Tallow is hard fat from animals — usually cattle or sheep — that has been melted down and cleaned so that it sets into a firm, pale, waxy block. Before cheap electric light, this was how ordinary people made candles: you dipped a string again and again into melted tallow until the layers built up.

Tallow is牛脂是 from animals取自動物 usually cattle or sheep（通常是牛或羊） hard fat的硬質油脂， that has been melted down and cleaned經過熬煉、過濾後 so that it sets into會凝結成 a firm, pale, waxy block一塊堅硬、淡色、蠟狀的塊。 Before cheap electric light在便宜的電燈出現以前， this was how ordinary people made candles一般人就是這樣做蠟燭的： you dipped a string把一條繩子 again and again一次又一次地 into melted tallow浸入融化的牛脂， until the layers built up直到一層層疊起來。

Tallow candles were the poor person's candle. They were cheap, but they smoked, they dripped, and they smelled of old meat; rich houses burned beeswax candles instead, which cost far more and smelled sweet.

Tallow candles牛脂蠟燭 were the poor person's candle是窮人用的蠟燭。 They were cheap它們便宜， but they smoked但是會冒煙、 they dripped會滴油、 and they smelled of old meat還帶著一股舊肉味； rich houses burned beeswax candles instead有錢人家則是燒蜂蠟蠟燭， which cost far more價格貴得多， and smelled sweet聞起來卻很香甜。

Tallow was also used for soap, for greasing wheels and machines, and for treating leather to keep out water.

Tallow牛脂 was also used for soap也用來做肥皂、 for greasing wheels and machines替輪子和機器上油、 and for treating leather to keep out water還用來處理皮革以防水。

It is mostly an old word now, tied to history lessons, museums and old novels — you would not use it about the fat in your kitchen.

It is mostly an old word now現在它多半是個舊詞了， tied to history lessons, museums and old novels跟歷史課、博物館和老小說有關—— you would not use it你不會用它 about the fat in your kitchen來說廚房裡的油脂。

But it has come back a little in two places: some people making handmade soap and skin creams use tallow on purpose, and some cooks and restaurants say 'beef tallow' when they mean beef fat used for frying. There is also a verb 'to tallow', meaning to rub or cover something with tallow, but it is rare and old.

But it has come back a little in two places不過它在兩個地方稍微回流了一點： some people making handmade soap and skin creams有些人做手工肥皂和面霜時 use tallow on purpose會刻意用牛脂， and some cooks and restaurants say 'beef tallow'也有些廚師和餐廳講「beef tallow」， when they mean beef fat used for frying指的是用來油炸的牛油。 There is also a verb 'to tallow'也有「to tallow」這個動詞， meaning to rub or cover something with tallow意思是用牛脂塗抹或覆蓋某樣東西， but it is rare and old但很少見也很舊。

One useful distinction: 'tallow' is hard fat that has been rendered — melted and strained. 'Lard' is the same kind of thing but from pigs. 'Suet' is the raw, hard fat around an animal's kidneys, before you melt it.

One useful distinction有個實用的區別： 'tallow' is「tallow」是 that has been rendered已經煉過 melted and strained（熔化、過濾過） hard fat的硬質油脂。 'Lard' is the same kind of thing「lard」是同樣的東西， but from pigs只是來自豬。 'Suet' is「suet」則是 around an animal's kidneys動物腎臟周圍、 before you melt it還沒熔煉過的 the raw, hard fat生硬脂肪。