A real city in Mali, in West Africa, on the southern edge of the Sahara. It is a real place with a real history — centuries ago it was rich and famous for trade and for its schools and libraries, and its proper spelling today is Tombouctou.

A real city一座真實的城市 in Mali, in West Africa位在西非的馬利 on the southern edge of the Sahara在撒哈拉沙漠的南緣。 It它 is a real place with a real history是個有真實歷史的真實地方 centuries ago it was rich and famous for trade and for its schools and libraries幾世紀前曾因貿易、學校和圖書館而富裕又出名 and its proper spelling today is Tombouctou現在正式的拼法是 Tombouctou。

But in everyday English the name is mostly used a second way: as a joke name for somewhere impossibly far away and hard to reach. 'From here to Timbuktu' means as far as you can imagine. 'He'd follow her to Timbuktu' means anywhere at all.

But不過 in everyday English在日常英文裡 the name is mostly used a second way這個名字大多是用在第二種意思上 as a joke name for somewhere impossibly far away and hard to reach當成一個開玩笑的說法，指遠得不可能到、難以抵達的地方。 'From here to Timbuktu'「from here to Timbuktu」 means as far as you can imagine意思是遠到你能想像的極限。 'He'd follow her to Timbuktu'「he'd follow her to Timbuktu」 means anywhere at all意思是不管到天涯海角都願意。

English speakers reach for it because the name sounds distant and slightly funny to them, not because they know anything about Mali. It is worth knowing that this use can sit badly with people — it treats someone's home city as a punchline for nowhere — so it is fine to understand it and fine to be careful about using it.

English speakers英語人士 reach for it之所以會用這個字 because the name sounds distant and slightly funny to them是因為這名字聽起來遙遠又有點好笑 not because they know anything about Mali並不是因為他們對馬利有什麼了解。 It is worth knowing值得知道的是 that this use can sit badly with people這種用法可能會讓人不舒服 it treats someone's home city as a punchline for nowhere因為它把別人的家鄉城市當成「鳥不生蛋的地方」的笑點 so it is fine to understand it and fine to be careful about using it所以你可以理解這個用法，但用的時候小心一點也無妨。