A tom-tom is a drum you hit with your hands rather than with sticks — tall, narrow, and open or covered at the bottom. The word came into English from India, copying the sound the drum makes, and for a long time English writers used it for any hand drum played in Asia or Africa, which is loose and a bit careless of them.

A tom-tom is是 you你 with your hands用手 rather than with sticks而不是用鼓棒 hit打的 a drum一種鼓——tall高高的、narrow窄窄的，and at the bottom底部 open or covered有的開口、有的封住。The word這個詞 from India從印度 came into English進入英語，copying模仿 the drum這種鼓 makes發出 the sound的聲音，and for a long time而有很長一段時間 English writers英語作家 used it把它用在 in Asia or Africa亞洲或非洲 played演奏的 for any hand drum任何手鼓上，which is這樣用 loose很寬鬆 and a bit careless of them也有點隨便

In modern music the word has narrowed and moved: on a drum kit, the toms or tom-toms are the middle drums mounted above and beside the snare, and those ones are played with sticks. So a drummer today and an old adventure novel mean rather different objects by the same word.

In modern music在現代音樂裡 the word這個詞 has narrowed and moved變窄了、也搬了家：on a drum kit在爵士鼓組上，the toms or tom-toms toms 或 tom-toms are是 mounted above and beside the snare裝在小鼓上方和旁邊 the middle drums的中鼓，and those ones而那幾顆 with sticks是用鼓棒 are played打的。So所以 a drummer today今天的鼓手 and an old adventure novel和一本老的冒險小說，by the same word用同一個詞 mean指的是 rather different objects相當不同的東西

Because of that history, you should know that using tom-tom for someone's traditional drum can sound dated or dismissive; the real instrument usually has its own name. In everyday speech the shortened form tom is normal among musicians: 'hit the floor tom.'

Because of that history因為這段歷史，you should know that你要知道 using tom-tom用 tom-tom for someone's traditional drum稱呼別人的傳統鼓，can sound可能聽起來 dated or dismissive過時或看輕人；the real instrument真正的那件樂器 usually通常 has its own name有自己的名字。In everyday speech在日常說話裡 the shortened form tom縮短的 tom among musicians在樂手之間 is normal很平常：'hit the floor tom.'敲那顆落地 tom