This word has two lives. In grammar — the life this entry is about — an uncountable noun is one English treats as a mass, not as separate items you can number.

This word has two lives這個字有兩種身分。In grammar在文法裡——the life this entry is about也就是這一條主要在講的那種身分——an uncountable noun is one English treats as a massuncountable noun指的是英文把它當成一整團、不分個體來看的名詞，not as separate items you can number而不是可以一個一個數的東西。

You cannot say 'two moneys' or 'three happinesses', and you cannot put 'a' in front: not 'an information', just 'information'. These nouns take a singular verb ('the news is good'), use 'much' and 'little' instead of 'many' and 'few', and if you need to count them you count the container or the portion instead: two pieces of advice, a glass of water, three bowls of rice. Dictionaries mark them [U], and countable ones [C].

You cannot say 'two moneys' or 'three happinesses'你不能說「two moneys」或「three happinesses」，and you cannot put 'a' in front前面也不能加「a」：not 'an information', just 'information'不能說「an information」，只能說「information」。These nouns take a singular verb ('the news is good')這種名詞要配單數動詞（像「the news is good」），use 'much' and 'little' instead of 'many' and 'few'用「much」「little」而不是「many」「few」，and if you need to count them you count the container or the portion instead如果真的要數，就數容器或份量：two pieces of advice, a glass of water, three bowls of rice像「two pieces of advice」「a glass of water」「three bowls of rice」。Dictionaries mark them [U]字典會標成[U]，and countable ones [C]可數名詞則標[C]。

The important thing, and the thing that trips everyone up, is that this is a decision each language makes for itself, not a fact about the world. Rice is uncountable in English even though you can literally count the grains. And many nouns have both lives: 'coffee' is uncountable as a substance but countable when you order ('two coffees, please'); 'experience' is uncountable when it means knowledge you have built up, countable when it means single events.

The important thing, and the thing that trips everyone up最重要、也最容易讓人搞混的一點是，is that this is a decision each language makes for itself這是每個語言自己決定的，not a fact about the world不是世界本身的事實。Rice is uncountable in English英文裡rice是不可數名詞，even though you can literally count the grains就算你真的能一粒一粒數米也一樣。And many nouns have both lives而且很多名詞兩種身分都有：'coffee' is uncountable as a substance「coffee」指這種東西本身時是不可數的，but countable when you order ('two coffees, please')但點餐時可數（像「two coffees, please」）；'experience' is uncountable when it means knowledge you have built up「experience」指累積下來的經驗時不可數，countable when it means single events指單一事件時就可數。

Outside grammar books, 'uncountable' has an ordinary meaning too: too many to count. 'Uncountable stars.' That use is rather literary; in normal speech people say 'countless' or just 'so many'.

Outside grammar books在文法書之外，'uncountable' has an ordinary meaning too「uncountable」也有一個日常的意思：too many to count多到數不清。'Uncountable stars.'「Uncountable stars.」（數不清的星星）That use is rather literary這種用法比較偏文學；in normal speech people say 'countless' or just 'so many'日常口語大家會說「countless」或直接說「so many」。