A small pale insect that lives in huge colonies and eats wood. Termites are famous for what they do to houses: they tunnel through beams, door frames, and furniture from the inside, so the wood can look perfectly fine on the surface while it is hollow underneath. That is why people talk about termites with a kind of dread — you usually discover them after the damage is done.

A small pale insect一種淺色的小昆蟲 that lives in huge colonies生活在龐大的群落裡 and eats wood會吃木頭。Termites are famous for白蟻最出名的就是 what they do to houses牠們對房子做的事：they tunnel through beams, door frames, and furniture牠們啃穿樑柱、門框和家具 from the inside從內部，so所以 the wood can look perfectly fine on the surface木頭表面看起來完全沒事 while it is hollow underneath裡面卻已經被蛀空了。That is why這就是為什麼 people talk about termites with a kind of dread大家講到白蟻會帶點恐懼——you usually discover them你通常才會發現牠們 after the damage is done等到損害已經造成了。

They live in a colony with a queen, and in hot places they build tall hard earth mounds that can be taller than a person. In English people often call them 'white ants' because they look like pale ants, but they are not ants at all — they are more closely related to cockroaches. Scientists mind about this; ordinary speakers don't.

They live in a colony with a queen牠們群居生活，有一隻蟻后，and而 in hot places在炎熱的地方 they build tall hard earth mounds牠們會蓋出高聳堅硬的土丘 that can be taller than a person甚至比人還高。In English英文裡 people often call them 'white ants'常常叫牠們'white ants'（白蟻） because they look like pale ants因為牠們看起來像淺色的螞蟻，but但 they are not ants at all牠們根本不是螞蟻——they are more closely related to cockroaches牠們跟蟑螂的關係反而比較近。Scientists mind about this科學家在意這個區別；ordinary speakers don't一般人不在意。

The word is a normal countable noun: one termite, a lot of termites. You will meet it most often in the phrases 'termite damage', 'a termite problem', and 'termite inspection' — in America, having a house checked for termites before you buy it is a routine and rather serious step.

The word is a normal countable noun這個字是普通的可數名詞：one termiteone termite一隻白蟻, a lot of termitesa lot of termites很多白蟻。You will meet it most often你最常會遇到它 in the phrases在這些詞組裡 'termite damage''termite damage'（白蟻蟲害）, 'a termite problem''a termite problem'（白蟻問題）, and和 'termite inspection''termite inspection'（白蟻檢查）——in America在美國，having a house checked for termites before you buy it買房子前檢查有沒有白蟻 is a routine and rather serious step是例行、而且相當重要的一個步驟。

People sometimes use it as a picture for something quiet that eats away at a thing from inside: 'corruption works like termites'. That is a figure of speech, not a separate meaning, but you will see it.

People sometimes use it as a picture有時候人們會用它來比喻 for something quiet that eats away at a thing from inside某種安靜地從內部侵蝕一個東西的力量：'corruption works like termites''corruption works like termites'（貪腐就像白蟻一樣）。That is a figure of speech這是一種比喻說法，not a separate meaning不是另外一個意思，but但 you will see it你會看到這種用法。