The tenderloin is a long, thin strip of meat that runs along each side of the backbone, inside the animal, in a cow or a pig. It is the softest meat on the animal, because that muscle does almost no work while the animal moves — muscles that work hard get tough, and this one barely works at all.

The tenderloin istenderloin是 a long, thin strip of meat一長條細薄的肉， that runs along each side of the backbone沿著脊椎兩側延伸， inside the animal長在動物體內， in a cow or a pig牛或豬都有。 It is the softest meat on the animal它是這隻動物身上最軟嫩的肉， because that muscle does almost no work因為這塊肌肉在動物活動時幾乎不出力， while the animal moves—— muscles that work hard get tough常出力的肌肉會變得結實， and this one barely works at all而這塊肌肉幾乎完全不出力。

That softness makes it expensive, and it is why beef tenderloin is what a steakhouse serves as filet mignon. It cooks fast and dries out easily, so cooks usually give it high heat for a short time. In the meat counter you will hear pork tenderloin far more often than beef tenderloin, because pork tenderloin is cheap and small, a common weeknight dinner.

That softness makes it expensive這種軟嫩讓它價格昂貴， and it is why beef tenderloin is what a steakhouse serves as filet mignon這也是為什麼牛的tenderloin就是牛排館端出來的filet mignon（菲力牛排）。 It cooks fast and dries out easily它很快就熟，也很容易變乾柴， so cooks usually give it high heat for a short time所以廚師通常會用大火短時間烹調。 In the meat counter在肉攤上， you will hear pork tenderloin far more often than beef tenderloin你聽到pork tenderloin（豬小里肌）的頻率會遠高於beef tenderloin， because pork tenderloin is cheap and small因為豬的tenderloin便宜又小份， a common weeknight dinner是常見的平日晚餐。

There is a second use, and it is a strange one worth knowing because it appears in books and news. In American English, 'the Tenderloin' is a name for a rough district of a city — the most famous is in San Francisco. The story usually told is that police posted there could afford better cuts of meat because of the bribes, so the name stuck; that is the common explanation, though not everyone accepts it. Either way, when an American says 'the Tenderloin' with a capital T, they mean a neighbourhood, not dinner.

There is a second use還有第二個用法， and it is a strange one worth knowing是個值得知道的奇特用法， because it appears in books and news因為它常出現在書和新聞裡。 In American English在美式英語裡， 'the Tenderloin' is a name for a rough district of a city「the Tenderloin」是某個城市治安不好的區域的名字—— the most famous is in San Francisco最有名的那個在舊金山。 The story usually told is常聽到的說法是， that police posted there could afford better cuts of meat派駐在那裡的警察靠收賄，買得起比較好的肉， because of the bribes因為收了賄賂， so the name stuck所以這個名字就流傳下來了； that is the common explanation這是常見的解釋， though not everyone accepts it雖然不是每個人都認同。 Either way不管怎樣， when an American says 'the Tenderloin' with a capital T當美國人說大寫T開頭的「the Tenderloin」， they mean a neighbourhood, not dinner他們指的是一個社區，不是晚餐。