Top-secret describes information or documents that must be kept completely hidden — usually from an enemy, and usually by a government or an army. 'Top-secret documents', 'a top-secret military base', 'the plan was top-secret'.

Top-secret describes Top-secret 形容 information or documents資訊或文件 that must be kept completely hidden必須被藏得徹徹底底—— usually from an enemy通常是不讓敵人知道， and usually by a government or an army而且通常是政府或軍隊在藏。 'Top-secret documents'最高機密文件、 'a top-secret military base'一座最高機密的軍事基地、 'the plan was top-secret'這項計畫是最高機密。

In its strict use it is a real security label. Governments sort their secrets into levels — confidential, secret, top secret — and 'top secret' is the highest of them, given to information that would do very serious harm if it got out. Only people with special permission may read it. In that official use it is often written as two words with no hyphen and sometimes in capitals: TOP SECRET.

In its strict use在嚴格的用法裡， it is a real security label它是真實存在的保密等級。 Governments政府 sort their secrets into levels把機密分成等級—— confidential, secret, top secret機密、極機密、絕對機密—— and 'top secret' is the highest of them而 'top secret' 是其中最高的一級， given to information給的是那種 that would do very serious harm if it got out一旦流出會造成非常嚴重傷害的資訊。 Only people with special permission只有拿到特別許可的人 may read it才可以讀。 In that official use在那種官方用法裡， it is often written它常寫成 as two words with no hyphen不加連字號的兩個字， and sometimes in capitals有時全用大寫： TOP SECRET。

But most people meet the word in its second, playful use: anything you are keeping quiet. A surprise party, a family recipe, who you have a crush on. 'It's top-secret — don't tell anyone.' Here it is a joke borrowed from the serious world, and it sounds light and fun rather than dangerous.

But但 most people meet the word多數人遇到這個字， in its second, playful use是在它第二種、帶玩笑的用法裡： anything you are keeping quiet任何你想瞞著不說的事。 A surprise party驚喜派對、 a family recipe家傳食譜、 who you have a crush on你暗戀誰。 'It's top-secret — don't tell anyone.'這是最高機密——不要跟別人說喔。 Here it is a joke這裡它是一個玩笑， borrowed from the serious world從嚴肅世界借來的， and it sounds light and fun聽起來輕鬆好玩， rather than dangerous而不危險。

Both uses are common; the tone of the sentence tells you which one is meant. It sits before a noun ('a top-secret meeting') or after 'be' ('the recipe is top-secret').

Both uses are common兩種用法都常見； the tone of the sentence句子的語氣 tells you which one is meant會告訴你是哪一種。 It sits before a noun它放在名詞前 ('a top-secret meeting'一場最高機密的會議)， or after 'be'或放在 be 動詞後 ('the recipe is top-secret'這份食譜是最高機密)。