A truce is an agreement between two sides who are fighting — armies, countries, gangs — to stop the fighting for a while. The key word is *for a while*.

A truce truce（休戰） is是 an agreement between two sides who are fighting交戰中的雙方之間的一種協議——軍隊、國家、幫派都算 to stop the fighting for a while暫時停止戰鬥。The key word關鍵字是 is *for a while*「暫時」（for a while）這個部分。

A truce is not peace. Peace means the fight is over; a truce means both sides put their weapons down for an agreed time and everyone knows they might pick them up again.

A truce truce（休戰） is not peace不是peace（和平）。Peace peace（和平） means代表 the fight is over戰鬥已經結束 a truce truce而 means代表 both sides put their weapons down for an agreed time雙方在說好的時間裡放下武器 and everyone knows they might pick them up again而大家都知道他們可能會再拿起來。

Soldiers stop shooting so each side can carry away its wounded, or so people can bring food into a city, or because it is Christmas. The word covers both the agreement itself and the stretch of time it buys you: you can *call a truce*, *agree a truce*, *break a truce*, or something can happen *during the truce*.

Soldiers stop shooting士兵停止開火 so each side can carry away its wounded讓雙方可以把傷兵抬走 or so people can bring food into a city或是讓人可以把食物送進城裡 or because it is Christmas又或者只是因為那天是聖誕節。The word covers both the agreement itself and the stretch of time it buys you這個字同時指協議本身，也指它換來的那段時間 you can *call a truce*, *agree a truce*, *break a truce*你可以*call a truce*（提議休戰）、*agree a truce*（同意休戰）、*break a truce*（破壞休戰） or something can happen *during the truce*或是某件事發生在*during the truce*（休戰期間）。

It is also very common in a smaller, softer way, and this is where your students will actually meet it. Two people who argue all the time — brothers, a married couple, two colleagues — can call a truce, meaning "let's stop this argument, at least for today." Said this way it is often half a joke, with hands held up: "Truce?" It is a slightly formal, slightly literary word, so using it about a small quarrel sounds pleasantly dramatic, and that is part of the fun.

It is also very common in a smaller, softer way它也很常用在比較小、比較溫和的場合 and this is where your students will actually meet it而這正是你的學生實際上會遇到它的地方。Two people who argue all the time兩個老是吵架的人 — brothers, a married couple, two colleagues——兄弟、夫妻、兩個同事 can call a truce都可以call a truce（喊休戰） meaning "let's stop this argument, at least for today."意思是「我們別吵了，至少今天先這樣」 Said this way這樣說的時候 it is often half a joke, with hands held up: "Truce?"常常帶點開玩笑的意味，雙手舉起來說一句「Truce？」 It is a slightly formal, slightly literary word這個字有點正式、有點文學味 so using it about a small quarrel sounds pleasantly dramatic所以用在小吵架上聽起來會有種討喜的戲劇感 and that is part of the fun這也是它有趣的地方。

Note that a truce is normally something both sides accept together; one side alone can *offer* a truce, but a truce that only one side keeps is not really a truce at all. Countable: *a truce*, *two truces*.

Note that請注意 a truce is normally something both sides accept together休戰通常是雙方一起接受的事 one side alone can *offer* a truce單方也可以*offer*（提出）休戰 but a truce that only one side keeps is not really a truce at all但如果只有一方遵守，那就不算是真正的休戰。Countable可數名詞 *a truce*, *two truces* a truce（一次休戰）、two truces（兩次休戰）。