A utensil is a tool you use with your hands to do a household job — most often a job in the kitchen. Spoons, knives, forks, ladles, spatulas, whisks, peelers, tongs: all utensils. It is a countable noun, so one utensil, three utensils.

A utensilutensil is a tool you use with your hands是你用手來做的工具 to do a household job用來做家事 — most often a job in the kitchen最常見的是廚房裡的工作。 Spoons湯匙、 knives刀子、 forks叉子、 ladles勺子、 spatulas鍋鏟、 whisks打蛋器、 peelers削皮刀、 tongs夾子： all utensils這些全都是 utensils。 It它 is a countable noun是可數名詞， so所以 one utensil是 one utensil、 three utensilsthree utensils。

The word is slightly formal. In everyday speech people say 'kitchen things', 'cooking tools', or just name the object: 'pass me a spoon'. 'Utensil' shows up on packaging, in recipes, in shop signs, in restaurant rules, and in writing that needs one word to cover a whole drawerful of different objects. If a recipe says 'wash all utensils in hot water', it saves listing every item.

The word這個字 is slightly formal稍微正式一點。 In everyday speech日常口語裡， people大家 say會說 'kitchen things'「kitchen things」、 'cooking tools'「cooking tools」、 or或是 just name the object直接說物品的名字： 'pass me a spoon'「pass me a spoon」。 'Utensil'「Utensil」 shows up會出現 on packaging包裝上、 in recipes食譜裡、 in shop signs商店招牌上、 in restaurant rules餐廳的規定裡、 and and in writing that needs one word to cover a whole drawerful of different objects以及需要用一個字概括一整個抽屜各種物品的文章裡。 If a recipe says如果食譜寫 'wash all utensils in hot water'「wash all utensils in hot water」， it saves listing every item就不用把每樣東西都列出來。

The usual line drawn is between utensils and appliances. A utensil is simple and hand-powered; an appliance plugs in. So a wooden spoon is a utensil and a blender is an appliance. A pot or a frying pan sits on the edge — some people count cookware as utensils, some keep the words apart.

The usual line drawn一般會畫出的界線 is between utensils and appliances是在 utensils 和 appliances 之間。 A utensilutensil is simple and hand-powered是簡單、靠手操作的； an appliance而 appliance plugs in則是要插電的。 So所以 a wooden spoon木湯匙 is是 a utensilutensil， and而 a blender果汁機 is是 an applianceappliance。 A pot or a frying pan鍋子或平底鍋 sits on the edge則介於邊緣 — some people有些人 count cookware as utensils把鍋具也算進 utensils， some有些人 keep the words apart則把兩者分開。

Though actually, in American English 'utensils' on its own very often means the things you eat with: knife, fork, spoon. A takeaway shop asking 'Do you need utensils?' means cutlery, not a whisk. British speakers would say 'cutlery' there, and this is a genuine difference worth remembering.

Though actually不過其實， in American English在美式英文裡， 'utensils' on its own「utensils」單獨用的時候 very often means很常指的是 the things you eat with吃飯用的東西： knife刀、 fork叉、 spoon湯匙。 A takeaway shop asking外帶店問 'Do you need utensils?'「Do you need utensils?」 means指的是 cutlery餐具， not a whisk不是打蛋器。 British speakers英式英文 would say會說 'cutlery' there在這裡「cutlery」， and而 this is a genuine difference worth remembering這是個值得記住的真實差異。

The word is not strictly limited to the kitchen either — you can meet 'writing utensils' for pens and pencils, and 'garden utensils', though these are less common.

The word這個字 is not strictly limited to the kitchen also不是只能用在廚房 — you你 can meet也會遇到 'writing utensils'「writing utensils」 for pens and pencils指筆類文具、 and and 'garden utensils'「garden utensils」， though these are less common只是這兩種比較少見。