A teardrop is one single tear — one drop of the salty water that comes from your eye when you cry.

A teardropTeardrop is指的是 one single tear一滴眼淚 — one drop of the salty water that comes from your eye when you cry也就是你哭的時候從眼睛流出來的那滴鹹水。

English already has the word 'tear' for this, so why have 'teardrop' too? Because it makes the single drop feel separate and visible: you use it when you want the reader to see one drop, on its own, on a cheek.

English already has the word 'tear' for this英文本來就有 tear 這個字, so why have 'teardrop' too那為什麼還要有 teardrop？Because it makes the single drop feel separate and visible因為它讓「單獨一滴」的感覺變得清楚可見：you use it你會用這個字 when you want the reader to see one drop, on its own, on a cheek當你想讓讀者看到臉頰上單獨一滴淚。

That makes it a rather written, slightly poetic word — songs and stories are full of teardrops, everyday conversation mostly is not. Ordinary speech says 'She had tears in her eyes', not 'She had teardrops in her eyes'.

That makes it這讓它成為 a rather written, slightly poetic word一個偏書面、有點詩意的字 — songs and stories are full of teardrops歌曲和故事裡滿是 teardrops, everyday conversation mostly is not日常對話大多不這樣用。Ordinary speech says一般口語會說 'She had tears in her eyes'「She had tears in her eyes」, not 'She had teardrops in her eyes'而不是「She had teardrops in her eyes」。

It has a second life as a shape word. A teardrop shape is round at the bottom and comes to a point at the top, the way a falling drop looks.

It has a second life它還有第二種用法, as a shape word當形狀詞用。A teardrop shape「Teardrop 形」 is round at the bottom底部是圓的 and comes to a point at the top頂端收成一個尖角, the way a falling drop looks就像一滴正在落下的水滴的樣子。

So you get teardrop earrings, a teardrop-shaped table, a teardrop caravan. In that use there is no sadness at all — it is purely about the outline.

So you get因此才有 teardrop earrings「淚滴形耳環」, a teardrop-shaped table「淚滴形桌子」, a teardrop caravan「淚滴形拖車」。In that use在這種用法裡 there is no sadness at all完全沒有悲傷的意思 — it is purely about the outline純粹是在講外形。