A talon is the sharp, curved claw on the foot of a bird that hunts — an eagle, a hawk, an owl. We keep the word for hunting birds. A chicken has claws, not talons; a cat has claws too.

A talon is the sharp, curved claw on the foot of a bird that huntsTalon是猛禽腳上那種尖銳、彎曲的爪子——an eagle, a hawk, an owl像老鷹、鷹隼、貓頭鷹這類會獵食的鳥。We keep the word for hunting birds這個字我們只留給會獵食的鳥用。A chicken has claws, not talons雞有的是claws爪子，不是talons；a cat has claws too貓也是有claws。

The difference is not really about the shape, it is about what the foot is for: talons are the tool the bird kills and carries with. That is why the word feels strong. When people describe a hawk, they often say it "sank its talons into" something, and you can hear the danger in it.

The difference is not really about the shape差別其實不在形狀，it is about what the foot is for而是在這隻腳是做什麼用的：talons are the tool the bird kills and carries withtalons是鳥用來獵殺和抓著獵物的工具。That is why the word feels strong這就是為什麼這個字聽起來很有力道。When people describe a hawk講到鷹隼的時候，they often say it "sank its talons into" something人們常說牠「sank its talons into把爪子插進」了什麼東西，and you can hear the danger in it你可以從中聽出那種危險感。

Because of that feeling, writers stretch the word to people. "He had the money in his talons" means someone is holding it the way a bird holds prey — hard, and not letting go. This is a picture, not a normal way to talk, and it usually sounds unfriendly. You would not say it about a person you like.

Because of that feeling, writers stretch the word to people就是因為那種感覺，作家會把這個字延伸用在人身上。"He had the money in his talons" means someone is holding it the way a bird holds prey「He had the money in his talons他把錢抓在爪子裡」，意思是有人抓著錢的方式就像鳥抓著獵物一樣——hard, and not letting go抓得很緊，不放手。This is a picture, not a normal way to talk這是一種畫面式的說法，不是平常講話的方式，and it usually sounds unfriendly通常聽起來不太友善。You would not say it about a person you like你不會用它來形容一個你喜歡的人。

Though actually, there is a second talon that has nothing to do with birds, and card players in Taiwan may meet it: in some card games the pile of cards left over after dealing is called the talon. Same spelling, different world.

Though actually, there is a second talon that has nothing to do with birds不過其實還有第二個talon，跟鳥完全無關，and card players in Taiwan may meet it台灣打牌的人可能會遇到：in some card games the pile of cards left over after dealing is called the talon在一些紙牌遊戲裡，發完牌剩下的那疊牌就叫做talon。Same spelling, different world拼法一樣，世界完全不同。

And in a few places you will see it for the curved part of a key or a lock. These are small,专門 uses — the bird is the one your students need.

And in a few places you will see it for the curved part of a key or a lock而且在少數地方，你會看到它指鑰匙或鎖上彎曲的那個部分。These are small,专門 uses都是些小眾、專門的用法——the bird is the one your students need你的學生需要知道的是鳥的那個意思。