daily conversation而不是日常對話中。

Two extensions are worth knowing. People use it loosely for any object they keep for luck even without really believing in magic — a footballer's old boots, a pen used to pass an exam. And in British sports writing it has a special use: a team's star player is called their talisman, meaning the team seems to win when he plays and lose when he does not.

Two extensions are worth knowing.有兩種延伸用法值得知道。People use it loosely for any object they keep for luck人們也會鬆散地用它來指任何為了求好運而留著的物品, even without really believing in magic就算不是真的相信魔法 — a footballer's old boots, a pen used to pass an exam像足球員的舊球鞋、考試過關用的那支筆。And in British sports writing it has a special use而在英國的運動報導裡它還有個特別用法: a team's star player is called their talisman一支隊伍的王牌球員會被稱為talisman, meaning the team seems to win when he plays and lose when he does not意思是他上場球隊就好像會贏，他不上場就好像會輸。

The plural is talismans, with a plain -s. There is also a rare verb, to talisman something, meaning to protect it with such a charm, but you will almost never meet it.

The plural is talismans, with a plain -s.複數是talismans，加一個單純的-s。There is also a rare verb, to talisman something也有一個很少見的動詞用法to talisman something, meaning to protect it with such a charm意思是用這樣的護身符來保護它, but you will almost never meet it但你幾乎不會遇到。