*Torque* is turning force — the strength of a push or pull that makes something spin around a centre point. When you open a tight jar, the force your hand puts on the lid to twist it is torque. When you use a longer spanner to loosen a bolt, you get more torque from the same effort, because torque depends both on how hard you push and on how far from the centre you push.

*Torque*扭力 is是 turning force使物體繞著一個中心點旋轉的力——the strength of a push or pull推或拉的力量 that能讓 makes something spin around a centre point某個東西繞著中心點轉動。When當 you你 open打開 a tight jar一個很緊的罐子, the force你的手施加在 your hand puts on the lid瓶蓋上, to twist it把它扭開的力量 is就是 torque。When當 you你 use用 a longer spanner一支更長的扳手 to loosen a bolt來鬆開螺栓, you你 get能用同樣的力氣 more torque from the same effort獲得更大的扭力, because因為 torque扭力 depends both取決於 on how hard你施力的大小 you push, and和 on how far from the centre you push你施力點離中心的遠近。

In cars this is the word that separates people who know engines from people who don't, so it is worth getting right. An engine has both *power* (usually given in horsepower) and *torque*. Roughly: torque is the shove you feel when you press the pedal and the car pulls away or climbs a hill; power is more about how fast it can go and how quickly it keeps gaining speed.

In cars在汽車上, this這個字 is是 the word分辨懂不懂引擎的人的字 that separates people who know engines from people who don't, so所以 it它 is worth getting right值得把它搞清楚。An engine一具引擎 has both同時有 *power*馬力 (usually通常 given in horsepower以horsepower表示) and和 *torque*扭力。Roughly大致上說: torque扭力 is是 the shove你踩下油門、車子加速前進或爬坡時 you feel感受到的那股推力 when you press the pedal and the car pulls away or climbs a hill; power馬力 is比較是關於 more about它能跑多快 how fast it can go and和它加速的快慢 how quickly it keeps gaining speed。

Truck drivers and off-road drivers care about torque; racing fans talk about power. Electric cars are famous for giving all their torque the instant you touch the pedal, which is why they feel so quick from a standstill even when the top speed is nothing special.

Truck drivers and off-road drivers卡車司機和越野車手 care about在意的是 torque扭力; racing fans賽車迷 talk about聊的是 power馬力。Electric cars電動車 are famous以…聞名 for giving一踩踏板 all their torque全部的扭力 the instant就立刻釋放出來 you touch the pedal, which這也是為什麼 is why they他們 feel so quick起步這麼快的原因 from a standstill從靜止狀態, even when即使 the top speed極速 is nothing special並不特別出色。

There is also a *torque wrench* — a tool that lets you tighten a bolt to exactly the right tightness, no more. Mechanics use it constantly, and here *torque* turns into a verb: to torque a bolt to a set figure. That verb use lives almost entirely in workshops and manuals.

There是也有 is also a *torque wrench* 一種扭力扳手——a tool一種工具 that讓你 lets you tighten a bolt把螺栓鎖到 to exactly the right tightness剛好正確的鬆緊度, no more不多不少。Mechanics技師 use it constantly經常使用它, and而 here在這裡 *torque* torque也 turns into a verb變成了動詞: to torque a bolt to a set figure把螺栓鎖到指定的數值。That verb use這種動詞用法 lives almost entirely幾乎只出現在 in workshops and manuals修車廠和使用手冊裡。

One separate meaning you may bump into: a *torc* or *torque* is also an ancient neck ring of twisted metal, worn by Celtic people long ago. Same twisting idea, completely different picture. It shows up in history books and museums.

One separate meaning另一個不同的意思 you你 may bump into可能會碰到: a *torc* or *torque* torc或torque is也 also一種古代的頸環 an ancient neck ring of twisted metal用扭轉的金屬做成, worn由古代凱爾特人 by Celtic people long ago佩戴的。Same twisting idea同樣的「扭轉」概念, completely different picture卻是完全不同的東西。It它 shows up出現在 in history books and museums歷史書和博物館裡。

Pronunciation: it rhymes with *fork*. The -que ending is silent as a syllable — do not say "tor-kway".

Pronunciation發音上: it它 rhymes with跟*fork* *fork*押韻。The -que ending結尾的-que silent不發音 as a syllable當作一個音節來說——do not不要 say唸成 "tor-kway" "tor-kway"。