Twill is a kind of cloth. What makes it twill is not what it is made of, but the way the threads are crossed when it is woven.

Twill斜紋布is a kind of cloth是一種布料。What makes it twill讓它成為斜紋布的關鍵，is not不在於what it is made of它是用什麼材料做的，but而是在於the way the threads are crossed when it is woven織的時候紗線交叉的方式。

In plain cloth, the threads go over one, under one, over one — very even, and the surface looks flat. In twill, each thread goes over two or three and then under one, and each new row starts one step to the side.

In plain cloth在平織布裡，the threads go over one, under one, over one紗線是一上一下、一上一下交叉的——very even非常規律，and the surface looks flat表面看起來是平的。In twill在斜紋布裡，each thread每一條紗線goes over two or three先跨過兩三條，and then under one再穿到一條下面，and each new row starts one step to the side而且每一新排的起點都往旁邊移一格。

Because every row is shifted, the crossing points line up into slanting lines that run across the cloth, like many small diagonal steps. If you look closely at a pair of jeans, you can see those little slanted lines — denim is a twill.

Because every row is shifted因為每一排都往旁邊移了一點，the crossing points line up交叉點就連成into slanting lines一條條斜斜的線，that run across the cloth橫貫整塊布，like many small diagonal steps就像很多小小的斜階梯。If you look closely at a pair of jeans如果你仔細看一條牛仔褲，you can see those little slanted lines就能看到那些小小的斜線——denim is a twill牛仔布denim就是一種斜紋布。

So is gabardine, so is the thick cotton in many work trousers and coats. The word is mostly used by people who work with cloth: shop staff, tailors, factory people, sewing hobbyists. A label may say "cotton twill" or "wool twill", meaning the material and then the weave.

So is gabardine毛華達呢gabardine也是，so is the thick cotton in many work trousers and coats許多工作褲和外套裡的厚棉布也是。The word is mostly used by people who work with cloth這個字大多是做布料相關工作的人在用：shop staff, tailors, factory people, sewing hobbyists店員、裁縫師、工廠的人，還有喜歡縫紉的人。A label may say標籤上可能會寫"cotton twill" or "wool twill"「cotton twill」或「wool twill」，meaning the material and then the weave意思就是先講材質、再講織法。

Ordinary speakers rarely say "twill" in daily talk; they just say "jeans" or "a jacket". Twill cloth is usually strong and it hides dirt and creases better than plain weave, which is why it is used for hard-wearing clothes.

Ordinary speakers一般人rarely say "twill" in daily talk平常講話很少會說「twill」；they just say他們就直接說"jeans" or "a jacket"「牛仔褲」或「外套」。Twill cloth is usually strong斜紋布通常很耐用，and it hides dirt and creases better than plain weave而且比平織布更不容易顯髒、顯皺，which is why也因此it is used for hard-wearing clothes常被用來做耐磨的衣物。

There is also a verb "to twill" — to weave cloth this way — but you will almost never meet it outside a textile book. One more thing, though: because twill has a right side with clear diagonal lines and a back side that looks different, cloth people also talk about which way the lines lean. It is a small detail, but it is the whole reason the word exists.

There is also a verb "to twill"也有一個動詞「to twill」——to weave cloth this way意思是用這種方式織布——but you will almost never meet it outside a textile book不過除了紡織的書，你幾乎不會遇到它。One more thing, though不過還有一件事：because twill has a right side with clear diagonal lines因為斜紋布正面的斜線很明顯，and a back side that looks different背面看起來又不一樣，cloth people also talk about which way the lines lean所以做布料的人也會討論線是往哪邊斜的。It is a small detail這是個小細節，but it is the whole reason the word exists但卻是這個字存在的全部理由。